Russell Latapy: Alex McLeish says I cost him the Scottish Cup following my night out with Dwight Yorke
By Lindsey Archibald (Scottish Daily Record)RUSSELL LATAPY has promised himself a couple of pints in Edinburgh on Sunday night if Hibs end their 111-year wait to lift the Scottish Cup.
But if it wasn’t for a few beers too many before the Easter Road men last played Celtic in a final then that hoodoo could have been smashed 12 years ago.
Former party-loving playmaker Latapy enjoyed a night on the tiles with fellow Trinidadian Dwight Yorke just a couple of weeks before the Hampden showdown with the Hoops.
The 44-year-old – back in Scotland this week for the final – missed training following his night out with the ex-Manchester United ace ahead of the Edinburgh derby with Hearts.
Then Hibs boss Alex McLeish binned Latapy from the club in anger and many believe it cost Hibs a chance of the trophy.
Martin O’Neill’s Celtic side ran out 3-0 winners and the wait to parade the Scottish Cup in Leith continued with Latapy on a flight back to Portugal as his former side crashed to defeat.
Latapy would later hook up again with McLeish when he became Rangers boss, the 81-cap former Trinidad and Tobago star having been taken to Ibrox by Dick Advocaat.
Big Eck joked later that Latapy’s night out cost him the chance to become a Hibs managerial legend by winning the Cup – but Latapy claims it’s the other way round.
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