“If You Think We’re Going to Lie Down, You’re Wrong” – Hibs Captain Insists Side Will Give All Against Celtic
Hibernian captain Joe Newell rubbished any talk of him and his teammates lying down to Celtic this Sunday. The Glasgow side would go level on points with Hibs’ rivals Hearts with a win at Easter Road, at least until the league leaders take on Rangers at Tynecastle on Monday evening. Yet Newell says their neighbours title charge will have no bearing on performances levels in Leith. He said: “I don’t think you could make it to this level without wanting to win. I’ve not met one who has. “We’re a group of professional athletes. We fight with each other over five-a-side games in training. “So if you think we’re going to lie down in front of thousands of people, in front of the Sky cameras, you’re wrong. “We’ll be doing our utmost to win the game of football, it’s as simple as that. “There’s a competitive edge all the time in training. You’re professional athletes, we get paid a lot of money to do this. “So we’re doing a disservice to everyone if you roll over for what some fans want.” The Hibees failed to derail Hearts’ historic title bid last Sunday, falling to a late 2-1 defeat in a match that seen them reduced to nine men. With fans across the country beginning to anticipate a historic end to the season, Newell admits he understands why some Hibernian supporters would like to see their team lose at the weekend. “Yeah. I get it. I completely get it. “But we control what we can control. We’ve got a huge few games to play in terms of what we’re playing for. “We need European football. We want to finish as high as possible. “To go back-to-back would be a good achievement for the club, actually great achievement considering how often we’ve done it in the last few years. “That’s something that we’re desperate for and that’s in our control.” Hibs are 5th in the table, 6 points behind Motherwell and 5 ahead of Falkirk. A Scottish Cup win for Celtic would allow entry into the Conference League qualifiers for Hibs, should they fail to move from 5th by the end of the campaign.
Is Daizen Maeda coming to life at the right time?
The Japanese international has five goal involvements in his last two games, after what has been a disappointing season for his standards. A whopping 45 goal contributions in all competitions for Daizen Maeda last season, has been slightly covered with his campaign this time-out. His efforts were rewarded with the Player of the Year last season. Maeda hadn’t scored in the league since the 10th of January before his double against Falkirk on Saturday. Maeda has burst back into his own self in recent weeks, scoring to put Celtic into another Scottish Cup final and keeping their title hopes alive. However, there is speculation that he will depart the club in the summer, after his well anticipated move to Wolfsburg last year fell through. On Maeda’s contract situation, Martin O’ Neill said: “I think there were contract talks with him last August. I do know that there were talks and there was a contract in front of him, which he didn’t sign at the time. I don’t know the position now. “If he didn’t want to stay any longer, then that would be a choice for the club to try and sell him. “But he’s come back to a bit of form, which is great. I’ll look short-term at this minute and see how he can cope with the next five games.” Maeda looks to be back to himself, his high intensity pressing has caused serious problems for defences recently. Including a horror mistake from Ryan Mullen to give Celtic the opener in the Scottish Cup semi-final. The Celtic support will be hoping that Maeda brings delight at the top end of the pitch for the final four games in the league, in hope to retain the Scottish Premiership title.
Dundee FC Announces Multi-Year Partnership Renewal with Assai Records
Dundee Football Club is proud to announce a multi-year partnership renewal with Assai Records, the award-winning independent record retailer renowned for its deep roots in Scottish music culture. This exciting collaboration brings together two iconic Dundee brands, uniting football and music to create unique experiences for fans and the wider community. As part of the partnership, Assai Records will remain the official audio partner of Dundee FC, with the distinctive Assai logo on the warm-up tops and club-inspired playlists on the dual-branded Spotify channel. As part of the agreement, fans can look forward to exclusive events and collaborative campaigns celebrating the shared passion for sport and music in Dundee. The partnership will also explore opportunities to support local artists and enhance matchday experiences through music-driven activations. John Nelms, Managing Director at Dundee FC, said: “We are delighted to continue our relationship with Assai Records as a partner of Dundee Football Club. This collaboration reflects our commitment to connecting with our community in new and creative ways. Assai’s reputation and passion for music align perfectly with the energy and identity of our club and supporters.” Keith Ingram, Owner at Assai Records, added: “Partnering with Dundee FC is a natural fit for us. Both organisations are deeply embedded in the city’s culture, and we’re excited to bring music and football fans together through this partnership. We look forward to creating something truly special over the coming years.” This partnership marks another step in Dundee FC’s ongoing efforts to build strong, meaningful relationships with local and national brands, enhancing the experience for supporters and contributing to the vibrancy of the Dundee community.
