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Initially, an improvement on the current squad.
The jeopardy is the complacency we showed especially up at Pittodrie and in the cup game at Celtic Park we definitely had a chance to do an Aberdeen.
We can’t rest on our laurels.
I think fifth and a cup final given the start of the season will be hampered by at least two Euro ties but if we build on a decent squad then who knows.
The trick with Hibs is to expect very little.
Would the Shankland of last season be that hard to replace? What was it something like 8 goals last season?Quote:
Originally Posted by Thatdayinmay16
I'd be more worried if they signed someone like Simon Murray, who has banged in 45 goals in the past two seasons for struggling teamsQuote:
Originally Posted by Donegal Hibby
European qualifiction again please, playing regularly in Europe will grow the club quicker than the odd cup win every 10 years or so.
Both would be nice though.:greengrin
Shankland played up top scores goals at this level, I'd rather he moved on.Quote:
Originally Posted by Donegal Hibby
He struggled last season because him and Critchley had a Monty/Vente situation where he was being played in a way that totally blunted him as a goalscorer. When he was chucked back up top for the closing few games he started scoring again.
I'd be stunned if McInnes didn't want to keep him and build round him with a big target man alongside.
So would I tbh . I just think there is a lot of questions you could asked about Shankland after last season in he lacks pace , fitness and his attitude hasn’t appeared to be great either . Wither he stays or goes he will be on a big wages , signing on fee which personally I think is to much a risk to take with him.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pagan Hibernia
Quote:
Originally Posted by B.H.F.C
I’d have thought the relevance was obvious. Anyone who’s followed Hibs for the past 30 years (as have I) should not expect a top 4 finish.
We can certainly be hopeful for one though.
Hoping for 3rd (obviously) but depending on what happens in Europe, I wouldn't be surprised if 4th or 5th.
Get to the semi's of both cups and be competitive in Europe.
Hoping we win all the europa league qualifiers , storm the group and make the knockout stage , win both cups and the league . Expect us to get papped out of Europe, draw celtic away in both cups and get pipped to the league by Jonestown analytics
If he plays as an out and out number 9 unfortunately he'll score goals.Quote:
Originally Posted by Donegal Hibby
Based on what I have saw in the last 6 months, I do expect it though. I think we are in a strong position to build and have people in place who will help us achieve it. It doesn’t mean it’ll happen but I don’t think it’s a terribly unrealistic expectation going in to next season.Quote:
Originally Posted by jacomo
I hope we get to the Europa or Conference League stage with games up until Christmas. I expect we will not get to this stage, might win one tie but not the two we need. Was a hammer blow when Aberdeen won the cup.
I hope we improve as a team next season, finish 3rd and win a cup. I expect Aberdeen and The Yam will be better next season and will make achieving this more difficult.
Hearts probably will, unfortunately.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hibees1973
Aberdeen I'm not too sure. Fluking a cup win after hanging on grimly for 120 minutes against an out of sorts celtic doesn't paper over the appalling form, performances and results of the previous 6 months. I've seen nothing so far to suggest theyll be much better, and they'll likely suffer the consequences of playing regularly in Europe. I think it will be after next season when they'll feel the benefits of those millions in European money.
Hearts will not be as bad, Aberdeen will get a boost from the Cup win, so anything better than consolidation of a top 4/5 place will be huge success for SDG and Hibs.
Cannot wait to see how SDG get on. If he manages somehow to get us to 3rd again, or win us a cup, he'll be destined for greatnes - hopefully not along the M8, but darn sarth.
What do you mean by grow the club?Quote:
Originally Posted by blackpoolhibs
Appreciate that may sound a bit arsey, but is a genuine question.
For me, nothing tops a Cup win - and this is the best and quickest way to grow the club. Add to our rather paltry honours list, and the fanbase will go up and up.
I just don’t see the same utopia via playing European games as many others, particularly nowadays when, if we’re honest - the Conference league is full of guff.
I think it's an interesting debate.Quote:
Originally Posted by SickBoy32
Qualifying for Europe back to back in 04/05 and 05/06 didn't really budge our attendance all that much and we have missed the boat to get a really easy pass to the big money stages for now. Winning the cup in 2016 saw our average jump to almost 16K in the Championship and it's remained consistent significantly up on the previous decade ever since. That's year on year income that has remained steady.
That's only one metric though and the financial rewards of going deep in Europe will massively outweigh a cup win every decade or 2. Of course, as Aberdeen have sadly proven, winning the Scottish Cup also presents the best opportunity of progressing in Europe.
I think most fans would celebrate a cup win more than a 3rd place finish (obviously actually winning the league in Scotland would blow any cup win out the water) but I reckon the club would probably plump for 5 3rd places in a row over 1 cup and 5 6th place finishes in the same timeframe.
There are loads of assumptions that Hearts and Aberdeen will improve but I think we will as well. It’s the most trust I’ve had in the club to do things right in a long, long time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Onion
For all we finished third, it was one of the lower points totals for finishing third in recent times so I think there is plenty of scope to improve, providing we don’t put ourselves in the position of needing to go on a record equalling run to get anywhere!
Making the group stages of even the conference is pretty lucrative . If you could do it for 3 or 4 seasons that's 15 - 20 million .Quote:
Originally Posted by SickBoy32
Hearts won't be as bad but not concerned by McInnes or them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Onion
Aberdeen don't have a new manager so think we can expect more of the same from them to be honest. They had the good run then a terrible one then came back to a bit form for a bit but had lost 4 on the trot before the final. 3rd spot. Don't see them being dramatically better next season under Thelin.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pretty Boy
This, we'd all like a cup win, but i think if we qualified for Europe and made the league stages a few times, winning a cup could become a little easier with the funds that would bring.Quote:
Originally Posted by makaveli1875
And attracting players should become easier with more money and more European exposure.
I think Hearts improving is almost a certainty. By how much is the question. I’m not overly worried by any of their signings so far, and I’m hoping that Shankland leaves. Last season he was poor, but if he can replicate his form of 23/24 he could be the difference between competing for 3rd or finishing serval places lower.Quote:
Originally Posted by Onion
I think Aberdeen will be considerably worse. Jimmy Thelin was probably on thin ice prior to the cup final. One game, where they didn’t even play well, has probably bought him a lot of time, but it doesn’t change the fact that they have been **** since December, showing no sign of improvement. They have the group stage money to invest, but also with the extra fixtures which tend to drag Scottish teams down.
I think Dundee United will be weaker too. St Mirren will be similar to this year. No none from the rest has giving me reason to think they will compete.
It’s well worth remembering that we overturned a ridiculous point deficit to catch the teams above us last season. I’m very confident that we won’t hit a run of poor form like it this season, nor will any out of competition hit a run as good as Aberdeens early season. From the 3-3 Aberdeen game onwards, we averaged 2 points a game, which if maintained over the course of the season would land us on 76 points, enough to compete for the title let alone 3rd place. I’m not suggesting for a minute that we can keep that up, but if we don’t lose many from our staring team, we have a very good chance at hitting the ground running then securing 3rd.
Probably a 3 horse race at worst and i think we’re the best placed to take it.
I just hope that I can get to ER more frequently next season. Work commitments and looking after family members with health issues meant last season was the first for 30 years that I didn’t get to watch Hibs in person…. Terrible timing, I’ve watched some real dross in the past !
Hopes - either a cup, 3rd or group stage football. any of those three is a good season.
Expectations - depends on the transfer window, but to be honest, pretty low. We're likely to be changing the spine of our team (new keeper, rocky going, triantis and myko leaving). We're going to be playing at least two four weeks of Thursday, Sunday football and that always seems to impact teams. In addition, our last five games, we took five points. Fair enough, that was all vs top 6, but it still isn't ideal.
Ultimately, I expect somewhere between 5-8th.
On the bright side, we are certain to lose less league cup games than last season, so that's fantastic.
To start by saying, getting in front of the rangers is too much to ask. For any team outwith thae two, 3rd is like winning the league-level achievement for a normal nation. For us to achieve that two seasons on the trot would be phenomenal. But i think its possible. We have learnt how to win with this group. Gray knows how to get the most from them tactically. Our manky neighbours and the sheep have shown theyve been decent in patches and seem to be retaining their best players at this point so we have two other rivals for third. Thats how i see the league.Quote:
Originally Posted by matty_f
I agree with Matty that a cup run would be fantastic after the nonsense of two away games at Celtic park this past season. For those of us not able to attend league games every week a cheeky cup season ticket would be nice…
I want Easter Rd to be a fortress where all the other sides fear to come to.
I think we will strengthen the side from last season.
Not sure about my expectation for next season but my hopes would be to repeat our 3rd spot, collect a cup and get into the group stages in Europe. Just how good would that be? One of those hopes would be great.
I'd imagine European group stage football would put pressure on the squad and our league cup hopes would pay the price.
Hibs in Europe excites me, ive still got to make a Hibs European away day. Maybe this year.
3rd in the SPL is well within our capabilities i think we'll start the season in a better place than both hearts and aberdeen. Not buying they are better than us.
'Mon the Hibs
My hopes are exactly the same as they were at the start of the season. Qualify for Europe, get us to Hampden and get the upper hand in the derbies.
Depends how we do in Europe and if we can keep the team together. Some of the best business we could this window is keeping our best players.
I see it being a pretty level playing field again this year though.
My hopes are another decent season finishing in the top 4 with a good cup run, could do with a kinder draw this time but it's set for our ten year anniversary for another cup win.
I hope we are 3rd, but mucher closer to 2nd than last season. A group stage entry into the Conference league. A cup win, obviously the Scottish Cup given the prestige attached would be preferred. I go into every season with high hopes and then reassess in November.
My expectations are probably a bit different.
My hope for next season is for Gray to continue to rise as a manager. I think as a player he was someone who maybe never hit his heights down south and lost his way a bit. He achieved a lot with us as a player. Yes he scored that famous goal, but after that final he lead by example. His goal vs brondby, securing promotion, the strong finish season 17/18 and 3rd with Ross. He was unlucky with injuries and opted to retire early.
Being selfless, I hope as a manager he out grows us in the future and eventually follows a similar path like the one Tony Mowbray has went on. :flag: