http://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2018/...-once-i-knew-neil-lennon-was-staying-at-hibs/ FLORIAN KAMBERI insists there was never any doubt in his mind he would return to Hibs this summer – once Neil Lennon committed his own future to the club. The time taken for the Easter Road outfit to clinch a permanent deal for last season’s loan star left supporters increasingly anxious the move might never happen. When Jack Ross’s Sunderland lined up a £1.7 million bid, the chance of bigger money south of the border heightened the worries in the capital. please log in to view this image But Kamberi, who won over supporters with nine goals in 14 appearances on loan from Grasshoppers last term, is adamant playing in League One in England held no appeal to him, even if he would have earned more with the Black Cats. And he admits the clinching factor was Lennon reining in the threats made in the wake of last month’s Edinburgh derby defeat that he could leave Hibs. Revealing he held reassuring discussions with Lennon while on holiday, the 23-year-old said: “It went to the last few days but for me it was clear. “I spoke to the gaffer before and I knew he was staying so I was pleased to come back and work with him again, the club and my team-mates after this great season. “I wanted to work with Neil Lennon because he makes me better every day. To be around him and my team-mates and this club makes me happy. “I asked him if he was going to stay and when he said ‘yes’ I wanted to stay. “Sunderland didn’t interest me. It was League One. Even if it’s a big club I don’t want to play in a small league. “I want to play in the first league and I had an opportunity to do that here with Hibs, so it was clear to me that Sunderland was not an option. “For me it’s not just about money. It’s important to play as much as I can, to win games and be in a good club with a good gaffer. “At the moment it’s important to give a good performance in a high league to show myself and if I do that then the big money comes later.” please log in to view this image Kamberi admits his long-term aim is to play in the English Premier League but, having penned a three-year deal at Hibs, he is willing to be patient in pursuit of that goal. Also harbouring international ambitions with Switzerland, the bustling marksman is confident he has made the right decision in turning his temporary stay at Easter Road into a permanent one. Now, he is hopeful his strike partner from last season, Jamie Maclaren, who has been in action at the World Cup, can also be persuaded to make his loan from Darmstadt in Germany a more lasting arrangement. The pair met up on holiday in Dubai this summer but Kamberi is keen to be reunited with the Australian on the pitch again next term. He added: “Jamie texted me asking ‘how is the hotel?’. I told him and then three days later he texted me to say ‘I’m here!’. ‘He was with his wife and it was nice to see him. We had a little bit of chat and went for dinner. “I like Jamie very much, we had a great partnership and of course I would like to see him back here. “That would be great because I scored nine, he scored eight and the partnership was good for us and the club. “It would be great if he came back.” Its got **** all to do with lennon imo. He wants a prem club to come in for him, its as simple as that, and the easiest way of that is to play well in the scottish league.
Horseshit... We did not offer 1.7m and we were member going to offer that Don has said our entire spend is likely to be 2m tops. We werent likely to spend 90% of our budget on a guy who played well during a 14 game loan stint in Scotland. Absolute garbage.
I'm with you Disco. At the very most, it might have been £1.7m after add-ons, bonuses, appearance monies, agents fees, etc, but never £1.7m up front. You just have to take these gross numbers often quoted with a pinch of salt!
More bullshit about players we're not even signing. Going to be a long summer. Sky Sources: Me cat has turned down the chance of joining Sunderland and instead has opted for going mouse hunting after it was revealed safc made an illegal approach with cat nip. Me cat said "As much as it's flattering to be offered cat nip, the opportunity to hunt mice was too good to turn down."
Think even then it's untrue. I don't see us surpassing 500k for a player, even when heavily weighted towards add one, this summer. It's just his agent manipulating the press to get the pair of them what they want.
Probably gave Donald a chuckle over his toast and coffee. Never heard of him and probably never will again.
Hardly likely to have any truth in it and even if there was anything it's not a snub towards Sunderland in any way. The guy should pick the club and manager he knows and is happy with. I wouldn't want it any other way - there's not enough of it in football.
He doesn't want to play for Sunderland as we're a big club in a small league. So he wants to stay at Hibs - remind which big league they're in? The Scottish what? Small club in small league or big club in small league? Or, as everyone else said, we weren't interested!!
And yet it doesn't have qualifying places in the Champions or Europa Leagues. I think you need to take that up urgently with EUFA Monty!
Gun to my head I'd still rather support a league 1 club in England than Celtic or Rangers or even the 2 combined into a team of super jocks with a divine right to CL football......So Hibs Aye? nee thanks Florence
