Jamie McAllister insists Hibs won’t shrink when they return to the scene of their 6-1 Celtic Park drubbing tomorrow - thanks to regular sessions with a psychologist.
That October Parkhead pounding had manager Lee Johnson accusing players of being BRAINWASHED into thinking they can’t beat the Old Firm. But assistant boss McAllister is adamant that’s not the case this time round after regular sessions with sports therapist Don MacNaughton bolstered belief in the fourth-placed Hibees.
McAllister has felt both sides of the coin as an opposition player at Parkhead himself - having been thumped 7-0 and 6-0 with Aberdeen under Ebbe Skovdahl before coming away with a 2-0 victory on his last appearance in the east end of Glasgow with Hearts in April 2005. Now, as he prepares to head back to face Celtic with the other side of the Edinburgh divide, the 44-year-old said those sessions with MacNaughton and a seven-game unbeaten run in the league prior to the 4-1 defeat to Rangers last time out has got Hibs hungry to make their mark.
He said: “Confidence has definitely grown since then. There’s belief in the squad, there’s a stronger mentality and that comes off the back of wins and a bit of psychology. We’ve had Donald MacNaughton in helping with the psychological side of it.
“We separate the groups, do it as a group or as individuals. It’s up to the lads if they want to take it or not. It’s definitely something the group has got better at. The mentality is there. So we are in a better place than we were back then. But it comes down to when you step across that white line.”
McAllister acknowledged he’s suffered “one or two scuddings with Aberdeen” at Parkhead. But recalling the 2-0 victory over Martin O’Neill’s Hoops - a side containing current Hibs stars David Marshall and Aiden McGeady - with Hearts he insisted belief was key.
He said: “When we were at Hearts we split the Old Firm. That was when George Burley came in and he gave us the mentality, it’s only 11 men against 11 men and that was from the start of the season. You have to go in with belief and back yourself.
“You have to win as many individual duels as you can and be strong as a unit then take the chances when they come along because you don’t get many. You have to be clinical.
“You need them not to be at their best and we need every player at it. They have real quality and I think they average about three goals a game so it’s a tough ask but it’s one you have to set yourself up right, be strong at the back, be organised but be ready to counter and break and take your chances when they come.”
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