Top line summary

  • No doubt Cadden ready to handle heavy schedule
  • Tips Le Fondre to make an impact in the weeks to come
  • Miller injury not serious but may sit out international duty
  • On reduced away allocations, believes fan safety is paramount

You mentioned being five games unbeaten, is that something you've emphasised to the players as something to cling to after disappointment in Dingwall?

“Sometimes people get carried away with a bit of noise, but the facts are we’re the only team in the league that’s gone the last five unbeaten. It’s something I’m happy about, and the players should be happy and take belief from. The two games we did draw, it was incidents out of our control that we didn’t get maximum points. I’ve set the players that target as we did. There’s four games to go until the split, it’s really important we take belief and momentum from the last four or five into the next four. We go in with the same mindset, and hopefully take as many points as possible to give us the best chance to finish the season strongly."

You probably wouldn't have planned to play Chris Cadden three games in a week, but he looks good...

“I didn’t start him against Ross County. He wanted to start but with Lewis coming back in I thought it was a good opportunity [to rotate]. When he came on, you know what you’re going to get from Chris Cadden. Every time. It wasn’t a risk because of work he’s put in off the field since he’s been out. He’s a fantastic athlete and his attitude is spot on. He can play the games, but we try to manage that. He had to come on in the first-half and I thought he was fantastic again. I’ve no worries playing Chrissy on Saturday, then there’s a two-week break for him to recover, and carry on building himself up to where we know he can get.

Can playing those consecutive games help him overcome the mental hurdles of a comeback, as well as the physical?

“He’s definitely at that point. With the medical staff, we dealt with the rehab really cautiously, we definitely didn’t rush him back. He’s played a lot of reserve games on synthetic pitches – some dodgy pitches! He’s in a good place and we’ve prepared him well. Psychologically, he’s one of the strongest players you’ll come across. I spoke to him many, many times when he was injured over the last couple of months, and he’s visualised coming back, getting in the team and performing the way he has. That’s why he came in against Rangers for his first start and performed the way he did. That doesn’t happen if you don’t put a lot of work in, mentally and physically. He’s a fantastic professional, a great guy, and his performances have been very, very high for someone who’s been out for so long, which is testament to him."

Coming into the club you'll have known Adam Le Fondre, was it frustrating not having him available for so long?

“Yeah. I said when I came in that when I look at strikers playing in England over the last 10 years, Le Fondre and Billy Sharp are two Championship box strikers who you know will score goals in there. He’s one of them – his movement is something a lot of strikers can learn from. What’s hard is the fact he’s been injured for most of the time I’ve been here. As much as I’ve got a lot of time for Alfie – I’ve spoken to him a lot – I needed him fit and available. We’ve talked about it many times but in some seasons clubs will have that, players out with long-term injuries for big parts of the season. But we can only control moving forward, we’ve got him back now and I thought he was outstanding in the second-half on Wednesday. I know that’s what Alfie can do on a regular basis. Hopefully, he can stay fit now and we can utilise him right until the end of the season."

He said he texted you when you signed Emiliano...

"He did, when I brought in Emiliano - a really intelligent footballer, links the play really well in that 9/10 role, and Alfie texted me to say he can’t wait to get back fit because Alfie is the sort of player that with his movement, you need to be looking for him. He is always on the move, getting blind side of defenders and when you have players like that you need players to see that movement and the likes of Emi, Myziane, Elie Youan, Jair - we’ve got a lot of intelligent players that can find him in the right moves.

READ MORE: Le Fondre on Marcondes, goals vow and Hibs top-six admission

"In the last couple of months we’ve created a lot of chances where possibly we should have capitalised and not. Alfie is the sort of player that pops up in the box, he is a great player and I have a lot of time for Alfie and it’s good to have him back fit especially with Vente picking up a knock."

What did you text back?

"Get back fit!"

Does Lewis Miller's injury rule him out of going away with Australia?

"I don’t know, it’s nothing bad, it’s just a tightness of the muscle. He tightened up a bit and Lewis did the right thing by coming off. Maybe he will be okay after the international break, I think he should be. I don’t think it would help him going away now, sitting on a plane if he’s not going to play."

The club have reduced away allocations for certain clubs. Players and managers will want to play in front of big crowds, but was it a case of steps had to be taken?

"That is not something I have any involvement in but like I said after the Hearts game, we don’t condone bad behaviour in stadiums, that is including our own fans. We want people coming to enjoy the football and there is safety there for them. I have young children myself and with other generations coming through we want to continue to have full stadiums. The club came out, I think we all have to do what we can to make it a safe environment for other people to come and watch football."

In Scottish football, do we take having good atmospheres for granted?


"The SPFL is a big league and I think it’s one of the league where most people come to watch football per population. That is something Scotland should be really proud of and what you don’t want to do is have reasons to reduce allocations. We want great atmospheres and the atmosphere created in most stadiums is really good, that is way out of my decision making. All I can do is focus on the team and putting good football on the pitch and hopefully that helps bring the crowds in."

Will Saturday be one of those games where you have to generate the atmosphere by what you do on the pitch?

"There are games where you are expected to win and those are the hardest games. I think the fans have been superb, we have a fantastic away support. They showed that against Ross County and I was just as gutted for them. At home we know Easter Road can be an intimidating place when they get behind the team and we want them to turn up and get behind the boys. They have been a big help in the run we put together and they make a big difference."