successful season if…….?

[steelendhibs]

We have been to a cup final already. If we at least make the scottish cup semis, and finish 4th to qualify for Europe, would this be a successful season considering the change in manager, selling Boyle, amount of injuries to key players, and turnover of players in January. I know the Scottish Cup and League achievements are maybe’s, but if they can to fruition would it be a successful season all things considered?

[allezsauzee]

we win the Scottish Cup which seems a unlikely scenario at this point.

[Frazerbob]

4th, runner up and semi would be an unbelievable return all things considered.

[Mikey_1875]

To be honest, unless we win the Scottish Cup it’d be very difficult to call this season a success. There is plenty chance for the season to be a relative success as you mention when looking at whats happened during the season (losing a manager, injuries etc) So you could make an argument that top 6, Semi final would be a relative success. 4th and a final would be superb given the circumstances.

However, looking at where we were at the end of last season you would be hard pushed to say that we have progressed as a club from what I certainly thought was a fantastic platform to kick on from. It is once again a pretty big summer for us to recruit in key areas and the manager to implement his ideas so we are out the traps quickly next year.

[IberianHibernian]

Yes . Results wise , 4th in league , SF in SC and finalists in LC plus a couple of rounds in Europe is a good season . Probably better than good .
Tiny margins though so eg if we lose QF and don`t make top 6 won`t say season has been a failure as new manager has had to deal with huge number of injuries and recent signings suggest we could have a strong squad in coming years .

[Wilson]

Score a goal.

[Ronniekirk]

The season has been derailed so yes a Cup Semi and 4th would be the best we could salvage


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[1875Sean]

Have a player finish top scorer at the club above Boyle

[Paulie Walnuts]

It would be a successful season for Maloney considering what we inherited, where we were in the league when he came in and who we lost, definitely.

[Onceinawhile]

It's funny cause if you posted this at the start of the season most people would say top four and a decent cup run.

Last year we got 3rd and two good cup runs, but people weren't happy.

This year we've had a good cup run, are in 4th and could go back to hampden, yet apparently we need to win the Scottish for it to be a good season.

It's odd.

[Key West]

Success would be the return of a lot of key players, an improvement in the balance of play which sees us having more of an attacking threat without conceding too many chances to the opposition, 4th place would be very good and in the Scottish Cup to go as far as we can trying to avoid the Old Firm.
Good and consistent performances from the Norwegian lads, the promise of Harry Clarke and an ever improving Jasper would push us in the right direction for next season.

[Hibernian Verse]

I'm convinced we are going to 0-0 draw our way to penalties in the cup final and steal Group Stage football.

[DIXIHIBS]

Semi 4th and europe are possible but the reality is if we lose to motherwell and looking at our remaining fixtures bottom 6 is a strong possibility. Thin margins but quarter,7/8th and no europe looks more likely. If thats the case then maybe it gives us a bit of space to prepare the new players for next season when hopefully things will click into place.

[Broken Gnome]

People might scoff at top six ever being an achievement, but if missing a whole first team and completely incapable of scoring - plus a tough run-in - Hibs would be doing amazingly well to edge the other teams from 5th-9th.

In the circumstances top six, given it would mean a pretty big improvement from recent weeks, is success. Scraping through in the cup is also a bit of a must.

[GreenCastle]

Would bottom 6 be failure ?

Injuries or not I still feel Hibs should be simply making the top 6 with the resources we have. Injuries and suspensions happen - we have had a ridiculous number injured but also recruited poorly.

To miss out on top 6 to someone like Livi or Ross County would be very frustrating. We would also lose ££ from gate receipts.

Cup…well Motherwell aren’t on great form but we can’t score goals. Getting to a semi final again would be great - could easily mean another Edinburgh Derby so still lots to play for.

Lose Sunday and struggle in league and the season will be over in next few weeks with 5 meaninglessness bottom 6 games left.

[flash]

4th, runner up and semi would be an unbelievable return all things considered.

I agree. Context is always really important and with the injuries we are suffering that would be pretty remarkable.

[lord bunberry]

4th, runner up and semi would be an unbelievable return all things considered.
I’d take that right now.

[JamesHFC]

Winning the Scottish Cup
Finishing 3rd
Finishing 4th
Finishing 5th and one of the rats from Glasgow winning the Cup.

Pretty much in that order.

[LaMotta]

4th, runner up and semi would be an unbelievable return all things considered.

A win or 2 against Hearts is important too I think.

[blackpoolhibs]

I cant see how a cup final, a semi final and 4th place finish would be good enough, when the same and a 3rd place finish wasnt under Ross, and please don't tell me the football is better now?

[The Modfather]

I cant see how a cup final, a semi final and 4th place finish would be good enough, when the same and a 3rd place finish wasnt under Ross, and please don't tell me the football is better now?

Surely it’s the context. A black and white comparison of 3rd a final and a semi final v 4th a final and a semi final is a worse season. Finishing 4th and getting to a semi final and final in a season where the manager who started the season was sacked because of performances and results is probably as good an outcome as is achievable.

For me, successful or not, I just long for a season I enjoy. Got to go back to the 17/18 Lennon season for that for me.

[Since90+2]

I actually don't think finishing 4th this season would be a particularly massive achievement. All the other teams from Hearts down have been pretty brutal throughout a lot of this season, infact I'd see 4th as the bare minimum we should achieve.

[flash]

I actually don't think finishing 4th this season would be a particularly massive achievement. All the other teams from Hearts down have been pretty brutal throughout a lot of this season, infact I'd see 4th as the bare minimum we should achieve.

Even under our current circumstances?

[Centre Hawf]

I think when all things are considered in June, if we find ourselves preparing for Europe, regardless of our method of qualification, you would have to chalk the season up as a relative success given the amount of upheaval we've experienced with the manager, players, and even by the sounds of it how we operate as a club.

To come out the other end of all that with European football I think would be a real positive for the club moving forward, we just obviously have to build on it.

[easty]

It's funny cause if you posted this at the start of the season most people would say top four and a decent cup run.

Last year we got 3rd and two good cup runs, but people weren't happy.

This year we've had a good cup run, are in 4th and could go back to hampden, yet apparently we need to win the Scottish for it to be a good season.

It's odd.

On paper it's odd. In reality, this season has been *****, sacked manager, best player sold, poor results, dreadful performances, boring football, hours and hours of football with no goals. I'd be hard pushed to call this season a success unless we actually go on and win the Scottish now.

[SHODAN]

Either a cup win, or Europe via 4th or a cup final and at least one win v Hearts.

[Since452]

With all the injuries, covid outbreak, change of manager and selling our most dangerous player i think top six would be seen as successful this season.

[Steve20]

Getting to a final or a semi final is not a success if you lose them. I don't understand why people think it is. Winning a cup is success.

[B.H.F.C]

I cant see how a cup final, a semi final and 4th place finish would be good enough, when the same and a 3rd place finish wasnt under Ross, and please don't tell me the football is better now?

Maybe because folk would account for a managerial change, a couple of poor transfer windows and the worst injury crisis many of us have known and realise we’d be doing all right to get out of the season with that.

I don’t think anybody would be fooled in to thinking we’re a good side and that all is brilliant. It’s so tight and it’ll probably be the lowest points total to get fourth in a while because none of the teams going for it are particularly good.

[MWHIBBIES]

A successful season will be learning from our countless mistakes this year and not repeating them. We might have a shot in the cup with a full team, but with our injuries, I cannot see it. Semi would be decent really. League has been god awful.

[easty]

Getting to a final or a semi final is not a success if you lose them. I don't understand why people think it is. Winning a cup is success.

It can be a success.

Hibs coming 3rd is a success.
Scotland qualifying for a World Cup is a success.
Norwich not being relegated would be a success.

You don’t have to have a trophy to parade to have success.

[hibbysam]

Winning the cup is the only ‘success’ left for me. 4th would be around what we expect minimum, but it’s not ‘success’. Success is winning something - achieving something worthwhile. Qualifying for Europe for me is the bare minimum. Up until now it’s all been a bit ‘meh’.

[patlowe]

Surely it’s the context. A black and white comparison of 3rd a final and a semi final v 4th a final and a semi final is a worse season. Finishing 4th and getting to a semi final and final in a season where the manager who started the season was sacked because of performances and results is probably as good an outcome as is achievable.

For me, successful or not, I just long for a season I enjoy. Got to go back to the 17/18 Lennon season for that for me.

The 17/18 season is a great one to highlight as it's one year I can remember coming away from draws/defeats quite content because we always went for it and the entertainment levels were ridiculous at points. As it is, we could end up finishing in the same position this season (and even one better last year), yet really inspiring performances are few and far between and the fans have been restless long before this current run. Kind of shows (IMO anyway) that this idea of "success" being everything doesn't really stack up.

[hibbysam]

The 17/18 season is a great one to highlight as it's one year I can remember coming away from draws/defeats quite content because we always went for it and the entertainment levels were ridiculous at points. As it is, we could end up finishing in the same position this season (and even one better last year), yet really inspiring performances are few and far between and the fans have been restless long before this current run. Kind of shows (IMO anyway) that this idea of "success" being everything doesn't really stack up.

Turn that season around and have the second half first and first half second, I think that would change peoples thoughts on it. We had such a good second half to the season which had us in contention for second that it overrides the finishing position.

Unfortunately the top 2 are miles clear again, and we are very inconsistent throughout the whole season that it’s easy to see why attitudes are different. Winning consistently is very important to keeping feel good factor amongst fans.

[MWHIBBIES]

Turn that season around and have the second half first and first half second, I think that would change peoples thoughts on it. We had such a good second half to the season which had us in contention for second that it overrides the finishing position.

Unfortunately the top 2 are miles clear again, and we are very inconsistent throughout the whole season that it’s easy to see why attitudes are different. Winning consistently is very important to keeping feel good factor amongst fans.
We were exactly rubbish before Christmas that season either, bit of a myth that has become

[Since452]

A successful season will be learning from our countless mistakes this year and not repeating them. We might have a shot in the cup with a full team, but with our injuries, I cannot see it. Semi would be decent really. League has been god awful.

I agree with that. This season has been a cluster**** of poor decisions from the start. We need to make sure they aren't repeated next season.

[Paulie Walnuts]

We were exactly rubbish before Christmas that season either, bit of a myth that has become

Yup. I’d take the first half of that season right now in a heartbeat, never mind the second half.

[DH1875]

Would depend on who best us in the semi.

[hibbysam]

We were exactly rubbish before Christmas that season either, bit of a myth that has become

Never said it was rubbish, it was inconsistent though, stop start. We won 1 in 7 at one stage, we also got scudded at pittodrie. It wasn’t great. We barely lost a game after that though.

Turn it around and it’s a bit like our 09/10 season.

[Northernhibee]

Unless we win the cup it’s been a failure of a season in many ways. We had the opportunity to build on last seasons successes and consolidate third and we’ve lost a manager, our best player, large numbers in the stands and our mojo overall.

Anything other than a cup win and it’s been bordering on a disaster. Shambolic at the very least.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Unless we win the cup it’s been a failure of a season in many ways. We had the opportunity to build on last seasons successes and consolidate third and we’ve lost a manager, our best player, large numbers in the stands and our mojo overall.

Anything other than a cup win and it’s been bordering on a disaster. Shambolic at the very least.

Overall I’d agree. From third place to potentially significantly lower can only be a failure.

From just a Maloney point of view, considering what he inherited, I’d say 5th place is relatively decent and if not a success, definitely isn’t a failure.

[hibsforeurope]

The main aim right now needs to be qualifying for European football next season. Anything else is a bonus as long as we're in Europe.

[Frazerbob]

Would depend on who best us in the semi.

Good point.

[MWHIBBIES]

Never said it was rubbish, it was inconsistent though, stop start. We won 1 in 7 at one stage, we also got scudded at pittodrie. It wasn’t great. We barely lost a game after that though.

Turn it around and it’s a bit like our 09/10 season.

Na, the 2nd half of our 09/10 season was relegation stuff. The first half of 17/18 had us winning at Ibrox, beating Hearts, in a cup semi etc.

[Onceinawhile]

Winning the cup is the only ‘success’ left for me. 4th would be around what we expect minimum, but it’s not ‘success’. Success is winning something - achieving something worthwhile. Qualifying for Europe for me is the bare minimum. Up until now it’s all been a bit ‘meh’.

Given we have 5th biggest wage bill, why would 4th be the minimum required achievement?

4th would be us achieving above our means, which is surely a success?

[hibbysam]

Na, the 2nd half of our 09/10 season was relegation stuff. The first half of 17/18 had us winning at Ibrox, beating Hearts, in a cup semi etc.

We won at parkhead second half of that season. It wasn’t relegation stuff either, we had a spell where we lost 6 in a row, but like I said in 2017 we had a spell where we won 1 in 7. Not saying it’s identical, overall record was slightly better in 2017 but seasons always look better when you finish strongly rather than start strongly and fall away.

[hibbysam]

Given we have 5th biggest wage bill, why would 4th be the minimum required achievement?

4th would be us achieving above our means, which is surely a success?

Because there’s not enough between us hearts and Aberdeen budget wise for it to have a massive effect. 4th is always the minimum for me as that’s what guarantees European football.

If we finish 4th and lose in the cup and you look back on this season as a success then fair play to you.

[MWHIBBIES]

We won at parkhead second half of that season. It wasn’t relegation stuff either, we had a spell where we lost 6 in a row, but like I said in 2017 we had a spell where we won 1 in 7. Not saying it’s identical, overall record was slightly better in 2017 but seasons always look better when you finish strongly rather than start strongly and fall away.

Our first 15 games of 17/18 - 7 wins, 5 draws, 3 losses - 26 points
last 15 games of 17/18 - 3 wins, 2 draws, 10 losses - 11 points

Slightly better indeed.

[Bobby's Cinema]

If we can scrape ourselves into the top6 and Europe we'll be doing well - still not quite sure how we're sitting 4th.

Big re-think required all round for next season for me.
Our recruitment both windows has left us with massive problems that were entirely clear at the time.

[Keith_M]

successful season if......?



We finish above 11th place

[hibbysam]

Our first 15 games of 17/18 - 7 wins, 5 draws, 3 losses - 26 points
last 15 games of 17/18 - 3 wins, 2 draws, 10 losses - 11 points

Slightly better indeed.

I’m presuming you meant last 15 of 09/10? I was more basing it pre Xmas and post Xmas. There was a gap points wise like I say, but it was still fairly average the first half of 17/18. Again, I’ll reiterate my point being, we finished 4th both seasons, one we were outstanding for the first half of the season and were top at one stage, the other we came with a thundering run second half of the season and nearly nicked 2nd. We look fondly on the second one because of the end of the season, while look back and call the first poor due to the end of the season. Both had striking similarities but flipped.

[MWHIBBIES]

I’m presuming you meant last 15 of 09/10? I was more basing it pre Xmas and post Xmas. There was a gap points wise like I say, but it was still fairly average the first half of 17/18. Again, I’ll reiterate my point being, we finished 4th both seasons, one we were outstanding for the first half of the season and were top at one stage, the other we came with a thundering run second half of the season and nearly nicked 2nd. We look fondly on the second one because of the end of the season, while look back and call the first poor due to the end of the season. Both had striking similarities but flipped.

Yeah, 09/10.

We also played far better football throughout 17/18 and generally had far better players.

[AltheHibby]

It can be a success.

Hibs coming 3rd is a success.
Scotland qualifying for a World Cup is a success.
Norwich not being relegated would be a success.

You don’t have to have a trophy to parade to have success.

And getting all the Dnipro kids to safety, preferably over here, would be worth ANY trophy for me.

[Nevi_SOL]

Europe would be a success IMO

Change of manager
Losing our best player in January
11 first team long term injuries
Average age of squad under 25
Under 18 league win
League cup final

[mokie]

It can be a success.

Hibs coming 3rd is a success.
Scotland qualifying for a World Cup is a success.
Norwich not being relegated would be a success.

You don’t have to have a trophy to parade to have success.

They are nothing more than achievements..

Hibs finishing third would be brilliant considering everything that's went on.. Nothing more...

[Skol]

Qualifying for Europe would be a success. So would be getting to a cup final as long as the league performance wasn’t really poor

[Stevie Reid]

Never said it was rubbish, it was inconsistent though, stop start. We won 1 in 7 at one stage, we also got scudded at pittodrie. It wasn’t great. We barely lost a game after that though.

Turn it around and it’s a bit like our 09/10 season.


We won at parkhead second half of that season. It wasn’t relegation stuff either, we had a spell where we lost 6 in a row, but like I said in 2017 we had a spell where we won 1 in 7. Not saying it’s identical, overall record was slightly better in 2017 but seasons always look better when you finish strongly rather than start strongly and fall away.


I’m presuming you meant last 15 of 09/10? I was more basing it pre Xmas and post Xmas. There was a gap points wise like I say, but it was still fairly average the first half of 17/18. Again, I’ll reiterate my point being, we finished 4th both seasons, one we were outstanding for the first half of the season and were top at one stage, the other we came with a thundering run second half of the season and nearly nicked 2nd. We look fondly on the second one because of the end of the season, while look back and call the first poor due to the end of the season. Both had striking similarities but flipped.

The first half of 2017/18 was nothing like the second half of 2009/10, and this is a really poor comparison. It's truly funny how many posters on this board have tried to contort things to make out that the first part of the 2017/18 season wasn't good.

By the winter break in 2017, we had 35 points from 22 games (the same amount of points we finished with when we were relegated) - that's 1.59 PPG and over a season would gain over 60 points. At that point in time we'd only gathered more points than that in two of our previous SPL seasons. We were sitting in 4th, where we finished, 5 points behind Rangers in 2nd. Our average position in the SPL over time is below 4th, so there was nothing average about it - and bear in mind at that point we hadn't even finished in the top 6 of the SPL for eight seasons.

Our overall record up to January was P 29 W 14 D 9 L 6. We'd scored 54 goals (including 23 in the League Cup alone) and conceded 27. We'd won away at Ibrox, beat Hearts at home and drawn away (despite Oli Shaw's shot being over the line), drawn twice with Celtic, and reached the semi final of the LC. Nothing even close to average, it was a good first five months after coming back up. The five we lost were to Hamilton, St. Johnstone, Aberdeen and Rangers at home, and Aberdeen again away. The 4-1 defeat to Aberdeen was a bit of a sore one, but the only truly bad result was the Hamilton one. The 2-1 defeat at home to Rangers was ridiculously one sided, and we were denied an absolute stone wall penalty. Couldn't believe we walked away from that with nothing.

The latter half of the 2009/10 league season we were played 21 W 6 D 4 L 11 - 1.04 PPG (would have seen us 9th across a whole season). We did win away at Parkhead, but lost 6 games in a row at one point, as you say. Motherwell put 6 past us, St. Johnstone 5, and Dundee Utd and Hamilton 4. We lost both derbies, two of two against Rangers, and 2 out of 3 against Celtic. We did have a fantastic first 16 games where we won 2 PPG, but the latter part of the season is not comparable to the opening of 2017/18 in any way. The only comparison is that we finished 4th - how we got there was very different.

In 2009/10, from 12 games against the OF and Hearts, we W 1 D 3 and L 8. In 2017/18 we were W 5 D 4 L 3. We scored 17 goals in 8 games versus the OF - 19 in 9 if you throw in the LC semi defeat to Celtic. The two seasons were worlds apart.

[Since452]

Europe would be a success IMO

Change of manager
Losing our best player in January
11 first team long term injuries
Average age of squad under 25
Under 18 league win
League cup final

Don't forget the Covid outbreak, cancelled games and having to play so many in such a short period while the squad was trying to recover. Europe and a cup final would be miraculous.

[hibee-boys]

I’d settle for one of the following:-

4th and another semi final
Top 6 and another final
Win the cup and not be relegated😎

[hibbydog]

4th in the league, cup final and a semi is a solid season. Punching our weight.

I don’t regard success wholly in terms of results though. I’d like to be entertained and I haven’t been.

If we achieved that with a swashbuckling style, scoring and conceding loads and getting the odd result against hearts or the old firm we’d all be fairly content.

In a league we’ll never win it’s more about style and entertainment in my opinion

[Keith_M]

4th in the league, cup final and a semi is a solid season. Punching our weight.

I don’t regard success wholly in terms of results though. I’d like to be entertained and I haven’t been.

If we achieved that with a swashbuckling style, scoring and conceding loads and getting the odd result against hearts or the old firm we’d all be fairly content.

In a league we’ll never win it’s more about style and entertainment in my opinion


Last season we finished 3rd, reached a cup final and a semi final.

We also weren't entertained.


Plus ça Change

[hibbydog]

Last season we finished 3rd, reached a cup final and a semi final.

We also weren't entertained.


Plus ça Change




Yep

And under Tony Mowbray we played fast attacking stuff but moaned about poor defence.

I guess we’ll never be happy!

[Hibiza]

Score a goal.

😂

[Hibiza]

We need a defensive midfielder : step forward Scott Brown.

[Iggy Pope]

Last season we finished 3rd, reached a cup final and a semi final.

We also weren't entertained.


Plus ça Change




We weren’t there.

[MWHIBBIES]

We need a defensive midfielder : step forward Scott Brown.

Well, firstly, we cannot sign him this season, and second, if we're not looking for better than a washed up Scott Brown for next year, we should disband the club.