Hibs ace reveals all about sleepless nights and mental agonies of Euro campaign - and vows instant return!
David Gray’s men pushed Midtjylland and Legia to extra time - as well as beating Partizan in Belgrade - on Europa League and UEFA Conference League adventures
Sleepless nights and uncomfortable thoughts of what might have been. It doesn’t sound like the whole European football adventure has been a barrel of laughs for these Hibs players, to be honest.
But oh, how they’d love to go through it all again. At the earliest opportunity. Because throbbing legs, extra-time agonies and a bit of mental torture are all considered a price worth paying for the sheer thrill of testing themselves against a different class of opposition.
Having pushed Midtjylland all the way in the Europa League, knocked Partizan Belgrade out of the UEFA Conference League and come up just short against Legia Warsaw in the final play-off, David Gray’s players are obviously eager to have another crack at reaching group/league phase football for the first club in history. Which means doubling down their efforts in the Scottish Premiership. And possibly winning the Scottish Cup, just in case?
Nicky Cadden, revealing just how much being on the Thursday-Sunday-Thursday carousel takes out of even the fittest players, admitted that mental exhaustion is the biggest risk, saying: “Yeah, that's pretty much it, because you're not getting basically a minute's break really.
Love of football never more evident than in big European games
“Listen, I love football, I love my job and things, and I love that side of it as well. But at the same time it does take a wee toll on you, because it's relentless basically, and sometimes you don't even get a chance to reflect on a game, because you've got another game coming up.
“So yeah, it's obviously gruelling, but at the same time it's what we love to do, and you just love playing games of football. Obviously we've not got a game for a couple of weeks now, but at the same time you'd still want to have a game next week.
“And obviously you always dwell on what if, what if … But yeah, we want to have nights like that next year as well. So we need to just focus on the league now, and hopefully we can be back there next year.”
‘I saw half four Friday morning after Legia Warsaw exit ...’
Asked if he even managed to get a proper night’s sleep after a European game, Cadden admitted: “No, that's a big physical side of it. After games I'll probably not sleep until about three or four in the morning.
“That was the same on Thursday night there; I saw like half four on Friday morning. And then you're up doing a recovery in the pool at the hotel.
“It's just the sleep I'd say that you lose out on a lot when you're playing the night games anyway, especially when it went to extra time and stuff. So yeah, that's a big part, because after games your legs are just throbbing in bed and you can't do anything really. I’m not going to lie.
“It was hard, obviously. We stayed over in Warsaw on Thursday to Friday, and obviously the boys, you can still tell we're down on Friday. But then we come back, and then Saturday we just prepare for the game, and yeah, that's pretty much it, yeah.
“Listen, we're a good group in there, and it's a good group of boys, and they pull you through. They're the ones that make you want to make sure that you're not making a mistake, because you want to make sure your pal's alright. So yeah, it's a good group down there, and I can't speak highly enough of them.
“I think we've got a good squad there. The boys are really good, and we saw it, we've played against three top teams across Europe and took every single one of them extra time. Sadly, obviously, that's came to an end now, but I think we're quietly confident.”
Hibs were brought crashing back down to earth with a 1-1 draw at home to St Mirren, battling back from a goal down in a game where plenty of players – even allowing for five changes to the starting XI – looked weary in thought and deed.
“I think we should be proud of that after Thursday,” said Cadden, the wingback adding: “The highs of thinking we're through until the last minute goal, going out in extra time, 120 minutes, all the travel, then going down 1-0 against St Mirren, and then come back and not lose the game.
“The effort was there. I think we just need to be more ruthless in the box, because we had enough chances to win the game.
“Although obviously we want to be winning games. Where we want to be, I think we should be winning games like that, especially at home.
“Listen, we're going to look at the positives, because Thursday, Sunday is hard, and considering, as I said, the highs and lows, having to pick ourselves up to go again today. But yeah, I think we should be proud of that point.”
While a number of Hibs players will be on international duty over the next 10 days, those not involved in national service will jump at the chance to shut down for a brief spell, Cadden admitting: “You get to check out from football a wee bit, you get a few days off, because mentally it's hard as well You've got all this stuff going on, just games, games, games, and it's not just physically, it's mentally as well. Now you'll be able to spend a wee bit of time with your family, and then obviously still in training and things. So yeah, it's a good wee recovery, basically.”