Paul Hanlon is aware that Hibs go into Sunday’s Scottish Cup tie against Stranraer as massive favourites but he insists that the team are taking nothing for granted and are treating it as they have done for every other game this season.
A professional performance in the last round saw off Queen of the South and victory against Stranraer will set up a home tie against Motherwell who defeated Greenock Morton after a penalty shoot-out on Friday night.
Since football returned Hibs have lost two semi-finals at Hampden but Hanlon points out that it’s an achievement to get to the latter stages of major tournaments on a regular basis.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of the game Hanlon said: “We done a lot of preparation in the build up to the game so far and we are treating it as every other game, training properly and hope to put in a good performance and get into the next round.
“Their matches are coming thick and fast at the minute which is probably a bit unfair for these types of clubs but that’s the way it’s got to be to finish their campaign but they are coming off the back of good form so when you are in good form you just want the next game to come.
“I’m sure they will be mentally and physically prepared for us just as we will be for them.
“The majority of this campaign has been positive for us and we see this as another opportunity to take it a step further. Our disappointments have been so big because they have been in the semi-finals of major tournaments and that’s what makes them so heart-breaking and difficult to get over.
“On the flip side of that you have to look at we are getting to these situations time and time again so this is another opportunity to put ourselves in these big matches.
“Hopefully we can go one further but that a fair bit down the line and we just have our eye on the next game.
“Everyone knows about cup football and that’s why you been to prepare properly and be as professional as you possibly can for every single round and that’s what we will be doing this weekend.
“We have experience of going to Hampden but does that prepare us for going to Stranraer away.
“It’s a fair journey and it’s another stadium to tick off the list in my professional career. You want to visit different stadiums in lower leagues, higher leagues, European football you want to experience as much as you can throughout your career.”
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.
