Alex Neil

[timewilltell]

Appointed as Manager at Sunderland...

[JoeT]

Good luck to him

[Hulk1875]

He was mentioned about next hibs Manager and a lot of people turned there nose up against him.. maybe think different now. Sunderland jib bigger than hibs?

[Iggy Pope]

He was mentioned about next hibs Manager and a lot of people turned there nose up against him.. maybe think different now. Sunderland jib bigger than hibs?

In every conceivable way. I didn’t fancy him either mind.

[Carheenlea]

Seemed to distance himself out of the Hibs job pretty sharpish - lot of Sunderland chat hints at another “Jack Ross”.

The managerial merry go round - no ones found a good one yet :hilarious

[Hulk1875]

In every conceivable way. I didn’t fancy him either mind.

I’m 33 followed hibs since I was 5-7 year old my first season ticket we got relegated I saw my uncle and other grown men cry, i love the club more downs following hibs from then but in recent years we’ve won games in championship and the Scottish cup. Got 3rd place I think a lot of people expect that all the time

[Alfred E Newman]

I’m 33 followed hibs since I was 5-7 year old my first season ticket we got relegated I saw my uncle and other grown men cry, i love the club more downs following hibs from then but in recent years we’ve won games in championship and the Scottish cup. Got 3rd place I think a lot of people expect that all the time
I certainly don't expect Hibs to be anywhere near the championship in what's left of my life.

[Wilson]

I’m 33 followed hibs since I was 5-7 year old my first season ticket we got relegated I saw my uncle and other grown men cry, i love the club more downs following hibs from then but in recent years we’ve won games in championship and the Scottish cup. Got 3rd place I think a lot of people expect that all the time

People just want the club to realise their potential. They have since before your time supporting. There have been understandable blips along the way. The club almost going bust. Sky pulling their money out of the Scottish game. The money being spent on the stadium and training ground. We're at a point where there has never been more investment and the excuses for not achieving are pretty thin.

Some of the teams beating us currently would love to have half our resources.

[Gmack7]

In every conceivable way. I didn’t fancy him either mind.

Bigger stadium Bigger support much higher wages and turnover BUT they won't and haven't played in the top league for a long time, unlikely to win anything or play in Europe ever again, but the money makes them more attractive to players and managers

[davy67 +]

2nd choice at Sunderland apparently, after talks with Roy Keane broke down . Good luck to him, he'll need it

[Unseen work]

Glad he got the Sunderland job as was concerned he’d get the Aberdeen job when Glass is eventually sacked.

[Crunchie]

Glad he got the Sunderland job as was concerned he’d get the Aberdeen job when Glass is eventually sacked.
It just goes to show how crazy the modern managerial world is, and ourselves and Aberdeen are classic examples of that at the moment.
We both have 2 rookies at the helm (massive gambles) because both sets of fans wanted rid of a safe pair of hands.
I very much doubt Aberdeen in particular will see another period where their team finishes consistently in the top 3.
I still think Jack was the man to do that for us but we'll never know now, I also wanted Neil or McInnes as his replacement.

[Since452]

It just goes to show how crazy the modern managerial world is, and ourselves and Aberdeen are classic examples of that at the moment.
We both have 2 rookies at the helm (massive gambles) because both sets of fans wanted rid of a safe pair of hands.
I very much doubt Aberdeen in particular will see another period where their team finishes consistently in the top 3.
I still think Jack was the man to do that for us but we'll never know now, I also wanted Neil or McInnes as his replacement.

Thats my view word for word.

[bigwheel]

It just goes to show how crazy the modern managerial world is, and ourselves and Aberdeen are classic examples of that at the moment.
We both have 2 rookies at the helm (massive gambles) because both sets of fans wanted rid of a safe pair of hands.
I very much doubt Aberdeen in particular will see another period where their team finishes consistently in the top 3.
I still think Jack was the man to do that for us but we'll never know now, I also wanted Neil or McInnes as his replacement.

Yep. Share that view completely

[Unseen work]

It just goes to show how crazy the modern managerial world is, and ourselves and Aberdeen are classic examples of that at the moment.
We both have 2 rookies at the helm (massive gambles) because both sets of fans wanted rid of a safe pair of hands.
I very much doubt Aberdeen in particular will see another period where their team finishes consistently in the top 3.
I still think Jack was the man to do that for us but we'll never know now, I also wanted Neil or McInnes as his replacement.

Completely agree mate, I think it’s the classic case of fans always wanting more and are rarely satisfied. I think Neil plays good football too by all accounts.

I’m hoping (as I’m sure the Hibs board are) that’s over time Maloney gets us 3rd and cup finals relatively consistently whilst playing fast paced attacking football.

In reality though very very few managers in Scotland out-with the old firm have achieved success whilst playing scintillating football for a lengthy period of time.

[Paulie Walnuts]

It just goes to show how crazy the modern managerial world is, and ourselves and Aberdeen are classic examples of that at the moment.
We both have 2 rookies at the helm (massive gambles) because both sets of fans wanted rid of a safe pair of hands.
I very much doubt Aberdeen in particular will see another period where their team finishes consistently in the top 3.
I still think Jack was the man to do that for us but we'll never know now, I also wanted Neil or McInnes as his replacement.

Im not sure what’s so crazy about that.

You’re never going to progress as a club by going for the same managers that go around your level of football (Scot Prem, bottom end English Championship/League One in England) doing ok at one club, ***** at the next etc.

Who was the last manager we had that could be called a safe pair of hands that done really well and didn’t end up getting sacked? Possibly McLeish although it even went south for him towards the end.

Mcinnes is probably the closest thing to that in Scottish football yet even he got sacked by Bristol City and has had a dreadful start at Kilmarnock. That’s half his jobs although I appreciate Killie is only just at the beginning.

Likewise, you really need to broaden your horizons in terms of players you sign, or again, you’re going to just hit a glass ceiling in terms of how good you get. It’s good to see us trying something different on both the manager and player front imo as it’s our only chance of getting any better than decent.

And besides, our safe pair of hands ended up being anything but safe towards the end with a dreadful run of form and some absolute car crashes in that run.

[Pretty Boy]

He'll be unemployed again in about 9 months if we still fancy giving him a crack then.

He'll need all the luck in the world at that basket case of a club. I hope he gets absolutely none.

[Green_one]

It just goes to show how crazy the modern managerial world is, and ourselves and Aberdeen are classic examples of that at the moment.
We both have 2 rookies at the helm (massive gambles) because both sets of fans wanted rid of a safe pair of hands.
I very much doubt Aberdeen in particular will see another period where their team finishes consistently in the top 3.
I still think Jack was the man to do that for us but we'll never know now, I also wanted Neil or McInnes as his replacement.

Great post

I think the lesson is that, if a manager has given you some success you should make special effort to stick with him. We did the opposite. Aberdeen have shown more patience but still gone for the wrong guy. Look at St Johnstone. Do they sack their manager and take another gamble.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Great post

I think the lesson is that, if a manager has given you some success you should make special effort to stick with him. We did the opposite. Aberdeen have shown more patience but still gone for the wrong guy. Look at St Johnstone. Do they sack their manager and take another gamble.

If Jack Ross has delivered comparable success to Davidson he’d still be here. That level of success at Hibs would probably have meant winning the league.

Jack Ross getting sacked after finishing third at one of the biggest clubs in the country and then going on an absolute horror run of form isn’t remotely comparable with the success of winning a cup double with a team with one of the smallest budgets in the top tier and then going back to their expected position of battling relegation.

[Crunchie]

If Jack Ross has delivered comparable success to Davidson he’d still be here. That level of success at Hibs would probably have meant winning the league.

Jack Ross getting sacked after finishing third at one of the biggest clubs in the country and then going on an absolute horror run of form isn’t remotely comparable with the success of winning a cup double with a team with one of the smallest budgets in the top tier and then going back to their expected position of battling relegation.
Ross got us to finals and with a bit of luck he'd still be here. It's not all black and white in the real game, luck plays a massive part.
Ross proved he could win cup games and a cup is all Hibs are ever going to win now, we have no chance of winning the league, especially if we don't back the manager at the first sign of trouble.

[NC1875]

I wanted Alex Neil over Maloney and I think we’d have more points on board of that had been the case.

However, get a win tomorrow, some confidence and hopefully we kick on.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Ross got us to finals and with a bit of luck he'd still be here. It's not all black and white in the real game, luck plays a massive part.
Ross proved he could win cup games and a cup is all Hibs are ever going to win now, we have no chance of winning the league, especially if we don't back the manager at the first sign of trouble.

I’m not quite sure I’d have put much of the run that seen Jack Ross sacked down to luck at all tbh. We were dreadful, often deservedly beaten and witnessing shocking results (DU 3-0, RC, Livi) performances (the vast majority of them) and laughable ill discipline (RC and Livi where we had two men sent off twice).

It had become an absolute circus and very little of that was down to luck imo.

[Aldo]

I wanted Alex Neil over Maloney and I think we’d have more points on board of that had been the case.

However, get a win tomorrow, some confidence and hopefully we kick on.

Not sure I agree. He could have had less??


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[MWHIBBIES]

Not sure I agree. He could have had less??


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I very much doubt it. Neil is pretty clearly a better, safer appointment on paper. Doesn't mean he would've been better, but it leans that way IMO.

[Aldo]

I very much doubt it. Neil is pretty clearly a better, safer appointment on paper. Doesn't mean he would've been better, but it leans that way IMO.

Might lean that way MW but no guarantee!

I think given time SM will do ok!

I know we are struggling a bit in front if husks but I think we will click…. Hopefully before it’s too late though!


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[MWHIBBIES]

Might lean that way MW but no guarantee!

I think given time SM will do ok!

I know we are struggling a bit in front if husks but I think we will click…. Hopefully before it’s too late though!


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I very much hope so. I fully support Shaun, but he was undoubtedly an extremely risky appointment mid season. Needs time which he cannot have because we're playing every 3 days. Mowbray and Stubbs would've struggled big time coming into the frying pan right away.

[Aldo]

I very much hope so. I fully support Shaun, but he was undoubtedly an extremely risky appointment mid season. Needs time which he cannot have because we're playing every 3 days. Mowbray and Stubbs would've struggled big time coming into the frying pan right away.

You can see in glimpses at what he’s trying to do but needs the personnel. We are slowly getting there and really hope we see Melkerson soon and he hits the ground running. We desperately need a poacher and I’m hoping he will be it. I know he’s young but fingers crossed.

Without a doubt those 2 would have struggled.

Tbh we were spoilt with the generation Mowbray inherited and the players Stubbs brought in. Stubbs though had a very poor final league campaign it we know what happened after that!

Fans demand immediate success however this we should have kept Ross chat is keek. I can already see signs that SM style will be better.


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[Crunchie]

I’m not quite sure I’d have put much of the run that seen Jack Ross sacked down to luck at all tbh. We were dreadful, often deservedly beaten and witnessing shocking results (DU 3-0, RC, Livi) performances (the vast majority of them) and laughable ill discipline (RC and Livi where we had two men sent off twice).

It had become an absolute circus and very little of that was down to luck imo.
You can quote individual games till the cows come home, to call it a circus is what's laughable.

The revered Eddie Turnbull had a good 9 years at Hibs, had the internet been around then you'd be lucky if he got 3.

[MWHIBBIES]

You can see in glimpses at what he’s trying to do but needs the personnel. We are slowly getting there and really hope we see Melkerson soon and he hits the ground running. We desperately need a poacher and I’m hoping he will be it. I know he’s young but fingers crossed.

Without a doubt those 2 would have struggled.

Tbh we were spoilt with the generation Mowbray inherited and the players Stubbs brought in. Stubbs though had a very poor final league campaign it we know what happened after that!

Fans demand immediate success however this we should have kept Ross chat is keek. I can already see signs that SM style will be better.


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We don't desperatedly need a poacher, they would struggle terribly on our formation. We need a forward to link play and be involved. Like Nisbet is doing. Doidge is brilliant at scoring the type of goals a poacher does.

I just hate this argument about personnel. Why didn't we find a manager who could work with our current squad, instead of one he might be able to build in 2/3 years. Shaun simply should be doing better with the players he has.

Stubbs didn't really have a very poor final league campaign. He had a poor run of 5 losses. Win those 5, we win that league. We had brutal injuries that season as well.

I hope you're right the style will be better. To me, we're sacrificing a season to maybe be good next season, with a style and plan that might end up being hopeless.

[James Stephen]

Im not sure what’s so crazy about that.

You’re never going to progress as a club by going for the same managers that go around your level of football (Scot Prem, bottom end English Championship/League One in England) doing ok at one club, ***** at the next etc.

Who was the last manager we had that could be called a safe pair of hands that done really well and didn’t end up getting sacked? Possibly McLeish although it even went south for him towards the end.

Mcinnes is probably the closest thing to that in Scottish football yet even he got sacked by Bristol City and has had a dreadful start at Kilmarnock. That’s half his jobs although I appreciate Killie is only just at the beginning.

Likewise, you really need to broaden your horizons in terms of players you sign, or again, you’re going to just hit a glass ceiling in terms of how good you get. It’s good to see us trying something different on both the manager and player front imo as it’s our only chance of getting any better than decent.

And besides, our safe pair of hands ended up being anything but safe towards the end with a dreadful run of form and some absolute car crashes in that run.

Bumping into the glass ceiling would be progress for Hibs, and its where Hibs were last season.

Nothing Hibs cab realistically do will break through it.

Where Hibs are now is miles away from tye glass ceiling again, 'in transition' and in a weird place where getting back to that glass ceiling will be seen as progress.

Many Hibs fans want the impossible, and that is why they are never happy and Hibs have been permanently in transition for decades.

[James Stephen]

Im not sure what’s so crazy about that.

You’re never going to progress as a club by going for the same managers that go around your level of football (Scot Prem, bottom end English Championship/League One in England) doing ok at one club, ***** at the next etc.

Who was the last manager we had that could be called a safe pair of hands that done really well and didn’t end up getting sacked? Possibly McLeish although it even went south for him towards the end.

Mcinnes is probably the closest thing to that in Scottish football yet even he got sacked by Bristol City and has had a dreadful start at Kilmarnock. That’s half his jobs although I appreciate Killie is only just at the beginning.

Likewise, you really need to broaden your horizons in terms of players you sign, or again, you’re going to just hit a glass ceiling in terms of how good you get. It’s good to see us trying something different on both the manager and player front imo as it’s our only chance of getting any better than decent.

And besides, our safe pair of hands ended up being anything but safe towards the end with a dreadful run of form and some absolute car crashes in that run.

Bumping into the glass ceiling consistently would be progress for Hibs, and its where Hibs were last season.

Nothing Hibs can realistically do will break through it.

Where Hibs are now is miles away from tye glass ceiling again, 'in transition' and in a weird place where getting back to that glass ceiling will be seen as progress.

Many Hibs fans want the impossible, and that is why they are never happy and Hibs have been permanently in transition for decades.

[Crunchie]

Bumping into the glass ceiling would be progress for Hibs, and its where Hibs were last season.

Nothing Hibs cab realistically do will break through it.

Where Hibs are now is miles away from tye glass ceiling again, 'in transition' and in a weird place where getting back to that glass ceiling will be seen as progress.

Many Hibs fans want the impossible, and that is why they are never happy and Hibs have been permanently in transition for decades.
:top marks

[Aldo]

We don't desperatedly need a poacher, they would struggle terribly on our formation. We need a forward to link play and be involved. Like Nisbet is doing. Doidge is brilliant at scoring the type of goals a poacher does.

I just hate this argument about personnel. Why didn't we find a manager who could work with our current squad, instead of one he might be able to build in 2/3 years. Shaun simply should be doing better with the players he has.

Stubbs didn't really have a very poor final league campaign. He had a poor run of 5 losses. Win those 5, we win that league. We had brutal injuries that season as well.

I hope you're right the style will be better. To me, we're sacrificing a season to maybe be good next season, with a style and plan that might end up being hopeless.

We can agree that we need goals from somewhere. Rub of the green perhaps. Hopefully tomorrow!

The bit about personnel I totally agree with. We should always have a nucleus of a squad and add auditory and we need a vision moving forward and the manager should really gut that vision.

Hard o know but we cannot have a transition season every couple of years


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[Since452]

I feel like we've taken two steps backwards to go two steps forward (maybe). Whole thing doesn't make sense to me. If we'd stuck with Ross, let him have the transfer window he deserved in the summer, invested in youth for the future like we are doing now would we have been any worse off? We'll never know but there wouldn't have been a weird transition to worry about.

[Crunchie]

I feel like we've taken two steps backwards to go two steps forward (maybe). Whole thing doesn't make sense to me. If we'd stuck with Ross, let him have the transfer window he deserved in the summer, invested in youth for the future like we are doing now would we have been any worse off? We'll never know but there wouldn't have been a weird transition to worry about.
We've taken a massive gamble from being in a very stable position.

All the talk about horrendous runs under Ross and his style of play etc are looking a bit stupid now.

Hopefully we can turn it around and I'm sure we will, but as you say we're now in transition AGAIN.

[500miles]

We've taken a massive gamble from being in a very stable position.

All the talk about horrendous runs under Ross and his style of play etc are looking a bit stupid now.

Hopefully we can turn it around and I'm sure we will, but as you say we're now in transition AGAIN.
The run was such a condensed period of time as well, key players missing, covid backlogs. It was a wild gamble when we'd already identified the root of our recruitment problem.

[jacomo]

Completely agree mate, I think it’s the classic case of fans always wanting more and are rarely satisfied. I think Neil plays good football too by all accounts.

I’m hoping (as I’m sure the Hibs board are) that’s over time Maloney gets us 3rd and cup finals relatively consistently whilst playing fast paced attacking football.

In reality though very very few managers in Scotland out-with the old firm have achieved success whilst playing scintillating football for a lengthy period of time.


Very true. I did understand Aberdeen fans getting bored with McInnes in a way because he was there 7 years and they seem to have peaked after his second season.

On the other hand, he had to rebuild his squad frequently during his tenure and did a decent job in still getting results. When you lose your strikers and the goals dry up, it’s understandable that you focus on becoming hard to beat.

[Crunchie]

The run was such a condensed period of time as well, key players missing, covid backlogs. It was a wild gamble when we'd already identified the root of our recruitment problem.
Exactly, so many factors to take into account but were dismissed out of hand.

The man got us regularly to Hampden, a feat in itself for any Hibs manager and something that should have given him the next few years at least.

Turnbull got 9, Miller nearly 10 and they won a League Cup each. ( please don't mention Drybrough cup or Tennent's sixes anyone )

[The Modfather]

I feel like we've taken two steps backwards to go two steps forward (maybe). Whole thing doesn't make sense to me. If we'd stuck with Ross, let him have the transfer window he deserved in the summer, invested in youth for the future like we are doing now would we have been any worse off? We'll never know but there wouldn't have been a weird transition to worry about.

We might not have been any worse off but it looked more and more unlikely with each passing week we’d have been any better off. For all the credit Ross deserves for last season he also deserves the criticism for this season. Given the money Ross had to spend is 3rd one season and a big drop off the next season enough?

Ross left us in a better place than he inherited but I felt last season was closer to being his peak than the start/continuation of an upward trajectory. I view it a bit like Fenlon, we got the next man spectacularly wrong but that doesn’t change the fact it was time for Fenlon to go IMO. Same with Ross, Maloney might or might not be the correct appointment but it doesn’t change the fact Ross’ time was up IMO.

[NORTHERNHIBBY]

I think that he will do a decent job there. Despite their history and resources, they are a "third" Division club and need a Manager to get them promoted. I can't work out why Keane was ever in the frame. He's an in work pundit, not an out of work Manager. If Neil can get them to top six Championship and consolidate there, he will have done a good job. Shaking off the basket case club image has to be fundamental to rebuilding.

[Paulie Walnuts]

We might not have been any worse off but it looked more and more unlikely with each passing week we’d have been any better off. For all the credit Ross deserves for last season he also deserves the criticism for this season. Given the money Ross had to spend is 3rd one season and a big drop off the next season enough?

Ross left us in a better place than he inherited but I felt last season was closer to being his peak than the start/continuation of an upward trajectory. I view it a bit like Fenlon, we got the next man spectacularly wrong but that doesn’t change the fact it was time for Fenlon to go IMO. Same with Ross, Maloney might or might not be the correct appointment but it doesn’t change the fact Ross’ time was up IMO.

Yup. It was getting progressively worse under Ross and even got to the point where the team had lost all discipline. It wasn’t just bad form anymore, it was an absolute mess with us having 2 men sent off in one game twice. The Livingston game simply had to spell the end, you could see watching it that something was just so badly wrong that it was never turning round under JR.

It’s actually quite funny seeing people talk about how Ross had to contend with injuries and covid etc yet some of the same people are slaughtering Maloney who has had his best player sold, the one that carried us for most of the season, injury after injury since he came in and a load of dross left behind for him to either ship out or work with.

[Paulie Walnuts]

We've taken a massive gamble from being in a very stable position.

All the talk about horrendous runs under Ross and his style of play etc are looking a bit stupid now.

Hopefully we can turn it around and I'm sure we will, but as you say we're now in transition AGAIN.

Having a bad run with the new manager doesn’t make Ross’ equally bad run any better. Likewise with the style of play. His run was utterly horrendous, we picked up 4 points from nearly a quarter of a season. Maloney could lose the next 30 games. There’s absolutely nothing stupid about suggesting we were on a bad run of form because quite simply, we were. We were in relegation form with absolutely nothing to suggest we were coming out of it.

The fact wouldn’t change that Ross’ run was also shocking.

[B.H.F.C]

Bumping into the glass ceiling consistently would be progress for Hibs, and its where Hibs were last season.

Nothing Hibs can realistically do will break through it.

Where Hibs are now is miles away from tye glass ceiling again, 'in transition' and in a weird place where getting back to that glass ceiling will be seen as progress.

Many Hibs fans want the impossible, and that is why they are never happy and Hibs have been permanently in transition for decades.

I don’t think anybody wants anything that is impossible.

We should have had a trophy last season. To be in the last four of both cup competitions minus the old firm is almost unheard of. I don’t think, when we were the best of the rest, it’s expecting the impossible to have won one of those trophies.

There is a third European competition now which should give clubs like us a realistic chance of competing regularly in Europe. Scottish clubs have well under achieved in getting to group stages of European competitions when you look at some of the teams that manage it.

I agree there is a certain glass ceiling, last season wasn’t it though.

[Jones28]

Probably one of the hardest jobs in British football. Would a great addition to the CV if he could achieve something with them.

[The 90+2]

He'll be unemployed again in about 9 months if we still fancy giving him a crack then.

He'll need all the luck in the world at that basket case of a club. I hope he gets absolutely none.


Neil has went from being a journeyman footballer to being made for life in the last ten years. Fair play to him.

[Crunchie]

Having a bad run with the new manager doesn’t make Ross’ equally bad run any better. Likewise with the style of play. His run was utterly horrendous, we picked up 4 points from nearly a quarter of a season. Maloney could lose the next 30 games. The fact wouldn’t change that Ross’ run was also shocking.
You'll be screaming for his head long before the next 30 games if you wanted Ross sacked.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Probably one of the hardest jobs in British football. Would a great addition to the CV if he could achieve something with them.

Agree. I’m surprised he’s taken it as it would seem a huge gamble considering he could probably have got a job at a Championship side or top end League One side that weren’t such a basket case.

[Paulie Walnuts]

You'll be screaming for his head long before the next 30 games if you wanted Ross sacked.

Thankfully I’ve got confidence in Maloney to get us going, so I’m fairly confident that I won’t be.

I see you’re already warming up for it though.

[Hibeesforever]

Neil has went from being a journeyman footballer to being made for life in the last ten years. Fair play to him.

Hibs relegation team helped him on that journey!

[Stevie Reid]

Having a bad run with the new manager doesn’t make Ross’ equally bad run any better. Likewise with the style of play. His run was utterly horrendous, we picked up 4 points from nearly a quarter of a season. Maloney could lose the next 30 games. There’s absolutely nothing stupid about suggesting we were on a bad run of form because quite simply, we were. We were in relegation form with absolutely nothing to suggest we were coming out of it.

The fact wouldn’t change that Ross’ run was also shocking.

It was a bad run - with some really bad performances in there too - there’s no getting away from that, and I’m not seeing anyone here trying to say any differently.

The question is whether it was bad enough for a manager who had won 49% of all of his matches and finished third only months before - and just reached his second cup final in a row - to lose his job.

And there were signs of it getting better. The five games in row that we lost was awful, but in the next four games we took four points. It’s small but it’s improvement. There was also a thumping league cup semi final against Rangers in there too.

Clutching at straws in terms of the league form under Ross turning around? Maybe - but no more so than the claims of some in recent weeks that creating a handful of chances and a couple of passages of decent play against Livi and Saints are definitive signs of progress under Maloney.

Our current run of two points from six league games is the worst we’ve had this season - but to be fair we’ve been away to the Old Firm and home to Hearts in that time.

I think Livi had three points from their first eight games this season, after a bad end to last season too. They stuck with Martindale and are reaping the rewards currently, so managers can turn bad form back around. I could easily picture Ross doing the same, but of course we will never know.

Of course if we are looking at a new appointment like Maloney, Ross County also had an awful start to the season under Mackay before completely turning it around. We’re going to need Maloney to have as big a turnaround to save our season.

Back on topic, be interesting to see how Neil does at Sunderland - he was my clear first choice for the Hibs job (not that his performance there will definitively prove anything).

[Paulie Walnuts]

It was a bad run - with some really bad performances in there too - there’s no getting away from that, and I’m not seeing anyone here trying to say any differently.

The question is whether it was bad enough for a manager who had won 49% of all of his matches and finished third only months before - and just reached his second cup final in a row - to lose his job.

And there were signs of it getting better. The five games in row that we lost was awful, but in the next four games we took four points. It’s small but it’s improvement. There was also a thumping league cup semi final against Rangers in there too.

Clutching at straws in terms of the league form under Ross turning around? Maybe - but no more so than the claims of some in recent weeks that creating a handful of chances and a couple of passages of decent play against Livi and Saints are definitive signs of progress under Maloney.

Our current run of two points from six league games is the worst we’ve had this season - but to be fair we’ve been away to the Old Firm and home to Hearts in that time.

I think Livi had three points from their first eight games this season, after a bad end to last season too. They stuck with Martindale and are reaping the rewards currently, so managers can turn bad form back around. I could easily picture Ross doing the same, but of course we will never know.

Of course if we are looking at a new appointment like Maloney, Ross County also had an awful start to the season under Mackay before completely turning it around. We’re going to need Maloney to have as big a turnaround to save our season.

Back on topic, be interesting to see how Neil does at Sunderland - he was my clear first choice for the Hibs job (not that his performance there will definitively prove anything).

There’s posts suggesting that the idea it was a horrendous run was stupid. The post I quoted in your quoted post says exactly that.

That’s very much saying differently to the fact it was a bad run imo.

From what I’ve seen the defence of JR seems to centre solely on the fact we finished third last season while completely ignoring this season because quite simply, this season was indefensible. People also seem to like throwing covid in there as if we’re the only team to have dealt with it or that it’s some sort of get out clause. I mean Maloney was manager over the period of the most transmissible bout of covid we’ve had since the pandemic began yet he never seems to get away with that as an excuse from the people that trot it out for JR.
Covid is a desperate attempt at a get out clause for JR imo. We’re far from the only team to have to deal with it so let’s now make out like we were.

We were 7th in the league and pretty much getting worse. The statistics would suggest thats the case and the statistics would also suggest we’ve marginally improve.. There was only one way we were going under JR judging by the last 9 games he had as manager and it wasn’t up the way regardless of whether Maloney turns out to be better or worse.

[He's here!]

Exactly, so many factors to take into account but were dismissed out of hand.

The man got us regularly to Hampden, a feat in itself for any Hibs manager and something that should have given him the next few years at least.

Turnbull got 9, Miller nearly 10 and they won a League Cup each. ( please don't mention Drybrough cup or Tennent's sixes anyone )

No serious comparison between the Turnbull and Miller eras. I know it started to head south for Eddie in the latter years of the decade but for the first half of the 70s he built a team that in any other era would likely have won a couple of titles. Those Drybrough Cup wins carried a fair bit of clout.

[He's here!]

It was a bad run - with some really bad performances in there too - there’s no getting away from that, and I’m not seeing anyone here trying to say any differently.

The question is whether it was bad enough for a manager who had won 49% of all of his matches and finished third only months before - and just reached his second cup final in a row - to lose his job.

And there were signs of it getting better. The five games in row that we lost was awful, but in the next four games we took four points. It’s small but it’s improvement. There was also a thumping league cup semi final against Rangers in there too.

Clutching at straws in terms of the league form under Ross turning around? Maybe - but no more so than the claims of some in recent weeks that creating a handful of chances and a couple of passages of decent play against Livi and Saints are definitive signs of progress under Maloney.

Our current run of two points from six league games is the worst we’ve had this season - but to be fair we’ve been away to the Old Firm and home to Hearts in that time.

I think Livi had three points from their first eight games this season, after a bad end to last season too. They stuck with Martindale and are reaping the rewards currently, so managers can turn bad form back around. I could easily picture Ross doing the same, but of course we will never know.

Of course if we are looking at a new appointment like Maloney, Ross County also had an awful start to the season under Mackay before completely turning it around. We’re going to need Maloney to have as big a turnaround to save our season.

Back on topic, be interesting to see how Neil does at Sunderland - he was my clear first choice for the Hibs job (not that his performance there will definitively prove anything).

We were too hasty in sacking Ross IMHO. I would have him back tomorrow if that were possible.

[660]

We were too hasty in sacking Ross IMHO. I would have him back tomorrow if that were possible.

Unless he had a sex change op in which case you’d want him burnt at the stake.

[ahibby]

Ross got us to finals and with a bit of luck he'd still be here. It's not all black and white in the real game, luck plays a massive part.
Ross proved he could win cup games and a cup is all Hibs are ever going to win now, we have no chance of winning the league, especially if we don't back the manager at the first sign of trouble.

You make it sound as though Jack Ross won a cup. He didnt and did not look like he could going by the finals I watched. I dont go with the idea that our fans got him sacked. The CEO and owner did that just like they did with Mathie. At this rate fans will be blamed for that too. Time will tell whether the new directors have got it right.

[MWHIBBIES]

You make it sound as though Jack Ross won a cup. He didnt and did not look like he could going by the finals I watched. I dont go with the idea that our fans got him sacked. The CEO and owner did that just like they did with Mathie. At this rate fans will be blamed for that too. Time will tell whether the new directors have got it right.

Ross managed 1 final. He reached 4/4 semi finals, winning 2. That's a great record for Hibs managers. Had that continued, he certainly would've won something.

People will point to easy draws, but I feel we're about to find out how difficult those draws can be tomorrow.

[IberianHibernian]

No serious comparison between the Turnbull and Miller eras. I know it started to head south for Eddie in the latter years of the decade but for the first half of the 70s he built a team that in any other era would likely have won a couple of titles. Those Drybrough Cup wins carried a fair bit of clout.Interesting points . Drybrough Cup was a very serious competition which was for teams which scored most goals . Fortunately that coincided with best of our !970s team . DC certainly carried a lot of clout at the time as big crowds at semis and finals showed .
As for other points , I tend to think all our managers tend to be lablelled as good or bad with nothing in between which is just inaccuarate . You mention Turnbull building a team but almost all the players were signed before ET arrived . We underperformed in the league in 70 / 71 but reached Sf of SC and were in Europe till December v Liverpool . Although we nearly won the SC in 1979 , the level of our team had clearly fallen in second half of 1970s ( Hearts were absolutely crap in most or all of the 1970s which maybe meant less pressure on ET inlater years of 70s ) .
Miller era was a completely different time . Was a stupid appointment for many reasons and then we couldn`t afford to sack him .

[ahibby]

Ross managed 1 final. He reached 4/4 semi finals, winning 2. That's a great record for Hibs managers. Had that continued, he certainly would've won something.

People will point to easy draws, but I feel we're about to find out how difficult those draws can be tomorrow.

I doubt he would have won a cup. If you cant win against a St J with little resources then its unlikely you will. Also many fans would happily swap 1 final and 4/4 semis for just one cup. JR didnt have what it takes to get over final hurdles so lets give someone else an equal chance.

[MWHIBBIES]

I doubt he would have won a cup. If you cant win against a St J with little resources then its unlikely you will. Also many fans would happily swap 1 final and 4/4 semis for just one cup. JR didnt have what it takes to get over final hurdles so lets give someone else an equal chance.

I doubt he would have won a cup. If you can't win against a Ross County with little resources, then it's unlikely you will. Alan stubbs didn't have what it... Wait a minute. The past doesn't dictate the future. We'll never know of course Ross could've beat Celtic and he'd be a legend.

I be delighted if Shaun Maloney continues rosses form for getting to Hampden.

[Crunchie]

I doubt he would have won a cup. If you cant win against a St J with little resources then its unlikely you will. Also many fans would happily swap 1 final and 4/4 semis for just one cup. JR didnt have what it takes to get over final hurdles so lets give someone else an equal chance.,
How on earth did Partick Th and Raith beat Celtic in a final with the gulf in resources and talent? It's a one off game is why.

[Since452]

,
How on earth did Partick Th and Raith beat Celtic in a final with the gulf in resources and talent? It's a one off game is why.

Switching off when they thought they just had turn up. Remember the Raith one well. Was at Primary school at the time in Glenrothes. Raith Rovers shirt sales must have gone through the roof. Everyone seemed to be a Rovers or Rangers fan apart from me with my Hibs shirt haha. Cheers dad.

[Crunchie]

Switching off when they thought they just had turn up.
Nah mate, in a one off cup game anything is possible, the game is littered with upsets down the years.

[Paulie Walnuts]

The past doesn't dictate the future.

Couldn’t agree with this more.

And yet people (yourself included) are constantly harking back to the fact JR got us third place us a reason that he would have turned it around despite all the evidence at the time of his sacking suggesting that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Go figure eh.

[Crunchie]

Couldn’t agree with this more.

And yet people (yourself included) are constantly harking back to the fact JR got us third place us a reason that he would have turned it around despite all the evidence at the time of his sacking suggesting that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Go figure eh.
And yet people like you can't acknowledge he could when his 3rd place finish proved that. Go figure indeed.

[MWHIBBIES]

Couldn’t agree with this more.

And yet people (yourself included) are constantly harking back to the fact JR got us third place us a reason that he would have turned it around despite all the evidence at the time of his sacking suggesting that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Go figure eh.

Oh, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that it wasn't far from the truth, but we'll never know.

[He's here!]

Interesting points . Drybrough Cup was a very serious competition which was for teams which scored most goals . Fortunately that coincided with best of our !970s team . DC certainly carried a lot of clout at the time as big crowds at semis and finals showed .
As for other points , I tend to think all our managers tend to be lablelled as good or bad with nothing in between which is just inaccuarate . You mention Turnbull building a team but almost all the players were signed before ET arrived . We underperformed in the league in 70 / 71 but reached Sf of SC and were in Europe till December v Liverpool . Although we nearly won the SC in 1979 , the level of our team had clearly fallen in second half of 1970s ( Hearts were absolutely crap in most or all of the 1970s which maybe meant less pressure on ET inlater years of 70s ) .
Miller era was a completely different time . Was a stupid appointment for many reasons and then we couldn`t afford to sack him .

A lot of the players may have already been at ER but with the addition of some key signings Turnbull built them into a real team. Something Tony Mowbray also did, albeit in a different era.

[JamesHFC]

Embarrassing for them how they are still in League One tbh, Jack Ross and his successors really have bottled it.

[James Stephen]

I don’t think anybody wants anything that is impossible.

We should have had a trophy last season. To be in the last four of both cup competitions minus the old firm is almost unheard of. I don’t think, when we were the best of the rest, it’s expecting the impossible to have won one of those trophies.

There is a third European competition now which should give clubs like us a realistic chance of competing regularly in Europe. Scottish clubs have well under achieved in getting to group stages of European competitions when you look at some of the teams that manage it.

I agree there is a certain glass ceiling, last season wasn’t it though.

So not winning a cup final is a sackable offence for a Hibs manager now, and you said nobody is asking for the impossible!

So, to keep Hibs fans happy all we need is Klopp or Guardiola esque football, winning every cup semi and final, and finishing 3rd.

Funny, but that has never happened in the entire history of Hibernian FC. History would therefore suggest it is impossible.

[660]

So not winning a cup final is a sackable offence for a Hibs manager now, and you said nobody is asking for the impossible!

So, to keep Hibs fans happy all we need is Klopp or Guardiola esque football, winning every cup semi and final, and finishing 3rd.

Funny, but that has never happened in the entire history of Hibernian FC. History would therefore suggest it is impossible.

St johnstone had never won a double before. History suggests it is impossible.

[B.H.F.C]

So not winning a cup final is a sackable offence for a Hibs manager now, and you said nobody is asking for the impossible!

So, to keep Hibs fans happy all we need is Klopp or Guardiola esque football, winning every cup semi and final, and finishing 3rd.

Funny, but that has never happened in the entire history of Hibernian FC. History would therefore suggest it is impossible.

Never said that did I? We never sacked him based on last season, did we?

[James Stephen]

St johnstone had never won a double before. History suggests it is impossible.

True, but it wasnt done with any style, which is a pre requisite for many, so Davidson would have failed on that count.

[James Stephen]

Never said that did I? We never sacked him based on last season, did we?

Ok, fair enough, so it was based solely on a very poor run this season. So if Maloney goes on a similar run, we will sack him too. And he must only be a few games away from it now.

As i said, permanent transition.

[Paulie Walnuts]

And yet people like you can't acknowledge he could when his 3rd place finish proved that. Go figure indeed.

His third place finish doesn’t prove he can turn round such a dreadful run of form. He never had to deal with such an extended dreadful run of form during the 3rd place finish so he’d never proven he had the ability to turn around such a run.

As the games kept being ticked off it became apparent that he couldn’t, as evidenced by the results and the eventual complete lack of discipline. The Livi game was a big enough joke to be the straw that broke the camels back.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Ok, fair enough, so it was based solely on a very poor run this season. So if Maloney goes on a similar run, we will sack him too. And he must only be a few games away from it now.

As i said, permanent transition.

If Maloney gets 2 years into the job and looks lost on ideas as to how to get his own squad of players playing then yes, he’ll also be sacked.

It’s a whole different story not being able to get a tune out your own players for so many games compared to not being able to get a tune out the guys you’ve been left with whilst also losing one of the best players in the league.

Jack Ross got two years in the job, survived god knows how many awful results and then an awful run finished him off. Maloney will rightfully also get time.

[Hibs90]

So not winning a cup final is a sackable offence for a Hibs manager now, and you said nobody is asking for the impossible!

So, to keep Hibs fans happy all we need is Klopp or Guardiola esque football, winning every cup semi and final, and finishing 3rd.

Funny, but that has never happened in the entire history of Hibernian FC. History would therefore suggest it is impossible.

Not winning a Cup semi final and a cup final against a team youre above in the league and with double their budget is a sackable offence IMO.

But keep crying over JR, I’m sure he will be a pundit today so you’ll see him soon enough.

[B.H.F.C]

Ok, fair enough, so it was based solely on a very poor run this season. So if Maloney goes on a similar run, we will sack him too. And he must only be a few games away from it now.

As i said, permanent transition.

JR debates have been done to death. I think he was sacked based on that run and the fact that it looked to be getting worse.

I was more challenging you suggestion that last year was our glass ceiling. I don’t think it was.

[Hibs90]

We've taken a massive gamble from being in a very stable position.

All the talk about horrendous runs under Ross and his style of play etc are looking a bit stupid now.

Hopefully we can turn it around and I'm sure we will, but as you say we're now in transition AGAIN.

Stable position?

Results were horrendous, performances garbage, attendances dropping, fans growing restless.

Aye that’s stable. Just cos you’ve seen it all before there’s no reason Hibs can’t progress as a club.

[Allant1981]

Stable position?

Results were horrendous, performances garbage, attendances dropping, fans growing restless.

Aye that’s stable. Just cos you’ve seen it all before there’s no reason Hibs can’t progress as a club.

You could easily be describing things since maloney took over!!

[Paulie Walnuts]

You could easily be describing things since maloney took over!!

You could. But Maloney is just in the job, has had to deal with the loss of the best player in our squad by a country mile (and the only one that has offered anything really in an attacking sense all season) and is having to make do with someone else’s squad. Keep in mind Jack Ross was here for two years and it’s difficult to argue a case for the vast majority of the signings over his tenure being a success. That’s what Maloney has been left with.

Jack Ross had two years to shape his team and was on that run. There’s a considerable difference in the circumstances surrounding the run that JR was on and the run Maloney is on. If Maloney ends up on a run like JR did once he’s had time to shape his team, shape the way they want to play and get a good amount of his own players in then I’m sure there’ll be a decision to be made on his future at that point as well. Thankfully we’re nowhere near that point.

[Hibs90]

You could easily be describing things since maloney took over!!

Also true :greengrin

[Allant1981]

You could. But Maloney is just in the job, has had to deal with the loss of the best player in our squad by a country mile (and the only one that has offered anything really in an attacking sense all season) and is having to make do with someone else’s squad. Keep in mind Jack Ross was here for two years and it’s difficult to argue a case for the vast majority of the signings over his tenure being a success. That’s what Maloney has been left with.

Jack Ross had two years to shape his team and was on that run. There’s a considerable difference in the circumstances surrounding the run that JR was on and the run Maloney is on. If Maloney ends up on a run like JR did once he’s had time to shape his team, shape the way they want to play and get a good amount of his own players in then I’m sure there’ll be a decision to be made on his future at that point as well. Thankfully we’re nowhere near that point.


It was more said in jest than anything

[Itsnoteasy]

Thought this was an Alex Neil thread.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Thought this was an Alex Neil thread.

I actually completely forgot about that to be honest. Apologies for derailing the thread :aok:

[James Stephen]

Not winning a Cup semi final and a cup final against a team youre above in the league and with double their budget is a sackable offence IMO.

But keep crying over JR, I’m sure he will be a pundit today so you’ll see him soon enough.

Like i said, impossible expectations.

[James Stephen]

JR debates have been done to death. I think he was sacked based on that run and the fact that it looked to be getting worse.

I was more challenging you suggestion that last year was our glass ceiling. I don’t think it was.

Fair enough. Id say 3rd absolutely is Hibs glass ceiling, and my point is, Hibs have got nowhere near hitting that glass ceiling with any consistency for decades.

So whether you think the glass ceiling was hit last year or not, the point i was making is that Hibs being held back by a glass ceiling would be huge progress. It would make a change from self destructing and chasing a unicorn that doesnt exist.

[B.H.F.C]

Fair enough. Id say 3rd absolutely is Hibs glass ceiling, and my point is, Hibs have got nowhere near hitting that glass ceiling with any consistency for decades.

So whether you think the glass ceiling was hit last year or not, the point i was making is that Hibs being held back by a glass ceiling would be huge progress. It would make a change from self destructing and chasing a unicorn that doesnt exist.

Third is the glass ceiling in the league. Not in terms of the cups or Europe. JR was part of the self destruction and part of the reason we’re in a bit of a mess.

[NORTHERNHIBBY]

He will do well to get them out of that league this season. There are some really big teams in that League.

[James Stephen]

Third is the glass ceiling in the league. Not in terms of the cups or Europe. JR was part of the self destruction and part of the reason we’re in a bit of a mess.

No, JR was not part of a self destruction. Sacking JR is one thing, but then ripping everything up and trying to start from scratch (Maloney's words) mid season, when the base of a successful squad was already there, is self destruction. All because of some vague, undefined and undefinable, highly subjective notion of attacking, or progressive football, to be implemented in a league that mitigates against that style, by a manager with zero experience or track record of implementing it anywhere, ever, is self destruction.

[B.H.F.C]

No, JR was not part of a self destruction. Sacking JR is one thing, but then ripping everything up and trying to start from scratch (Maloney's words) mid season, when the base of a successful squad was already there, is self destruction. All because of some vague, undefined and undefinable, highly subjective notion of attacking, or progressive football, to be implemented in a league that mitigates against that style, by a manager with zero experience or track record of implementing it anywhere, ever, is self destruction.

The successful squad wasn’t playing or being utilised successfully though.

I get that folk think he should still be here, but pretending our current position is nothing to do with him is ridiculous IMO.

[James Stephen]

The successful squad wasn’t playing or being utilised successfully though.

I get that folk think he should still be here, but pretending our current position is nothing to do with him is ridiculous IMO.

Fair point, and thats why Ross was sacked. But the new guy doesnt seem to be doing any better either, and has zero in his career to date to suggest he can.

[matty_f]

Not winning a Cup semi final and a cup final against a team youre above in the league and with double their budget is a sackable offence IMO.

But keep crying over JR, I’m sure he will be a pundit today so you’ll see him soon enough.

That’s an awful take.

[Danderhall Hibs]

No wonder we’re not getting behind the team - constant niggling about folk trying to prove they were right a few months ago. Over and over and round in round in circles.

[KWJ]

Out of work, and one of very few that tick just about every box that we'd be looking for.

Everyone would understand if we brought him in straight after parting ways with NM.

Won't be available for long.

[K-Zazu]

Out of work, and one of very few that tick just about every box that we'd be looking for.

Everyone would understand if we brought him in straight after parting ways with NM.

Won't be available for long.

Heard he has no interest in managing in Scotland

[ScottB]

He’s out of work, after being sacked, again. The 4th time?

Not sure what makes him some sort of ‘must move quick before someone else gets him’ choice.

[KWJ]

3, same as how many promotions he has had.

Any manager with experience is going to have the odd sacking there.

McInnes has 2 with less clubs.

[Donegal Hibby]

Preston fan I know here who is related to an ex Hibs player didn't like the football when Neil was there and said it was pretty much route one .

[offshorehibby]

Many years ago i thought he'd have been an excellent choice, not so much now. He seems to one of these many managers that hovers about the championship getting gigs and getting paid off.