BY IAIN COLLIN – Capital City Press
Hibernian head coach Alan Stubbs insists he has not given up hope of re-signing Celtic midfielder Dylan McGeouch.
McGeouch spent last season on loan at Easter Road and was a huge success as Hibs finished second in the Championship before missing out on promotion via the play-offs.
Celtic have since taken up an option to extend the 22-year-old’s contract for another season, seemingly dashing Stubbs’ ambitions of being able to entice the former Scotland under-21 cap back to the capital.
However, the Hibs boss has admitted he will continue to keep tabs on McGeouch’s situation at Parkhead in case the former Rangers youth is allowed to move on again.
Stubbs, who is currently running the rule over a trialist keeper, said: “I don’t like speaking about players who are signed to other clubs.
“Dylan is a Celtic player and we will continue to monitor that situation.
“But if he was to become available then I’m sure Hibs would be interested.”
Stubbs, who maintained the club had received no bids or official contact from any club regarding in-demand midfielder Scott Allan, has so far been able to re-sign keeper Mark Oxley, defenders Liam Fontaine and Lewis Stevenson, midfielder Fraser Fyvie and striker Martin Boyle, as well as add James Keatings and Danny Carmichael to his squad.
And he hopes the togetherness that was fostered in the group in his first season in charge can help to energise a second push for promotion back to the top-flight.
He added: “When you see them all in the dressing room there is a real strong bond between them all; they get on brilliantly well together.
“They’re a great bunch to work with but they’re also a great bunch who get on really well together and you don’t necessarily find that a lot in a dressing room.
“Everybody is different but you have got a group of lads who will go out for lunch together, they’ll socialise together, and that’s not something that is widespread in football.
“I think that’s great, it helps them to be behind each other on the pitch.
“That camaraderie amongst themselves is something you can’t buy, it’s got to be brought out amongst themselves.”
