Top line summary

  • Adam Le Fondre set to leave
  • Talks with David Marshall after last game of the season
  • Wants a squad of 20-24 next season
  • 'Honest discussions' happening with players out on loan

How hard is to inherit group of players signed by so many different managers?

“Yeah, of course, I’ve been through it as a player when you go through a lot of managers – and it means change. Sometimes change is difficult and takes a while. So, from the players’ perspective, they’ve seen a lot of change through players and managers coming in. The reality is that, when you take over in that situation, you have to deal with it. I’ve still really enjoyed working with this group of players. But it’s sometimes down to what you inherit, trying to get the best out of everyone. I think I’ve been fair with everybody and given them all playing time, a chance to impress. Everybody plays each game as if it’s your opportunity to make the team. That is the reality of the situation."

Is a smaller squad your number one priority next season?

“Yeah, I think so. The club went down the route of development players. But we’ve all agreed, as a club, that what the fans want to see – and the most important thing – is a strong XI, a strong bench. That’s the process we’re going through at the minute, trying to reduce the number of contracted players at the club – and bring in quality over quantity. That’s something we’ve all agreed on, as the direction of the club, moving forward."

What would your ideal squad number be?

“Ideally you would probably want 20-22 players, if you keep everyone fit. Maybe 24, with young players on top of that. Right now, that means guys like Rory Whittaker, who can still play under-18 football next season, still play competitive games at their age level – but also play in the first team and reserve games. But a squad of 45-50 players contracted at the minute, that we’ve got, it’s too big for a club like Hibs.

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We obviously haven’t had those numbers actually on site this season, because we’ve got 18 players out on loan. But, if they all came back in the summer for the first day of pre-season, I would probably need all four training pitches at HTC to play the games on!

Have you spoken to and seen the senior players on-loan?

“Obviously I’ve monitored the players out on loan throughout the season, with people at the club watching their games live. It’s obviously difficult for me to watch 18 players live out on loan, but thankfully I’ve been able to see plenty on Wyscout. We’ve been in constant communication. At times they have popped back into HTC when they’ve had time off. Like every club, at the end of the season, you look at the squad and speak to the players. The reality is some will come back, some may leave in the off season. But, while they’re under contract, they’re part of the club. You have to have those discussions with players and their agents. That’s a job in itself. The reality is players want to play football. As a club, we can be proud if these players move on and play at other clubs, help them on their way. You have to be honest in these conversations. If I don’t feel like they can come back and play in the first team next season, then they’re too old to play in the under-18 team. Because we only have an under-18 team. There is no 23s, there is no real reserve team, so that’s just the situation at the club.”

The club have had the U-18s team, could there be a bridge between that and the first team, could it be the Lowland League?

We have an under-18 team. While the boys can play over 18s, once you get over that, unless you have a huge squad who stay in the building and train everyday and you have a reserve team that play in a lower league - that’s a great idea - that’s a big cost as well. Ultimately you have players in that development squad with an eye that they will develop in the first team otherwise you are just developing them for other teams and it’s costing you money to do that. These are decisions moving forward, we have some really good kids that have been exposed this season that can play under-18s next season and they can also have reserve/organised bounce games where you can have first team players not playing week in week out. With that comes a large outlay from the budget which we’ve had as well. What you can’t do is have a big development squad then loan them all out and not have players to play in the development league. That is where we are consolidating and moving forward we’re looking at putting the strongest squad out as possible throughout the season because there were times this season, especially in January when we lost the international players, that we didn’t have players we could recall from loans. It’s a complicated thing but if you have a strong first team squad and then some good development players then I think that’s the way moving forward for the club."

Is there any prospect of the senior loan players having a future at the club?

"When we’ve looked at all the players out on loan, I have to be honest as a manager. Knowing the expectation on the club, I need players that I know can make an impact straight away next season. Those are honest conversations and difficult decisions you need to make but one or two could come back and may not be able to move on. I am always somebody that gives a second and a third chance but they have to be at that level they can play in the first team and that’s a difficult decision. It’s a big expectation."

Have you had clarity regarding the Bournemouth tie-in and how exactly it will work?

Not really, there have been discussions going on with the club. There has been stuff that has been well documented in the media. That is something that is in its infancy, the deal was not done long ago. I know the board and ownership have been speaking on that and moving forward that is something that we’ll work at how it’s going to work best.

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"The obvious one is that you’re connected to clubs that possibly sign really good young players and need a home for them to play football that is not Premier League standard, which is the best standard in the world. The likes of Nathan Moriah-Welsh is a great example, he was in the Bournemouth youth team and we signed him on a permanent contract. He is a player that has come in and been very good. If there are not options that suit us we’ll go out into the market and see what players are available."

How much work is needed to take the team from bottom six to third?

“We’ve been very close this season on a lot of decisions, a lot of late goals. If we put them together, we’re not far away. People don’t want to look at the stats but they’re there for a reason and, over the course of the season we’re right up there at the top on XG, behind the two biggest teams in the league. That tells me that the football we play, the chances we create are there. But we need to put those chances away and make games a lot easier. At the other end, we need to make sure we’re not conceding late goals. Top six, bottom six – you can’t say you have a divine right, there are teams who spend a lot more money than we do. They’ll expect to finish third but that’s not how sport works, you have to earn the right and that’s over the course of the season being consistently good in picking up points. I don’t think we’re far away from being a team challenging at the top echelons of the league. That’s the job for me to make sure we get the recruitment right, bringing in players that are quality to help us get there."

It's been reported that Adam Le Fondre is leaving, can you say anything on that?

“I’ve known Adam a long time, his family live down south and he spent three or four months out with a knee injury. Alfie’s a big character. Those discussions have been that there likely won’t be a contract for him here next season. Alfie’s the ultimate professional, an out and out goalscorer – I’m sure he’s got a lot to offer moving forward. But he’s getting to the age now where he’ll be looking at what he’s doing moving forward. It’s not been a concrete decision but it’s been discussions where it’s likely he will move on and be back with his family down south.

Are talks still ongoing with David Marshall?

“With Marsh, it’s always been that we’d get to the end of the season and sit down. That’s what the man deserves, he’s been absolutely outstanding for me this season. When I came in, people questioned whether he should be number one but if anyone tell me there’s been lots of better goalkeepers than David Marshall in the league, I’ll deny that. He’s been outstanding. He’s picked up a few niggles but he looks after himself really well. I’ll sit down with Marsh at the end of the season and see what he’s thinking, but right now it’s about focusing on the last three games starting with Aberdeen on Sunday.”