Where we have gone wrong

[Leith Green]

I had originally posted this as part of a different thread, but want see what others think are the key reasons for the position we find ourselves in.


I think we definitely require things to change at the very top, wether the appointment of Dempster will do that, or start that process off remains to be seen. I think time and time again we have also made the wrong managerial appointments and that is down to the board, there has also been no clear vision for the club other than to live within its means. Now that is no bad thing in itself, but why has that been the only real goal of the people running our club. We should have a clear idea of what is the minimum requirement and a clear idea on how that should be achieved, instead we potter along changing manager, style of football, and then subsequently a whole squad of players before sacking the manager and repeating the whole process again. How difficult would it be for the board to sit down and identify realistic challenging goals for the club, then set about putting those goals into fruition? Its not difficult, this could be along the lines of , we believe that Hibernian should be challenging in the top 6 minimum every season, anything outside of that is not acceptable, we expect our first team squad to be made up of at least 50 per cent home reared academy players, the managers budget is his responsibility and should be used to supplement home grown players. They should also be identifying a style of football they believe Hibernian should play, and then put the people who will deliver that into the club, academy, 1st team.

On a side note I also happen to think its no coincidence that our rot has paralleled with our training centre, its basically to easy for the players to hide away, unlike days of old when the players had to face supporters on a daily basis. It feels like we have sub standard spl players getting top of the range, 5 star facilities and swanning around like billy big baws, whilst having achieved absolutely nothing.

Its no wonder our club is on its arse..


Thoughts?

[Eyrie]

Ultimately we're in this hole because we've appointed a succession of poor managers who have made wholesale changes to the squad inherited and brought in their own players who turn out to be poor signings. The board is responsible for the poor appointments, but has backed each of them with one of the largest budgets in the SPL.

My view is that we need an overall long term football strategy. Hopefully the rumoured appointment of George Craig as Director of Football will provide this.

Ideally it starts by deciding how we want to play the game - tika-taka, hoofball, fast counters etc - and then sees us scouting kids who have the potential to do well with that approach. The emphasis on the kids would be on developing their technique and tactics rather than results, as well as ensuring that they understand the importance of hard work and studying. The best of the kids would then graduate to the u20s where they would be viewed as potential first team players. The director of football is held responsible for the successful development of the youths.

The scouting department has permanent staff and concentrates on building up a library of players, noting their suitability for our system and their likely availability (contract ends, wage expectations etc). The scouts are held responsible for the accuracy of these reports, based on how players then perform for us or elsewhere.

The shortlist for managerial appointments will be limited to those who fit our philosophy. Once appointed the manager will inherit a squad suited to how both he and Hibs want the game played, which will make it easier for him to have a positive impact as he won't be forcing square pegs into round holes whilst teaching a new system.

The manager is responsible for deciding who is in the first team squad. The transition from the u20s will be eased by the familiarity of playing in a system that the kids have been trained in from an early age. He can look at the library as a first stop when deciding which new faces to bring to the club. And he is held responsible for poor signings and performances.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

20 odd years ago the current owners main target was for the club to merely exist which we were all grateful for at the time, unfortunately it would appear that that target remains all he is interested in.