Hibernian v St Mirren - Wednesday 23 December 2020 by hibernianfootballclub

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The Changing Room uses the power of football to bring men together to unite and tackle mental health and wellbeing. By promoting menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mental health through the beautiful game, The Changing Roomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 12 week course has helped Hibernian supporters across Edinburgh and beyond to manage their own mental health. The changing room is funded by the Movember Foundation, and is delivered in partnership by SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health), Hibernian Football Club and SPFL Trust. If you want to learn more about The Changing Room, please contact thechangingroom@samh.org.uk

CONTENTS

vs ST. MIRREN | 23/12/20

HIBERNIAN O F F I C I A L

M ATC H DAY

P R O G R A M M E

06 | THE BIG INTERVIEW 14 | PLAYER SPONSORSHIP 16 | OPPOSITION

2 0 / 2 1

STEVIE MALLAN

31| FIXTURES & RESULTS

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STEVIE MALLAN

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fter a testing time of it with injury – and rehabilitation complicated by lockdown – Stevie Mallan is inching his way back to his influential best for Hibs.

The midfielder has always been a reliable source of assists and

spectacular goals and it’s not by chance. A technician who has honed his craft from an early age, Mallan can trace his final third prowess back to oneon-one sessions with his former footballer father, also named ‘Stevie’.

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STEVIE, THERE’S ALWAYS A SENSE OF ANTICIPATION WHEN THE BALL BREAKS TO YOU AT A CERTAIN DISTANCE FROM GOAL. WHEN DID YOU START TO DEVELOP THAT STRIKE? From a very early age. Growing up, my Dad always had me working with a size five football – from when I was old enough to walk. So, I was used to the dimensions and weight of a full-sized ball. That meant when I played youth football, with lighter balls, I could hit it further. Whenever you watch youth football, the poor goalkeepers aren’t that big. So, I would always make sure I aimed for the top of the goal. The power and ability to guide it comes with practice over time, but I do think working with that size five straight away helped massively. SO, YOUR FAMILY HAVE VIDEO FOOTAGE SOMEWHERE OF YOU AS AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD SCORING 30-YARDERS? My Dad has a few, to be fair. He used to come to my games. That shooting ability is something I’ve always been known for, even when I broke through at St Mirren. It comes back to street football as well and practicing free-kicks with my friends. Playing with a ball is just something I’ve always done. In general, those long-range strikes seem to be a bit of a dying art. Who did you look up to when you were younger? Paul Scholes was the one for me. Steven Gerrard as well. They’d shoot from anywhere. I always thought that it you were able to get it on target with enough power then there’s always a chance of something happening, whether it goes straight in or there’s the chance of someone knocking in a rebound. Scholes and Gerrard had no fear. They backed themselves and their technique to have a go and that’s what I’ve always tried to incorporate into my own game. THE STATS SHOW MORE GOALS ARE SCORE FROM CUTBACKS, SO HAVE MANAGERS TRIED TO DISCOURAGE YOU FROM SHOOTING FROM LONG-RANGE? I genuinely think every manager that I’ve worked under has encouraged me to shoot on sight. The boys in the team do the same. If I have the ball 25 yards from goal, then I’ll hear a shout from behind me telling me to shoot. The boys know what I’m capable of and it was the same at St Mirren. I’ve come off the bench a fair bit this season and it’s often the last thing the manager here will say to me before I go on, that if I get a chance then I should shoot because he has faith in me. HOW FAR DO YOU TAKE THE LITTLE DETAILS? DO YOU AIM FOR A CERTAIN PART OF THE BALL? It’s hard to explain. I try to get under the ball and top-spin it so there’s a lot of movement. A few weeks ago, against Dundee, was a good example of that. We practice shooting most days in training, so it does become second nature. DO YOU VARY YOUR APPROACH DEPENDING ON THE GOALKEEPER YOU’RE FACING? I do tend to judge the goalkeeper’s height at the start of the game and take it from there or his general positioning. If you’re shooting from open play it’s difficult

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“WE’RE DOING

WELL AND THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY STARTING POSITIONS.

“

STEVIE MALLAN ON COMPETITION IN THE SQUAD

H I B E R N I A N FO OT B A LL C LU B

to take that stuff into account and it’s more instinctive, as well as focusing on just hitting the target. Set-pieces are a different story. If you know a goalkeeper, for example, is weaker at his near post then you’ll obviously try to exploit that. THERE’S A DIFFERENT KIND OF PRESSURE THAT COMES WITH BEING THE SET-PIECE TAKER. YOU’VE MORE TIME TO THINK AND THERE’S AN EXPECTATION THAT YOU’LL DELIVER. WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR HEAD? I’ve had days when it just hasn’t worked, whether that’s in training or in a game. Sometimes, whatever you do, you just can’t beat that first man. I think it’s important to trust yourself and not beat yourself up too much. I try and keep my routine the same – the number of steps I take, the angle I strike the ball at. I feel like sticking to that routine increases the chances of you being successful. Changing it up or overthinking it is maybe when it starts to go wrong for you. TO BE GOOD AT THAT SIDE OF THE GAME, DO YOU HAVE TO GET COMFORTABLE WITH THE IDEA OF FAILING CONSISTENTLY IN TRAINING AS YOU WORK ON YOUR TECHNIQUE? Totally, one hundred per cent. There were times when my Dad and I would head to the park with a bag of balls and it would feel like I never hit the target. It’s easy to get frustrated but Dad would always say that an ability on set-pieces or shooting from long-range is maybe something that gets you in the team and keeps you in the team. I know there have been times when I’ve been in the team when I’ve not necessarily played well but the temptation for the manager is maybe to gamble on that one time when it happens for you. YOU MADE SUCH A STRONG IMPACT WHEN YOU SIGNED – WINNING OUR PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD FROM SUPPORTERS AND YOUR TEAM-MATES. HOW DID YOU COPE WITH PROGRESS STALLING A BIT AS A RESULT OF YOUR INJURY? It was a first for me and something I had to get my head around. I wasn’t playing too well before that. The injury maybe gave me time to think about my career and what I want to achieve. I’ve never been injured before. I think I played in pretty much every game in the previous season. Boys like Martin Boyle and Ryan Porteous, who had the same injury, were able to help me through it. It gave me that bit more hunger to get back on the pitch. You never want to be in that position again. You know you’re blessed to be out there on the pitch doing something you love. THE MODERN-DAY FOOTBALLER HAS TO FILTER A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPINIONS. ARE YOU THE TYPE THAT GOES ON FORUMS OR PAYS ATTENTION TO COMMENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA? I think I’m like most players. If you’re doing well, you do probably subconsciously go looking for the praise and positive comments. Especially when you’re at a young age. It’s a new feeling and you’ll maybe go on Twitter and read through the replies. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a nosey when I’ve not done so well, and you can get people slaughtering you. At times, rightly so. Sometimes what people say isn’t just, but it’s just people showing their passion for the club. Like us, they’re desperate to win. I probably tend to steer clear of it a bit more now and will say to my family not to tell me about some stuff they might see. I know if I’ve had HIBERNIANFC.CO.UK 10

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a bad game, so I’ll know what to expect on social media. Sometimes you’re in a bad place and the last thing you want is to hear it from other people. I’m focused more on myself now. DO YOU THINK SOME PEOPLE MAYBE DON’T REALISE THE IMPACT SOME OF THESE COMMENTS CAN HAVE ON A PLAYER OR THEIR FAMILY? I don’t think they do, no. People can jump on social media bandwagons and slaughter others. It can single people out and get pretty personal. A lot of people see that stuff, whether it’s you, your family, the person looking after Hibs’ social media and well beyond that. It’s just part and parcel of the game now and it’s probably similar to a manager coming into the dressing room and giving you plaudits, then going through you another week. It’s about how you deal with it. There’s been the odd comment that’s made me laugh, but they’re probably not ones to share here! HOW BIG A PART HAVE ST MIRREN PLAYED IN YOUR LIFE? A massive part. I was at St Mirren from the age of four until I was 21. That’s a long time in my career. It was just round the corner for me, so it was great to grow up playing for my local team. Half my friends are St Mirren fans, so for me to say I played there is an achievement. A lot of boys have come through at St Mirren and go on to do big things. It’s a brilliant club. I had highs there and the lows of relegation. St Mirren means everything to me. They gave me the opportunity to play.

YOU DO SEEM PARTICULARLY FIRED UP AT THE MOMENT AND HUNGRY TO MAKE A MARK. There’s more competition for places than I’ve experienced here before and it’s harder to get a start. I’m not playing every week, when that’s what I was used to. Now there’s Melker, Kyle, Joe, Alex and Drey occasionally in the centre. If you’re not on form, other boys are ready to step in. This year is probably the hardest I’ve ever worked in training because I feel like if I’m not training well then the manager and the coaches will pick up on that. We can’t afford to relax. We’re doing well and there are only so many starting positions. It makes you hungrier.

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OFFICIAL MATCHDAY PROGR AMME

THE OPPOSITION

ST. MIRREN

St Mirren are the visitors to Easter Road for our second encounter with the Paisley side. The first encounter ended in a 3-0 away win for the Hibees, but games between the two have been difficult affairs and St Mirren are dangerous opponents. We can expect another tough game today.

M A NAGER

JIM GOODWIN Jim Goodwin skippered the Saints to League Cup glory in 2013. Since then, he has gone on to enjoy a successful transition to coaching and management at Allow and then back in Paisley. As a player he was renowned as tough and uncompromising, but he has rapidly emerged as one of the most thoughtful young coaches in Scotland and has St Mirren well-organised, difficult to beat and carrying an attacking threat.

C AP TA IN

SAM FOLEY Midfielder Sam Foley is captain of Saints. Hugely experienced, he has played for a number of teams down south â&#x20AC;&#x201C; notably Yeovil, Port Vale and Northampton - before making the move north to Paisley in 2019. The former Republic of Ireland youth international was the clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Player of the Year last season.

K E Y PL AY ER

JON OBIKA The form of striker Jon Obika may be key to St Mirren. Top goalscorer for the Buddies with five so far, he is also the St Mirren attacker with the best minutes per goal ratio. The centre forward began his career at Tottenham, and certainly has the pace and power to worry defenders. 16

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L AS T MEETIN G

S T. MIRREN 0-3 H I B E R NI A N

1 2/ 09/ 2020

The build-up to the game was dominated by St Mirrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shortage of goalkeepers due to injury and illness, with Hearts keeper Zdenek Zlamal signed on loan three hours before kick off. Goals from Nisbet, Newell and Boyle securing the points.

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HIBERNIAN v DUNDEE UNITED EASTER ROAD STADIUM 19/12/20

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