Hibs’ manager Dean Gibson believes that the media is being ‘disrespectful’ to both Hibs and Glasgow City due to the extensive coverage of the women’s game following the restructuring of Rangers and Celtic.
The Glasgow giants have both turned professional and signed top quality players in an effort to being success and many news outlets consider the ‘old firm’ match to be the biggest in the country despite Hibs and Glasgow City having dominated Scottish football for the last decade.
Speaking at the pre match press conference Gibson said: “I think it’s really disrespectful. Not to me because I have not been involved until this year in the first team but I think it’s disrespectful to Joelle Murray, to Haley Lauder, to players like that who have given so much to the women’s game.
“I think until they have achieved what these players have achieved, to what these clubs Hibs and Glasgow City have achieved then maybe the media should be a bit more respectful because there is nothing to suggest that we both won’t be up there challenging with Rangers and Celtic just because they are going to be part of a group challenging doesn’t mean that Hibs and Glasgow City aren’t.
“So I do think it’s disrespectful to both Hibs and Glasgow City, not necessarily the clubs but those within the clubs, the players who have given so much to the women’s game over the past decade are just getting written off now because other teams have got a bit of money.”
Gibson also revealed that despite the importance of the fixture on Sunday, there wasn’t any difference to the training this week.
He continued: “We have been training as normal. If you try to change things it takes away how important other games are. We have got to keep the same structure for every game.
“I’ve watched enough Hibs v Glasgow City games and been involved in the youth set up so I was always aware that these were big games. Whenever these games were played I’d get along to them so I am fully aware of what these games entail and what it means to both clubs.
Although there has been changes to the squads both teams are pretty similar. They are as strong as they have always been. They have recruited well although maybe they are not as used to the transition as we are as it happens to Hibs every year.
“That might be a small factor that might come into it but I don’t think it will be a big one.
“If we can take the belief from the cup games and take it into the league games than we can get three points on Sunday.”
The game will be streamed live on BBC Scotland
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
