Perhaps I as a fan expect too much?  We have a very young team and getting them all firing on all cylinders every week will not be easy but I feel the real reason that Hibs and many other SPL Clubs fail to provide a better brand of football for spectators is fear. 

Of course there’s one hundred and one reasons why our game is in the mess it is in.  These include Old Firm dominance of the SPL and invariably the major Cup competitions; serious debt at every Club; media and to a degree, supporter based expectation that the ten must throw monetary caution to the wind in order to offer a decent challenge to the Old Firm; fear of relegation; fear of not making the top six because of the financial reward in achieving a top six place; slashed income from TV coverage; falling gates – the list goes on and on.

Of late, amongst my Hibs supporting friends, I’ve noticed two specific themes developing that are rarely linked but which most definitely should be.  In fact, I have heard similar views expressed amongst those I know who support Hearts, Dunfermline and Dundee so it’s not a problem common only to Hibs. 

The first of those themes involves the split camp on whether it is better to try and play good and free flowing football but lose more often than win or to play a tight, defensive and unattractive style in order to avoid losing whilst picking up the odd victory.  That topic is, in itself, worthy of deep debate but lets set it aside for the moment for the sake of this article.

The other theme revolves around the hopelessness of the SPL for ten out of the twelve participants.  This often raises debate and following the Derby defeat by Hearts I read a post the jist of which was that Celtic are miles ahead of everyone else and will win the League whilst Rangers are going to be second because they are the second best side this season.  At the other end Partick Thistle look doomed and so of twelve teams, nine just jostle for position with only Europe offering any sort of carrot for success.

By and large, with the exception at the moment of Partick Thistle, those remaining teams are pretty level with all capable of beating the others on the day but with the fear of losing looming large in the mind there is little room for experimentation.  The fact that most Clubs have vastly reduced their playing pools means there is little opportunity to change things, which in turn leads to most of the experienced players getting a game whether they are in form or not.  Hibs are by no means alone in this as I say but as they are my team it is easier for me to use them as an example.

In the recent Hibs.net interview with Bobby Williamson, the Hibs gaffer explained just how difficult it is to introduce youngsters into the team and especially in a defensive position where 100% concentration is required for a full ninety minutes.  Such pressure to resist giving youngsters a chance is brought to bear mainly by the fear of losing and the consequences of such an outcome.  I’m not having a go at Bobby here, far from it as the Managers of the other SPL sides are in the same boat.  What I would say to all of those Managers, however, is that this season you have a golden opportunity to overcome that fear and here’s why.

Accept that Celtic will win the League and accept that Rangers will finish second.  Accept that barring miracles Partick Thistle will finish bottom and even then they may not be relegated depending upon which Club tops the First Division.  This to my mind removes a lot of pressure and hopefully with it a lot of fear.  Accept that crowds across the board are dwindling and that many fans that stop going to games do so because the quality of play is not high.  Accept that most fans will turn out if their team plays football to try and win rather than avoiding losing.  Accept that missing out on a place in the top six by trying to entertain may cost the Club money but also accept the other side of that coin means that fans may continue to drift away unless they see the team trying to play decent football.

Accept all of that and maybe, just maybe it is the right time to give the kids who look promising a real chance in the team?  At Easter Road I reckon Steven Whittaker, Kevin Thomson, Jonathan Baillie and one or two other promising youngsters would jump at the chance of a first team start.  I watch the Under 21’s regularly and they often play a good free flowing passing game and the main reason for that is surely that they are playing without fear?  Let them bring those thoughts into the first team and see if we can't get some flair back into Scottish football.

As fans though we have to play our part.  Hibs have launched a unique campaign to try and woo back the missing fans and I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve read or heard the reason for non return being along the lines of being sick with Scottish football and not being entertained enough.  Ironic then that there are calls for Hibs to go with the kids and hang the consequences so long as we are entertained!  The Campaign team is working hard on many levels with a view to making Easter Road a place where fans will want to come and yet this very concept of entertain but run a greater risk of losing could be said to fly in the face of the Campaign aims.  Losing teams don’t draw big crowds and that’s a fact.

It’s a huge gamble for Bobby Williamson and many of his fellow Managers to contemplate but unless there are radical changes in the attitude of both Clubs and supporters alike we will see little change for the good.  Already Motherwell has gone into Administration and now Dundee’s followed them.  If rumours bear out, Dunfermline and Livingston will join them sooner rather than later.

In putting forward this view I realise that so far the Club is taking all of the risks.  If Hibs were to go with the youngsters as I suggest and if they were to play fear free football but lose more than we win it would be absolutely imperative that we all Stand Up And Be Counted and return to Easter Road in numbers.  Adopting this fear free football approach this season can only mean players will learn in the best place, on the park and in the first team.  A gamble I agree but I see this season as unique and truly offering a golden opportunity.