Let's get one thing straight - Jim Goodwin was bang out of order calling Ryan Porteous a cheat and owes the player an apology. The Aberdeen boss never pulled out of a tackle as a player.
But he needs to reverse out of this row asap because he was wrong about the incident and wrong in his use of words. Jim’s obviously frustrated with the decision that’s gone against his team and cost them a penalty and red card. But a manager can’t come out and call an opposition player a cheat in public. These things stick and the bottom line is that Jim is wrong.
It’s really poor and he can surely expect a call from the SFA discipline chiefs if it’s not already arrived. I don’t like seeing managers banned but I think the beaks have to set a precedent here because you can’t call someone a cheat especially when replays show Ryan DIDN’T dive. It was a tangle between two players grappling and it’s not as if the Hibs defender collapsed like a deck chair in the box.
It was a soft penalty but that’s on the referee not the player. Listen, there were a few incidents involving Ryan when Jim was St Mirren gaffer and, playing devil’s advocate here, then yes there have been times he’s gone down too easy but those were a long time ago.
Coincidentally it was the same weekend last season that he took a pop at the player for winning a penalty against the Buddies in a similar situation. But he was cuter with his words then when he said: “ Porteous has a habit of winning cheap free-kicks over the years. Some people might say he was clever but for me the referee needs to see what was going on.”
Not this time. To brand someone a cheat is out of order. It’s too strong and players can’t afford to have labels like that attached to them. He needs to have a bit more tact.
Saying it privately to warn his team is one thing but to come out in the media and say it. I think Jim will regret that. What if an Aberdeen player is at the centre of something similar in a few weeks?
I know there’s been a few incidents with Vicente Besuijen going down easily against Hibs that have infuriated the supporters. Jim’s never going to call his own player a cheat though is he?
The worry is that Ryan will feel he’s a marked man now. Maybe, with his contract up next summer, he reckons it’s time for him to get out of Scottish football a bit like Jason Cummings did recently. I hope not. He’s a good player, a Scotland squad player, a homegrown player and a big Hibs fan himself. I’d love to see him stay at Easter Road but I fear he might want out of the goldfish bowl.
It’s distracted from a great result for Hibs. They were the better team from start to finish no matter that they were up against 10-men for a large part of it.
They had 25 attempts at goal and that’s what they’ve been concentrating on this season - creating chances -because it was nothing like that under Shaun Maloney where the slow continental build-up had little end product. I was delighted for Josh Campbell getting another two goals. He’s been a bit of a whipping boy with fans at times but that’s five goals this season already and overall Hibs are in good shape.
I thought Mykola Kukharevych was excellent and could be the striker Hibs have been crying out for. His movement was excellent, he pulled two defenders away to create space for Campbell’s last goal, he’s a big unit and held the ball up well and is mobile and can run in behind too.
He’s an exciting prospect and if he can start firing with Boyle in beside him then I think Hibs are in for a good season.
READ NEXT
