Relieved Riordan eager to get career back on track

FROM the outside, the attempt to sign Derek Riordan from Celtic may have looked like a two-horse race between Hibernian and Hearts. To the player himself, there was never any contest.

He grew up as a Hibs supporter, he played for the club before his ill-fated transfer to Glasgow, and yesterday he was plainly delighted – and also a shade relieved – to be back at Easter Road, a Hibs employee again.

While there are some footballers, Michael Stewart being a case in point in Edinburgh, Kenny Miller in Glasgow, who can cope with turning out for a city's two rival clubs, Riordan never looked like fitting into that category. After two unhappy years with Celtic, where he was frozen out by manager Gordon Strachan, he wanted to return to familiar territory, and to a ground where he will feel able to resume his career in a happier frame of mind.

In any case, whatever the nature of Hearts' interest, Riordan insisted that it had never got to the stage of his having talks with the Tynecastle club. "I didn't have to make that choice," he said at Easter Road yesterday.

"I'm just delighted I'm here. Hibs is obviously the team I support and Hibs gave me the chance here.

"I'm raring to go. Can't wait. I had a brilliant time the last time I was here so hopefully this one will be the same."

It is not only Hibs supporters who will be hoping things turn out well for Riordan now he has got out of a situation at Celtic which was surely unsatisfactory for everyone concerned. One of the most naturally gifted players of his generation, he is still only 25, and with regular football should be able to get his career back on track.

Certainly, given his ability, he should have more than one solitary Scotland cap by now. There was little doubt when he and his fellow-striker Garry O'Connor were breaking into the first team around the same time at Easter Road that Riordan was the more natural talent, O'Connor the one who would have to work harder to hone his technique.

O'Connor, now at Birmingham City after a spell in Russia, has done exactly that, and has 15 caps to his name. For Riordan, things were perhaps too easy at Hibs – then too difficult, for reasons not of his making, at Celtic Park.

He spent just two seasons away from Easter Road following his signing for Celtic in June 2006, but much has changed since then. Hibs have had two changes of manager, for instance: Tony Mowbray left for West Brom in the autumn of 2006, John Collins came and went, and then Mixu Paatelainen took over in January of this year.

O'Connor has gone, as have Scott Brown and others. Yet there are also elements of continuity. Paatelainen was a player, and his assistant manager Donald Park was on the coaching staff, during Riordan's first spell with the club. And striker Steven Fletcher was just beginning to make his presence felt.

Just in case that was not enough to make him feel at home, Riordan has been given the unusual squad number of 01. "It's 10 back to front," he explained. "Obviously I couldn't get the No 10 off big Colin Nish. I had good times here with the number 10 jersey so I'll have it back to front."

It may be too early for Riordan to have a settled view on what happened to him at Celtic, and why, and the nature of his severance agreement may prevent him from making all of his thoughts public.

At the moment, though, his predominant belief is that he acquitted himself well in a difficult situation.

"It's frustrating for any player that doesn't get a game regularly. But you've just got to get on with that. I just kept playing away in the reserves.

"Any player would feel they didn't get a chance when they're not playing. But as I say, you've just got to get on with it."

Asked if it had been a mistake to leave Hibs for Celtic, he replied: "Aye and no. Both really. You want to go to a higher level and I missed out on the chance to do that. But obviously I'm back here – I was happy here and I wasn't happy there."

As well as having an unhappy time at Celtic, Riordan has also run into trouble away from the pitch, and is currently banned from all Edinburgh night clubs. Paatelainen believes, however, that his new signing will now be able to put both kinds of problems behind him.

"Every player has his bad spells and hopefully his bad spells are behind him now," the manager said in reference to Riordan's time left languishing in the Celtic reserves. "He's a tough player, mentality-wise.

"I'm not too worried about (the off-field matters]. Every professional has to lead his life as a pro athlete and so does he – the same rules apply to him as to any other player. He hasn't been in too much bother lately."

Paatelainen added that he had felt a touch of anxiety about the outcome during the course of a hunt for the player which had begun in January. "His name was firmly on our lips when I came here in January, but there was no chance then.

"It's difficult to be too confident, because you can't control the situation. But knowing Derek and how he feels, I'd have been surprised if he went to Hearts."

The pros and cons of forward's Easter Road return

MANY happy returns ... or never go back? Here, Stuart Bathgate looks at the possible benefits and downsides of Derek Riordan's decision to leave Celtic and return to Hibernian.

PROS

1 He gets to play football again. And for the first team instead of languishing in the reserves with the likes of Thomas Gravesen.

2 The striker is now working with a manager who actually appears to quite like him as opposed to being inclined to treat him as a leper.

3 Once more he has the chance to play in his favourite fixture – the Edinburgh derby against Hearts. The next meeting between the two clubs is at Easter Road on Saturday 18 October. Who would bet against him scoring in it?

4 That brand-new 01 jersey makes him feel special and wanted.

5 Easter Road is approximately 50 miles closer than Parkhead to one of his favourite (alleged) haunts, the cafe in the Gallery of Modern Art in Belford Road.

CONS

1 Riordan will henceforth have to watch the Champions League on television instead of live from the main stand at Celtic Park.

2 May just have to spend too much time chasing after some of captain Rob Jones's 'clearances' from the heart of defence.

3 The rumoured cut in wages from the £6,000 a week he was said to be on at Celtic could mean that Riordan no longer has the wherewithal to undertake regular visits to the celebrated delicatessen Valvona & Crolla on Elm Row at the top of Leith Walk.

4 That new 01 jersey might just see him being forced to play in goal on the grounds that he could do no worse than Yves Makalambay, Andy McNeil or David Grof. Or Zibi Malkowski or Simon Brown, for that matter.

5 Easter Road is approximately 50 miles closer than Parkhead to one of his most hated places, the great Gorgie-Dalry conurbation and the jewel in its crown, Tynecastle Stadium.