How Hibs squad reacted to viral video of double KO going global

Triantis free-kick provided analysts with comedy gold during post-game session

All smiles - Triantis saw the funny side of his viral moment at the video analysis session.

The entire Hibs squad were treated to a viral video highlight as they watched replays of Nectar Triantis taking out TWO team-mates with an ill-advised quick free-kick at Ibrox. And Nick Montgomery has joked that the global fame generated by the hilarious ‘highlight’ could have a lasting effect in building an audience for the Scottish Premiership club.

Montgomery, who praised “inspirational” Myziane Maolida for picking up the league’s Player of the Month award for March while sticking to a strict regime of fasting during Ramadan, revealed that he’d asked the video analysts at East Mains to include one infamous moment in the selection of footage presented to the squad for Monday’s post-game debrief on last weekend’s 3-1 away loss to Rangers. As they sat down for an otherwise serious session, the players saw Triantis put both Joe Newell and Will Fish on the deck in a clip that had already travelled halfway round the world via social media.

Monty said: “Honestly, you have to laugh. We put that clip in the team video after the Rangers game. And I still think it’s impossible to do what he did!

“How he’s knocked two of his own players out, I don’t know. Thankfully nobody got hurt. But I think the funniest thing is that he still played the 70-metre diagonal ball on the half-volley while we had two players down! We had a real laugh about it. And I don’t think you’ll ever see that again in football. It was bizarre.

“It’s good that it’s gone viral, for whatever reason. Any publicity is good publicity. Hibs have gone worldwide for that incident. We want Hibs to go worldwide because of our goals and success in the future. But there are probably people in the world who had never heard of Hibs, who are now following Hibs because of that moment.

“He does strike a ball well, to be fair. And we do say that, if it’s on quickly, play quickly. But you just have to make sure we don’t have our own players standing in front. That was amazing, really, when you think about it.”

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Hibs face St Johnstone at Easter Road tomorrow afternoon, knowing that only a victory will do if they’re to retain any chance of making the top six. Montgomery is confident in his team – and especially pleased to see his attacking players score 13 goals in their last seven league games.

Maolida has been crucial to that tally, scoring in each of his last four Scottish Premiership appearances. A clear factor in the award he picked up yesterday.

Monty said: “He’s more than deserving of the award. He’s scored some big goals for us. When I brought him to the club, I was under no illusions about his talent. He needed a home, needed fans to like him.

“He had a difficult start when I threw him in against Rangers at home. But I think that was a real wake-up all for him, because we needed to get him match fit.

“Within a couple of weeks, with his attitude and the way he trains, I knew he would be really important for us. He’s shown everybody.

“He’s also been fasting during Ramadan. That is a tough time for him, in terms of when he eats and when he drinks.

“But I think it’s been inspirational, the way he’s stuck to his faith. Not only has he done that, but he’s also come out as Player of the Month. He’s been not only a good signing for the club but for the league.

“He’s really enjoying his time in the Scottish Premiership, playing for Hibs, enjoying his relationship with the fans. And we’re happy to have him here.”

Insisting that Hibs have been putting in their best performances since his arrival as Lee Johnson’s successor back in September, with a six-game undefeated run in the league only ended by Rangers at Ibrox last weekend, Montgomery said: “Over the last six or seven games we’ve been up there with the form teams in the competition; I think the games we drew we should have won and we’ve had a couple of decisions go our way that meant we didn’t take maximum points.

“What we can’t do is change that or control it. It would have been nice to have had those points so that these final two pre-split games weren’t as important, but we can’t change what has happened.

“It’s important to keep everything calm. There is pressure in football throughout the season, but success can be measured and defined in many different ways.

“Everyone will see making the top six as a success and so will I as manager, given that I came in midway through the season into a situation where the team was needing a lift. Throughout the season there have been many positives.

“But we know that we have two games now and the only thing we can control is the game on Saturday, and then next week against Motherwell. We can’t control anything else and our full focus, as normal, has been on preparing for the St Johnstone game.”