Giving us El is a Toto disgrace

Jul 20 2008 By Darren Johnstone

HIBS star Ian Murray reckons the flak his side have received for crashing out the Intertoto Cup has been over the top.

Mixu Paatelainen's men have taken pelters since losing 4-0 on aggregate to Elfsborg.

But utility man Murray insists the defeat was purely down to fitness and claims only the Old Firm could have beaten the Swedes so early in the season.

He said: "Too much has been read into the defeat and it has been blown out of proportion.

"Any SPL team would have struggled and I think only Rangers or Celtic would have got a result.

"If we played Elfsborg in December or January we would beat them fairly comfortably."

Hibs will be hoping to bounce back in Thursday's glamour friendly with Barcelona.

And Murray has urged fans to lay off boss Paatelainen for failing to sign big names.

He said: "You're not going to see Hibs spend half, or even a quarter of a million, on a player. The boss knows his budget."