Franck Sauzee on the Hibs game that still gives him a 'sensation' as Craig Levein chuckles over 'natural order'
The Edinburgh derby is set to be the primary focus of a new Sky Sports feature.
Franck Sauzee has lifted the lid on a Hibs match that still gives him tingles - as former Hearts boss Craig Levein peels the curtain back on natural order comments in a new Edinburgh derby feature.
The city rivals collide once again this weekend at Easter Road as talk of the title remains rife in Gorgie, but this Saturday’s hosts will have eyes on derailing such chatter, aiding their own European football hopes in doing so. 150 years of the derby is being celebrated pre-game and Sky Sports, who will broadcast the latest Premiership instalment, will release an Edinburgh Derby anniversary programme.
It will be broadcast for the first time at 8pm on Christmas Day and will also run prior to live derby coverage on Sky Sports Football at 11am on Saturday, alongside numerous screenings over the festive period. Fans will also be able to pick up the programme on demand.
Frank Sauzee on Hibs
As part of it, there are several interviews with popular faces on both sides, including John Robertson, Mixu Paatelainen, Levein, Sauzee and more. David Duff, Kenny McLean Jnr and Charlie Reid also discuss a proposed takeover and the Hands off Hibs campaign.
Sauzee is a modern great at Hibs from his spell as a player, having also managed the club, and his contribution to a 3-0 win at Tynecastle fondly remembered in Leith as the Millennium Derby is something that he still smiles upon. The Frenchman said: “When you talk about this game, I feel a sensation, it was amazing. The atmosphere was absolutely unbelievable. I was so happy to hear the Hibs fans on the other side of the pitch. I was so, so happy. What an unbelievable atmosphere.”
Paatelainen added: “We had wonderful maestros, you know, who were able to pass the ball. We had tough guys and we had runners in the team and we had box to box guys who were able to run all night. We were successful. That era was fantastic for us. Going into the derbies, we were confident. We were like, ‘come on, bring them on, we're gonna beat them again.’ That was the spirit and that was the mentality.”
Craig Levein on ‘natural order’
Across stints as a Jambos player and boss, Levein had several run-ins with Hibs, but his second spell as manager brought one of his most memorable. After achieving a first Hearts derby win in 10 attempts in January 2018, Levein talked of restoring ‘natural order’ to the fixture, which fans at Easter Road reminded him of with a banner with that exact phrase when Hibs defeated Hearts 2-0 in March.
The former gaffer has no regrets over his statement, saying: “It's in good banter, isn't it? It's good banter, like, there's no malice in that. You've got to take it on the chin.
“I was the one who started this, so... I lit the blue touch paper and ran away I knew I'd get some sort of a response. Nope, not at all (regrets). Good on the Hibs supporters for trying to ram it up me!”