Liam Henderson has revealed how Hibs targeted James Tavernier to win the Scottish Cup.
The on loan Celtic midfielder played a key role in May’s triumph- delivering the two corners that allowed Anthony Stokes and David Gray to head the goals that turned the match around.
Henderson started the match on the bench but discovered that a season practising set-pieces paid off when most required.
“I’ve always fancied myself at dead-balls, I like hitting them,” he told The Scotsman. “Every Friday at training the gaffer would say to me: ‘Hendo, go and hit the corners.’ So I’d done that for a full year and against Rangers we knew what we were going to do.
“The main thing was that Tavernier was weak at defending corners, he cannot head the ball, so that’s where the first one was going.
“I’ve always done something my grandfather read about Jonny Wilkinson: how he used to focus on a speck in the crowd, maybe a red hat, and aim for it. In our final there was the top of a letter on a banner just above Tavernier’s head so that was where the corner was going.”
Hibs were keen to get Henderson back on loan for another season but after a spell in Edinburgh and stint with Rosenborg Brendan Rodgers is keen to work with the 20-year-old.
With strong competition for places, opportunities at Celtic are limited but Henderson started in the SPFL matches against Motherwell and Ross County last season.
Celtic’s heavy schedule of matches until the new year will provide further chances for Henderson to impress- and work on those devastating set-piece deliveries.
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