HIBERNIAN manager Mixu Paatelainen has underlined his intent to reshape his squad for next season by releasing defender Abderaouf Zarabi – one of the Finn's first signings at Easter Road.
Algeria international Zarabi was snapped up from French club, Gueugnon, on a three-year contract by Paatelainen during the January transfer window, and arrived at Hibs with a lofty reputation. The 29-year-old has largely failed to impress in his eig
ht appearances at left-back, however, and has been freed by the Edinburgh club.
A statement on Hibs website explained: "Following discussions between the player and the manager, the club has agreed to release Abdel Zarabi to return to France. The player joined the club in January, but his wife and young child have not been able to join him in Edinburgh.
Paatelainen added: "Abdel is an experienced player and he has been released to join the preparations of his national team. Thereafter, he will be returning to France as a free agent to find a new club. We wish him and his family well."
Meanwhile, striker Colin Nish believes the incentive of finishing fourth in the SPL is all the motivation required to defeat Motherwell tonight.
The Easter Road outfit bring the curtain down on their season when they take on the Uefa Cup qualifiers at home.
While events at Aberdeen and Dundee United are likely to be far more intense as the Rangers-Celtic title race goes to the last day, Nish believes Hibs also have much to play for. If defeating the side who pipped them to European football is not enough of a spur, Nish knows the financial rewards for claiming fourth spot would boost club finances.
With Hibs and Dundee United locked on the same points – and United hosting Celtic on Tayside – a victory for Paatelainen's men could take them up to fourth and net a bonus of around £80,000.
Considering where Hibs languished when Paatelainen took over at the turn of the year, Nish feels achieving fourth place would be a creditable feat.
The forward, who left Kilmarnock for Easter Road in January, said: "I think since the manager came in he's taken us up quite a few league places.
"That shows the improvement in the team and hopefully, if we can continue that into next year, then we'll get a few more points on the board than we did this season.
"We're trying to finish fourth so I think the manager may want his strongest team. The fact the game is at home also makes it a wee bit easier to motivate yourself. It's a game we want to win to go out on a high. Next season we've just got to get it in our heads that we want to finish where Motherwell have in third, and we'll be aiming to do that."
With Nish a yellow card away from picking up a three-game ban for the start of next season, he may not even feature against Mark McGhee's side.
But given Hibs' short summer break – they are off for just over four weeks before they return for their Intertoto Cup campaign – Nish would no doubt welcome a night off.
He added: "We've not got much of a break but at least when we come back we're not just running about. We're going to be playing games which is always better. You'd be playing friendlies anyway, so we might as well be playing meaningful games."
Motherwell winger Darren Smith, meanwhile, is already looking forward to next season even though the current campaign is not finished.
"You want a good couple of weeks to put your feet up and relax and take your mind off football," he said.
"As soon as that is over, we can't wait to get into the swing of things. I think with the prospect of European football, the boys are so excited."
The full article contains 652 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
