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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Ross Pilcher

The ultimate Hibs Masters team as legends six-a-side tournament returns this summer

The Masters is back this summer after a decade off the air.

Selected teams of club legends will go head-to-head in the sixa-sie- format on the iconic blue indoor pitch.

Celtic and Rangers are the only Scottish Premiership clubs taking part, but Hibs featured when the tournament was a regular on the Sky Sports schedule back in the early 2000s.

The Hibees boast a number of former stars who would no doubt still do a job in the small-sided version of the game.

With that in mind, Record Sport has come up with the ultimate Masters team made up of Easter Road favourites.

The only criteria is that players must be 35 or over in the year of the tournament and have played for the Leith outfit.

Daniel Andersson

Even Hibs fans will admit, picking a goalkeeper to feature in this team was always likely to be a struggle.

The Hibees have had a few between the sticks who have failed to perform with high profile derby errors plaguing more than one.

But Swede Andersson was a popular figure at Easter Road and was a fairly consistent performer during his one season in Leith, helping Hibs reach the League Cup final that year.

Franck Sauzee

The first name on the Hibs Masters team sheet.

The France international arrived under Alex McLeish to lead Hibs’ promotion push back to the top flight in 1998, and was a revelation.

The former Marseille midfielder was deployed as a sweeper in the back three, but ran the show from there.

(SNS)

A class act on and off the pitch, Sauzee was a cut above the rest even after promotion, and there’s a reason why fans christened him ‘Le God’.

Made a long-awaited to return to the capital earlier this year to appear at a hanlon Stevenson Foundation charity dinner, and punters would love to see him pull on the green and white for the six-a-sides.

Ulrik Laursen

The braun to Sauzee’s brains, but the big Dane could play as well.

Physically impressive, Laursen could do it going forward as well and was a key part of McLeish’s defence.

His displays for the Hibees eventually earned him a £2million move to Celtic.

A leader as well as a top notch defender, Laursen was a thoroughbred and well deserving of his place at the back in this team.

Scott Brown

A leader in the middle of the park during a trophy laden career at Celtic, Brown ’s early days at Hibs saw him play in a slightly different style.

Before emerging as a midfield enforcer with the Hoops, Brown was a dynamic attacking midfielder at Easter Road, bursting forward in possession and getting into the box.

Was initially a striker as a kid in Leith, Brown was often deployed wide on the right before making the move infield,but retained his attacking instincts.

Could do both sides if he were to make his Masters bow, and after only hanging up his boots earlier this year, there’s still more than enough in the legs and would be one of the fitter players on show.

John Collins

The midfielder came through the ranks at Easter Road before going on to have a stellar career with Celtic, Monaco, Everton and Fulham.

We know fitness wouldn’t be an issue. Collins took meticulous care of himself even after retiring, and a cultured left foot is always welcome in any team, whether it be small sided games or 11s.

He chipped in with his fair share of goals too and would perfectly suited to Masters football.

Russell Latapy

The little Trinidadian may have liked a drink and a fag, but what a player.

With Sauzee calmly orchestrating things from the back, Latapy was given free reign to do his thing from the middle of the park.

Inventive, an eye for a pass and all the ability in the world, he made things happen in what was a very impressive Hibs team.

A somewhat contrasting attitude to Collins in terms of lifestyle, Latapy had such talent that his off-field antics were overlooked to an extent.

A wonderful volleyed goal in a 6-2 hammering of Hearts remains a prime example of what he brought to the Easter Road team.

Always playing with a smile on his face, Latapy would probably enjoy the Masters as much as fans would watching him play in it.

Derek Riordan

Hibs’ record SPFL goalscorer, Riordan scored all types of goals.

A habit of drifting to the left before cutting inside was his trademark, and resulted in plenty of efforts nestling in the far top corner.

Could go quiet for spells then burst into life, producing moments of magic that changed games.

Not always the fittest and didn’t particularly relish training, but with Collins and Brown behind him, wouldn’t necessarily have to do that much running.

Leave him in the opposition half though (as Master rules dictate), then he’d plunder plenty of goals on the small sided pitch.

Steven Fletcher

The striker was the youngest member of Hibs’ ‘golden generation’ and combined physical presence with a deft touch and a nose for goals.

Used as a target man for a variety of clubs down south and Scotland, there’s more to Fletcher’s game than just holding the ball up and winning headers.

Another lefty, Fletcher can finish as well as bring others into the game.

Still playing and on the lookout for his next club (with Hibs tentatively linked), so obviously still more than fit enough for a Masters cameo.

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