Michael Nelson probably awoke this morning not wishing to read any match reports in today’s press following his dismissal during Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Partick Thistle however it’s likely his team mates have pointed him in the direction of Bill Leckie’s match report in The Scottish Sun.
Leckie is an admirable journalist, often supporting lost causes and as a follower of St Mirren one of the few hacks reporting on the Scottish game who don’t continually pander to the Old Firm majority of his readership, which makes his ruthless attack on the Hibees skipper in this morning’s edition a riveting read.
It’s fair to say ‘The Admiral’ has been out of sorts for weeks but his determination is unquestioned although many supporters do have reservations about all other aspects of his game.
He’s a bit of a marmite player, some like, others hate but has as many fans as detractors but Leckie’s portrayal is cutting.
The Sun reporter states ‘The kindest thing for all concerned in a desperate fight to avoid the drop is if this big fella is taken right out the picture. Sometimes you get a guy who can do nothing right for doing wrong.
‘A guy who becomes the focal point of everything that’s pulling the team down and making the fans despair.
‘In this current Easter Road team, it takes some doing to make that guy not be fall-guy striker James Collins, a man who was booed on as a sub with the season hanging by a thread.
‘Nelson though has managed it. For me, he’s stuck out for weeks as the shirt more than any other you’d go at from the off to expose Terry Butchers gang of misfits.
‘Lump a high ball and he’ll generally head it back into traffic. Give him it to feet and he’ll simply lump it further than most of us go our holidays. He’s been lured out of position like Scooby Doo following a sandwich on a string.
‘On Saturday, all of this and more came together in a display so terrible it was a genuine blessing when he picked up his second yellow card and walked 11 minutes from the end.’
It’s unusual to see any mainstream journalist have such an in depth rant at any current professional player and while some points are certainly valid there is an argument Nelson’s second yellow prevented Hibs from falling further behind.
If Terry Butcher is as friendly with the media as we’re lead to believe it’ll be interesting to see if he makes comment regarding what can only be perceived as a personal attack on one of his squad.
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