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Europa League: Embarrassed Pat Fenlon's apology to Hibs fans

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments95

Hibs striker Rowan Vine

Hibernian manager Pat Fenlon has apologised to the club's fans for witnessing the worst-ever aggregate defeat by a Scottish club in Europe.

The Edinburgh side followed up a 2-0 defeat by Malmo in Sweden with a

"Disappointed, embarrassed I suppose more than anything else," said Fenlon.

"It's my team I put out. Of course you ask questions of yourself. That was not good enough and I apologise to the supporters for that."

Hibs' aggregate loss in the second qualifying round surpassed Rangers' 12-4 defeat by Eintracht Frankfurt in 1960 as the Germans headed for that famous 7-3 European Cup final reverse at the hands of Real Madrid at Hampden Park.

Fenlon indicated that it would result in much soul searching when he returns to his desk in the morning.

"We'll have a look at it tomorrow and see where we go from there," he told BBC Scotland.

Malmo, are midway through their season in Sweden, where they lie two points behind leaders Helsingborgs.

Hibs have yet to begin their Scottish Premiership campaign, but Fenlon was not prepared to make that an excuse for the size of their defeat.

"We were just well beaten by a better side," he said of a game watched by a healthy crowd of 16,000.

"But I apologise to the supporters. I don't want to put them through that."

Asked if the result emphasised that he needed new signings, Fenlon said: "We've known that for a while and have been trying to do that, but we still had a half-decent team on the park tonight. We just didn't compete.

"They're a good side, there's no doubt about that, their technique was very, very good.

"But there's no excuses for that. That's a poor performance, as simple as that.

"Like I said, I can't defend that and I'm not going to stand here and try to defend that."

Hibs' misery was compounded when skipper James McPake was forced out of the action early on with a back problem and the defender is now expected to be sidelined "for a while", according to Fenlon.

A Twitter account purporting to be Swindon Town's James Collins had earlier in the day indicated that the striker had completed his transfer to Hibs after a fee of around £200,000 was agreed between the clubs earlier this week.

"I haven't seen the chairman today," said Fenlon. "We were in negotiations with him and his club and I don't know where it got to.

"We have been working away on it, so hopefully we can get it done."

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95 comments

  • Comment posted by Hibs-Beer-CoD-Girlfriend in that order, at 14:15 26 Jul 2013

    He should be offering:

    1. His resignation

    2. To reimburse the fans last night/give their weeks wage to charity

    Fenlon is a poor excuse of a manager.2 of the most embarrassing defeats in our HISTORY have come under his tenure.He doesn't have a football philosophy.He plays with no style and has no back up plan. Atleast Col Calderwood admitted he had no style.7th last season was lucky not deserved

  • Comment posted by DMC49, at 14:32 26 Jul 2013

    40- Think its funny for a soon to liquidated supporter to come on here and slate Hibs, remember they start on nil. Hearts fans should be out raising money not on here with opinions. Great our new league starts with a team in admin/dead. Get Morton in and you go to South League

  • Comment posted by william, at 20:29 26 Jul 2013

    it is important that our clubs do well in Europe,sad to read all the parochial hatred coming out , it probably highlights what is wrong with Scottish fitba. we need the big clubs and all clubs need each other . the lack competition at the top of the spl last season and the standard of the product made whole season a non event for the fans. this was a really bad result for scottish fitba.

  • Comment posted by OddJobLot, at 17:45 26 Jul 2013

    @60 Assuming you survive til then of course... Fingers crossed eh?

    You're right about Fenlon though - we need someone better.

  • Comment posted by maclen, at 20:55 26 Jul 2013

    @69 My goodness do you just go round looking for any story to do with Scottish football and rip into it? For such a 'small league' with so many 'small teams' you're not half obsessed by it.

  • Comment posted by hibeeguy, at 18:14 26 Jul 2013

    Asked if the result emphasized that he needed new signings, Fenlon said: "We've known that for a while and have been trying to do that, but we still had a half-decent team on the park tonight. We just didn't compete. Your job to make that happen Pat. Just didn't compete. You and you alone are responsible. I think i've given you time! (O'Niel and Jimmy Calderwood) both have larger craniums.

  • Comment posted by OddJobLot, at 15:29 26 Jul 2013

    @47 Norwich sacked the manager who lost that game and brought in the manager who won it - Paul Lambert... Hardly a good analogy....
    I'm all in favour of us getting a new manager, hell I'd take McLeish back if it came to that..... desperate times call for desperate measures.....

  • Comment posted by User0491643584, at 00:14 27 Jul 2013

    75

    Juve had 73% possession against celtic at parkhead aswell as scoring 3 goals so totaly outplayed them.

  • Comment posted by User0857191545, at 14:32 26 Jul 2013

    Embarrassed the whole nation pat ;)
    "how can they believe our strength when we can not even rule our capital"

  • Comment posted by User0870904324, at 11:56 26 Jul 2013

    I can always rely on Scottish football to brighten up my day. Keep the comedy coming boys!

  • Comment posted by OddJobLot, at 13:48 26 Jul 2013

    @28 now now,
    Griffiths was not available at £100k in year one of his loan at Hibs. If you're going to claim that I want to hear it from the horses mouth, so you'll need to name the ER director and he'll have to explain why. Petrie is a chairman of a business he doesn't own, so he won't have made that choice on his own. Remember horses mouth, not horses a**e......

  • Comment posted by DaveD, at 10:44 26 Jul 2013

    Never has there been more contrasting fortunes for Scottish clubs in Europe in the same evening. Brilliant from st Johnstone and astonishingly awful from Hibs. Kind of sums up the state of our game at the moment. The odd glimpse of hope then booted back into touch.....

  • Comment posted by User0405076794, at 14:04 26 Jul 2013

    #34

    You want my contact to come on here and explain to YOU? Seriously???

    Suggest you continue to stick your head in the sand (or up a horses a**e) if you can't handle the facts.

    LG was available at £100k however, Petrie punted him, together with most of the other loan players, out of the door after the 5-1 humiliation - throwing the baby out with the bath water I think that's called.

  • Comment posted by User0405076794, at 14:16 26 Jul 2013

    #38

    And you must be one flare throwers - lost your seat yet at Celtic Park.

    You naughty Bhoy!

  • Comment posted by hobbz, at 22:41 26 Jul 2013

    To be honest, scottish football was a lot more competitive when it was 2 divisions playing each other twice a season not four. It may be a step back, but surely if they create a premier league of 18, 1st Div of 20 and a2nd div made up of the 4 remainig league teams plus the highland league ,you will remove the familiarity and complacency that has iinevitably crept in.,just a thought

  • Comment posted by Binzo, at 11:00 26 Jul 2013

    James Collins might be lucky and not have signed the paperwork yet!! If he as signed for Hibs, the good news is the team can't play any worse than they did last night! I had to leave at half time...had I gone to view the technical ability of a Swedish Football side, I might have stayed, but unfortunately I'd gone under the misapprehension that Hibs might win. When will I learn?

  • Comment posted by OddJobLot, at 12:40 26 Jul 2013

    @24 Sorry Thomasina, but LG was available for more than Hibs could afford - £500k. Sad but true. Hibs are owned by a millionaire, but its about controlling cost, rather than excessive spend. Rod as far as I recall wants HMFC to remain in business as it is good for both clubs. I think its normal for fans to gloat, but all the Hibs fans I know are worried about the Jambo's.

  • Comment posted by User0512932219, at 20:30 28 Jul 2013

    not looking forward to another season with PF in charge

  • Comment posted by OddJobLot, at 11:39 26 Jul 2013

    @11 andyb is a troll. He's posted that exact same message on multiple threads.
    You're right about developing talent. There is a real problem. Wimbledon in England produce young talent. Forest have just signed a scot who came through their academy. Hibs used to produce and feed players into Scottish and English teams. Now we rely on L1&2 players and NI players. Not good enough unfortunately.

  • Comment posted by Angus, at 12:32 26 Jul 2013

    @24 To be fair, even if that's true, I wouldn't have actually said he was worth 100K after his first loan spell. Only after this past season did he really mature into a responsible and classy player, worth well more than that.

    @8 Wotherspoon was actually offered a new contract (on, presumably, as good as if not better money than at St Johnstone), but he turned it down, as he's a St Johnstone fan.

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