What Do We Do at East Mains

[steviehibsleith]

Yet again another season starts and Hibs players look unfit, and no pace whatsoever. The words sharp and buzzing are not in there vocabulary.

The players also seem inept at any set peices - do we actually practice in training. Even the basics of throw-ins we seem lost.

And on a footballing front I agree with many posters on here that there are junior football players capable of a better touch and a basic pass.

Pat Fenlon you are the manager if you wish to keep your job I suggest you get these imposters in 6 days a week from 9-4 and get them fit - sprint training,sharper and get them passing the football.

All I saw today was pass the ball back to keeper and launch it well im afraid you wont be getting hibs fans returning to ER with the calibre off football today.

As the post asks the question does anybody know what hours in general Hibs train over the course of a week because we looked a mile behind DU today - so are we not training enough or just when they train they are just going through the motions.

[Hibiza]

Smoke , play cards and play at training

[Green&White]

East mains is one of the worst things to happen to this club. Far too comfy.

[IWasThere2016]

Yup - basics lacking by the bucket. Poor control. Poor communication. How many times did a cross/free beat the first man??? I can thinl of one!!


We have some very very ordinary players, and some very poor ones. Depressing stuff.

[patch1875]

East mains is one of the worst things to happen to this club. Far too comfy.

And building a new east

[Frazerbob]

I was sat next to the Hibs bench and I have to say, some of the coaching from L'OB and the rest was amatuer at best. With Fenlon sat behind the glass behind them, a guy I din't know was running between him and Thomson and O'Brien with instructions but they didn't seem to be getting any messages across to the players....other than shouts of "Lewis, come on to ****" etc. It was like being at a game on Leith Links.

The contrast with Hegarty and Houston was like night and day.

[Emerald]

I was sat next to the Hibs bench and I have to say, some of the coaching from L'OB and the rest was amatuer at best. With Fenlon sat behind the glass behind them, a guy I din't know was running between him and Thomson and O'Brien with instructions but they didn't seem to be getting any messages across to the players....other than shouts of "Lewis, come on to ****" etc. It was like being at a game on Leith Links.

The contrast with Hegarty and Houston was like night and day.

I said the same at the game but was sitting up in the top deck. L O'B was waving his hand and half giving an instruction that no one was paying any attention to. He looked like some punter that was taking his dug a walk and was trying to get involved in a kids match.

[scoopyboy]

Yet again another season starts and Hibs players look unfit, and no pace whatsoever. The words sharp and buzzing are not in there vocabulary.

The players also seem inept at any set peices - do we actually practice in training. Even the basics of throw-ins we seem lost.

And on a footballing front I agree with many posters on here that there are junior football players capable of a better touch and a basic pass.

Pat Fenlon you are the manager if you wish to keep your job I suggest you get these imposters in 6 days a week from 9-4 and get them fit - sprint training,sharper and get them passing the football.

All I saw today was pass the ball back to keeper and launch it well im afraid you wont be getting hibs fans returning to ER with the calibre off football today.

As the post asks the question does anybody know what hours in general Hibs train over the course of a week because we looked a mile behind DU today - so are we not training enough or just when they train they are just going through the motions.

I can't really argue with much of that.

Only points I would make is that I don't think there is too much wrong with their fitness and IMO Dundee Utd a very good team.

[bobbyhibs1983]

[QUOTE=steviehibsleith;3314551]


All I saw today was pass the ball back to keeper and launch it QUOTE]

I also noticed that and thought change it.I reckon we punted the ball up the park every time and except from 2 times DU won everything and every 2nd ball as well.

I also agree with you about the lack of fitness and pace.I mean Isn't east mains meant to be one of the best training centres (for football anyhow) in scotland?

I would put it to everyone that either
1 East mains is not as good as people make out
2 the coaches/manager have no idea what to do there.

as a post above has stated get the palyers in 6days a week. Why are our players unfit?
I would say if i had the chance to train there i think i d be fit within a few weeks.

[BarneyK]

I'm sure they must spend a while running that kick-off drill that goes roll/hoof/defend.

[neilmartinrocks]

Said it before ... Hibernian should do their training at Easter Road at least twice a week.
When was the last time anybody seen the players out in the community, amongst the people who actually pay to see them.

Fair enough im from Perth and wouldn't see them anyways but every other day you can see St.J out for a jog. Around Huntingtower through the Inch where the fans can see them. Is E.M. open to the public (supporters)?


and when i say out in the community i don't mean George Street.

[lucky]

Hibs were beaten by a better team today. It's unfair to say they looked unfit. Out classed yes but not put run

[scuttle]

Utd pressed us all over the pitch and put us under pressure
Im affraid we will never do the same to teams while we play one up front

[bobbyhibs1983]

Utd pressed us all over the pitch and put us under pressure
Im affraid we will never do the same to teams while we play one up front

Nods i do agree with DU pressing us alot but i dont think playing one up front is what is stopping us from pressing.We, as a team dont press, not up front not in the middle of the park, not in defence.I've said it a few times over the last 2-3years its something we as a club do not do.
Is it a managers telling the team dont pressure?
Is there a reason we just dont do it?

[goosefat]

East mains is one of the worst things to happen to this club. Far too comfy.

Totally disagree.

Those facilities could, and should, really give us a huge advantage over other clubs. I'd rather we had them and found a way to use them correctly than be plodding around on squidgy school fields, no matter how ‘character building’ some people think that approach may be.

East Mains is not the problem. The issue is that we haven't yet found management/coaching/playing staff that can utilise it properly, and as far as I'm concerned that is an embarrassment. Regardless of the quality of players we have at our club (and that’s a discussion for another thread altogether), there is no excuse for us being unfit. We looked yards short today compared to DU and that suggests a rotten core of laziness, incompetence, complacency and disinterest from both players and coaching staff at Hibs - East Mains has nothing to do with it.

[Hibeesforever]

The pressing issue is very true and I agree it is at the core of our problems. Weaker teams always sit off with a defensive mentality. We allowed Hearts to control the midfield at Hampden and today in the first ten minutes we just chased shadows.
Utd had a great time. They rolled the ball into the feet of their strikers, got bodies into the box and played one-twos that had our back four all over the place.
Contrast fHibs, who for the last two yearsrarely have midfielders running late into the box or trying one-twos forward and running in the channels.
Lewis Stevenson is at the centre of these problems. Happy to pass the ball sideways but reluctant to do anything remotely attacking that would expose his lack of creative ability.
Crainey does look the right player though. just needs decent midfielders around him. Sproule and Stevenson are not the answer. While Wootherspoon, at the moment, is a bit part player and not the main act.

[easty]

Totally disagree.

Those facilities could, and should, really give us a huge advantage over other clubs. I'd rather we had them and found a way to use them correctly than be plodding around on squidgy school fields, no matter how ‘character building’ some people think that approach may be.

East Mains is not the problem. The issue is that we haven't yet found management/coaching/playing staff that can utilise it properly, and as far as I'm concerned that is an embarrassment. Regardless of the quality of players we have at our club (and that’s a discussion for another thread altogether), there is no excuse for us being unfit. We looked yards short today compared to DU and that suggests a rotten core of laziness, incompetence, complacency and disinterest from both players and coaching staff at Hibs - East Mains has nothing to do with it.

Totally agree. How can anyone actually believe that a better training ground is at fault for our situation? You can lead a horse to water.

[Vault Boy]

East Mains can only bring good things to our club. Better facilities and the capability of more specialised training should be a godsend to a professional football team, East Mains has not failed Hibs, Hibs have failed East Mains. The team of 4-5 years ago training at this ground would have utilised it fully I am sure.

I hope our activity up until the end of August will be positive and the right sort of professionals are to be brought in, given this, East Mains may be shown for the first time to be a great asset.

'Mon Paddy.

[3pm]

Low standards just seem acceptable.

[Green&White]

Totally disagree.

Those facilities could, and should, really give us a huge advantage over other clubs. I'd rather we had them and found a way to use them correctly than be plodding around on squidgy school fields, no matter how ‘character building’ some people think that approach may be.

East Mains is not the problem. The issue is that we haven't yet found management/coaching/playing staff that can utilise it properly, and as far as I'm concerned that is an embarrassment. Regardless of the quality of players we have at our club (and that’s a discussion for another thread altogether), there is no excuse for us being unfit. We looked yards short today compared to DU and that suggests a rotten core of laziness, incompetence, complacency and disinterest from both players and coaching staff at Hibs - East Mains has nothing to do with it.

I completely agree that it SHOULD and COULD give us a huge advantage. but the fact of the matter is, it hasnt. ever since it was built we have had a team of lazy work shy louts with no desire or decent level of fitness.

the way i look at it is the biggest problem we have had over the past few years is the mental state and attitude of the players. and for me i reckon east mains is the biggest cause of this. they go there everyday like they are big time charlies because they have the best of everything, sit nice and comfy and warm in a state of the art training complex.
all it does is create a mind set that they are bigger and better players than they are. it shouldnt be that way but it is.
id argue that a team of hibs stature would benefit more from a muddy run up arthurs seat and a wet run around long niddrey bents etc than playing tipy tapy pass ball at a bowling green then sitting playing xbox if the weather turns bad.

again i 100% agree that it should be a huge advantage. but it isnt and i dont think it was ever needed.

[FastEddieFelson]

And building a new east

yep. our downward spiral of the last two and a half seasons has directly coincided with demolishing the old east stand. total waste of money.

[StevieC]

again i 100% agree that it should be a huge advantage. but it isnt and i dont think it was ever needed.

Not sure what the point of your post is? Whether it was needed or not is immaterial, it's here and it needs to be utilised to its full potential .. rather than moan about the fact it may/may not be working.

I think that you are saying that an attitude change required at EM/ER, and with that I totally agree. However, I don't think that this is likely to happen overnight. Whilst Fenlon may be making tactical mistakes on the park, I do think that he has the sort of attitude towards discipline that might see these changes at East Mains.

The question then becomes .. do we give him time to change things at EM/ER (regardless of performances on the park) or do we carry on with the succession of managers and short tenures in the hope of a quick fix?

[Heedersnvolleys]

I was sat next to the Hibs bench and I have to say, some of the coaching from L'OB and the rest was amatuer at best. With Fenlon sat behind the glass behind them, a guy I din't know was running between him and Thomson and O'Brien with instructions but they didn't seem to be getting any messages across to the players....other than shouts of "Lewis, come on to ****" etc. It was like being at a game on Leith Links.

The contrast with Hegarty and Houston was like night and day.

There as been a few observations along those lines such as how even our subs at half time just have a kick about at half time and our opponents have a structured warm up. Also heard training looks amatuerish as well. Maybe the gulf in professionalism from the LOI to SPL is bigger than we thought. Hope PF is not out of his depth!

[Green&White]

Not sure what the point of your post is? Whether it was needed or not is immaterial, it's here and it needs to be utilised to its full potential .. rather than moan about the fact it may/may not be working.

I think that you are saying that an attitude change required at EM/ER, and with that I totally agree. However, I don't think that this is likely to happen overnight. Whilst Fenlon may be making tactical mistakes on the park, I do think that he has the sort of attitude towards discipline that might see these changes at East Mains.

The question then becomes .. do we give him time to change things at EM/ER (regardless of performances on the park) or do we carry on with the succession of managers and short tenures in the hope of a quick fix?

the point is i dont think we needed it. i know its here now but i think it is some way linked to the problems we are having.

in regards to the highlighted above... how long have we had east mains and how many mangers have we had since then? its hardly been a short time these issues have been going on is it?

[goosefat]

I completely agree that it SHOULD and COULD give us a huge advantage. but the fact of the matter is, it hasnt. ever since it was built we have had a team of lazy work shy louts with no desire or decent level of fitness.

the way i look at it is the biggest problem we have had over the past few years is the mental state and attitude of the players. and for me i reckon east mains is the biggest cause of this. they go there everyday like they are big time charlies because they have the best of everything, sit nice and comfy and warm in a state of the art training complex.
all it does is create a mind set that they are bigger and better players than they are. it shouldnt be that way but it is.
id argue that a team of hibs stature would benefit more from a muddy run up arthurs seat and a wet run around long niddrey bents etc than playing tipy tapy pass ball at a bowling green then sitting playing xbox if the weather turns bad.

again i 100% agree that it should be a huge advantage. but it isnt and i dont think it was ever needed.

I do think you're missing the point and are falling into the trap of thinking that East Mains is the cause of the problems. That in itself is a simplistic and lazy way of looking at much more deep rooted issues within the whole club, a huge part of which comes down to the players we select to train at East Mains and the management we have in place to choose those players.

Put in simple terms, just imagine how much of an advantage the facilities at East Mains would be for a group of players, management and coaching staff that actually had the collective ability and mentality to utilise them correctly in the first place.

A training centre doesn't make players "lazy" or "work shy" - those types of players will already have that mind-set ingrained in them before they even set foot in the door and therefore should never have been allowed the privilege to play for Hibs in the first place.

To say that you don't think East Mains was ever needed, simply because we haven't yet found the combination of management/coaching staff/players to get the best out of it, is pointing the blame in completely the wrong direction.

Bricks an mortar are not to blame. People are.

[StevieC]

the point is i dont think we needed it.

Pretty moot point then.


how long have we had east mains and how many mangers have we had since then? its hardly been a short time these issues have been going on is it?

No. Which is why we need to decide what has to be done about it. Continue to hound out managers based on results on the park or accept that results could get worse whilst we prioritise, and change, the whole working culture within the club.

If you were manager, and your job depended on results, would you risk a total clear-out in order to install the sort of working culture you believed was needed?

[aussie_hibee]

On the "inside Easter Road" video, Alex McLeish was spot on when he said defending deep is an art and it's something we done well under him. It's blatantly obvious that we cannot do it now and we get punished because of it. There is absolutely no reason that we cannot pressure teams / high press and make them work harder for their passes. If they still knock it around us, at least we've tried to get in about them and we might just win the ball back in their half and then we might just get some chances at their goal instead of sitting back and waiting for the inevitable. FWIW I 100% believe that is to do with Fenlon. It was clear as day during the final when players were looking to go and try to win the ball and Fenlon was screaming at them to stay in their own half. The one time the team did press, they won the ball back in the Hearts right back area (2nd half) and got in to the box. I understand that it's a game of opinions and there have been many successful teams that sit back and soak it up but IT IS NOT WORKING. Surely we can take 15 players and get them fit enough to chase and close down for 90 minutes. No ability required, just a good work ethic and we might just find some fans encouraging the players because of it.
We don't have lots of money
we can't buy technically brilliant players
we don't have technically brilliant players
but what we lack in ability can be made up in fitness and effort.
So, to the players/manager, Train hard, play hard and give your all and you'll find a lot less people walking away.

[Andy74]

Low standards just seem acceptable.

To who? Not the manager who emptied 16 players from last year, has constantly talked about quality, standards and character and who has brought players in that understand that.

Let's not confuse the fact that we currently don't have enough good players with everytrhing else, including East Mains, being the problem.

[3pm]

To who? Not the manager who emptied 16 players from last year, has constantly talked about quality, standards and character and who has brought players in that understand that.

Let's not confuse the fact that we currently don't have enough good players with everytrhing else, including East Mains, being the problem.

Did he empty 16? I assume you are including Doherty, Francombe etc in that figure?

He's also brought in Claros and Kujabi who now can't get a game - quality?

And I am all for people making a point but don't patronise me they way you patronise others with your 'I know best' attitude.

[goosefat]

Did he empty 16? I assume you are including Doherty, Francombe etc in that figure?

He's also brought in Claros and Kujabi who now can't get a game - quality?

And I am all for people making a point but don't patronise me they way you patronise others with your 'I know best' attitude.

I'm sure you are aware that both played in many games since they arrived last season and also featured in pre-season. You can't really justify saying they "can't get a game" on the back of the opening fixture of the season - I think you need to wait at least a few more games.

[Stevie Reid]

I have no idea what we get up to at EM, but last night I watched Sportscene and saw every other team in the SPL have a zip, spark and pace about them (regardless of the quality of the players in their team) that we were so short of yesterday. I wasn't expecting much results-wise against a very good Utd side, but I did at the very least expect to see a Hibs team finally play with some real desire and look interested - what I saw was so sickeningly depressing I cannot even allow myself to think about how long and hard this season is going to be. I said on the way to Dundee yesterday that it didn't at all feel like a new season, with new optimism and enthusiasm, it just felt like a continuation from last year, with a wee break in between - and that's exactly what our performance was like.

I had liked what Fenlon had to say since his arrival and in particular over the close season, and whilst I'm ready to write him off yet, I have lost a huge amount of faith in him after yesterday's performance. If we are to improve at all this year we need to score more goals and concede less than we did last year - whilst the current lack of strikers isn't entirely his fault, he changed the one thing that worked about the back four after his arrival last year (McPake and Hanlon partnership) and made both the back four as a whole, and the two individuals themselves, look much worse than last year. McPake was a pale shadow of the inspirational figure that he was last year, and not the captain that we thought we were getting.

Most worrying though was the fact that Fenlon seems unable to lift a team that he has spent the whole pre-season with to perform even close to the level that it should, never mind above that level, which is what we will need to do in order to have any aspirations of not being involved in a season-long relegation battle. The new signings will have to be something really special to rescue us - he is seriously talking up Deegan, and he does sound exactly like what we need. Fingers crossed he is right, and more will follow.

[Andy74]

Did he empty 16? I assume you are including Doherty, Francombe etc in that figure?

He's also brought in Claros and Kujabi who now can't get a game - quality?

And I am all for people making a point but don't patronise me they way you patronise others with your 'I know best' attitude.

They probably are in that figure but he also got rid of several more like Palsson, Agogo, Sodje etc in January.

I'm making my point, same as you are, if you find that patronising then fair enough. There's dozens of people on here today who think the same way as you and you can just read them if that's more comfortable.

[SteveHFC]

Since East Mains was built we have been *****

[Andy74]

Since East Mains was built we have been *****

Since I was born we've been about the same.

[fatbloke]

Yet again another season starts and Hibs players look unfit, and no pace whatsoever. The words sharp and buzzing are not in there vocabulary.

The players also seem inept at any set peices - do we actually practice in training. Even the basics of throw-ins we seem lost.

And on a footballing front I agree with many posters on here that there are junior football players capable of a better touch and a basic pass.

Pat Fenlon you are the manager if you wish to keep your job I suggest you get these imposters in 6 days a week from 9-4 and get them fit - sprint training,sharper and get them passing the football.

All I saw today was pass the ball back to keeper and launch it well im afraid you wont be getting hibs fans returning to ER with the calibre off football today

As the post asks the question does anybody know what hours in general Hibs train over the course of a week because we looked a mile behind DU today - so are we not training enough or just when they train they are just going through the motions.

I have heard talk of a white elephant - don't know what they mean:greengrin

[down-the-slope]

Yet again another season starts and Hibs players look unfit, and no pace whatsoever. The words sharp and buzzing are not in there vocabulary.

The players also seem inept at any set peices - do we actually practice in training. Even the basics of throw-ins we seem lost.

And on a footballing front I agree with many posters on here that there are junior football players capable of a better touch and a basic pass.

Pat Fenlon you are the manager if you wish to keep your job I suggest you get these imposters in 6 days a week from 9-4 and get them fit - sprint training,sharper and get them passing the football.

All I saw today was pass the ball back to keeper and launch it well im afraid you wont be getting hibs fans returning to ER with the calibre off football today.

As the post asks the question does anybody know what hours in general Hibs train over the course of a week because we looked a mile behind DU today - so are we not training enough or just when they train they are just going through the motions.

Get along to open training session and find out...you might even get the chance to prove how up for it you are

[Hibi]

Get along to open training session and find out...you might even get the chance to prove how up for it you are

Yes people seem to think we are very unfit, I'm pretty sure our players fitness levels will up there with anyone else's. I think confidence and enjoyment have a huge impact on players performances, morale as well. I would think that at the minute all of these things are very low within the club. They are clearly struggling at the minute and they can't exactly feed off the crowd to give them a lift as most of us are enjoying it all even less.

You could see a bit of confidence and belief come back to the players in the Dunfermline game last season and it lifted the crowd and in turn lifted them further. Suddenly they all looked pretty fit and were running into channels and pulling them about. I dread to think what Sunday will be like, playing a team high in confidence with a noisy passionate set of supporters behind them. As opposed to us with a team low in confidence/morale and a half empty stadium with the ones actually there quick to turn on them....will take some strong characters to get us through.

[Brizo]

What East Mains should have done is give us an edge over teams operating in the same transfer market as us ; by us having a 24/7 facility to get the very best we can out of our players. That hasnt happened under a succession of managers with very different personalities and different squads.

As others have said on this or other threads we cant even get the basics right at throw ins or set pieces. Utd yesterday were so much more comfortable on the ball and tactically aware than us. I dont imagine their transfer budget is bigger than ours and afaik they dont have a purpose built state of the art facility like EM.

If EM comes good it will be first and foremost because of the mentality of coach and players using it .... and their desire to get the very best out of it that they can. Unfortunately from the evidence on the pitch there seems to be an unwillingness on the part of the managers and players we are employing to do that. Unless that changes it will as a previous poster said continue to be a costly white elephant

[Gatecrasher]

for all those questioning the training methods we use, you can now have a look for yourself http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/20120806/open-training-session-at-easter-road_2262950_2873186

[Golden Bear]

for all those questioning the training methods we use, you can now have a look for yourself http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/20120806/open-training-session-at-easter-road_2262950_2873186

Scheduled for 2pm in the ------------ AFTERNOON!!

Surely that time will interfere with the golf and snooker! Or maybe Rodders will be paying overtime for this session?

:wink:

[Hibee Ryan]

Yes people seem to think we are very unfit, I'm pretty sure our players fitness levels will up there with anyone else's. I think confidence and enjoyment have a huge impact on players performances, morale as well. I would think that at the minute all of these things are very low within the club. They are clearly struggling at the minute and they can't exactly feed off the crowd to give them a lift as most of us are enjoying it all even less.

You could see a bit of confidence and belief come back to the players in the Dunfermline game last season and it lifted the crowd and in turn lifted them further. Suddenly they all looked pretty fit and were running into channels and pulling them about. I dread to think what Sunday will be like, playing a team high in confidence with a noisy passionate set of supporters behind them. As opposed to us with a team low in confidence/morale and a half empty stadium with the ones actually there quick to turn on them....will take some strong characters to get us through.


:top marks:top marks