Derek Riordan has been fined by Hibs for criticising the club's pitch, Sky Sports News can reveal.
Disquiet over state of Easter Road surface, say Sky sources
Hibernian striker Derek Riordan has been fined by the club for criticising the state of the pitch,
Sky Sports News can reveal.
Riordan was quoted as describing the Easter Road pitch as a "bog" in comments made in Scottish newspaper the
Daily Record last month, remarks which are understood to have cost the 27-year-old.
Hibs boss John Hughes claimed that he was unaware of the board's decision to punish the player, with sources close to the club revealing to
Sky Sports News the rest of the squad are unhappy with the call.
The Hibs team are believed to be calling in the players' union, PFA Scotland, to investigate the matter.
Riordan said that the pitch at the club's ground did not suit their style of play and could ultimately cost them a spot in Europe as they chase a third-place finish.
The 11-goal striker told the Daily Record on 5th March: "The results haven't been going for us lately and I think we have to blame the pitch.
"If we are playing on a good and decent pitch, I think we'd give anyone a game. Ours has let us down recently.
"Look at how bad Motherwell's pitch is, Aberdeen's and ours are really bad too. This is the worst I've seen Easter Road in years. It does not suit our style of play as we are not a physical side and we have been getting bullied.
Technology
"You can see photos of how good the pitch was back when Tam McCourt was groundsman.
"You'd think they'd have technology to make pitches a lot better and I think a lot have been let down lately. The pitch is not going to get better and basically it needs to be re-turfed.
"I said a wee while ago I felt the pitch could cost us points and I think it has.
"If you look at some of our chances in the St Johnstone game last Saturday, the ball was stuck under feet a couple of times because it is a bog."
Hibs take on Old Firm giants Celtic at Easter Road on Sunday in a match televised live on
Sky Sports 3 and
HD3.
Hughes has seen his team win just twice in their last nine league outings, with Dundee United currently occupying the third-place spot sought by Hibs.
United came away from Easter Road with a convincing 4-2 victory on Wednesday, and Riordan's team-mate - midfielder John Rankin - made similar remarks about the condition of the surface in a Tuesday press conference prior to the clash, with the 26-year-old receiving no punishment.
