Warren O'Hora says Hibs 'will gel sooner rather than later'

Warren - how difficult is it to come into a team that's putting a new defence together?

"Yeah, I think it's difficult on any team to do that, especially at a club this size, it's difficult. on the expectations. Fully well known, we knew the expectations coming in and one of the reasons I came here and I said that previously. It's got to take time for us to gel. 

"We have two new centre-backs and a goalkeeper and some other players around as well who have obviously been a mainstay here in previous seasons. but to gel and to get that confidence in between each other and know what the strengths are between us will take time. You don't really get that time in football, I think everybody knows that. It's frustrating for everybody, we understand that but look, we don't lack any belief in what we can do. We've been working hard on the training ground since we've come in really, not just since the start of the season, since we've come in for pre-season. The belief from the manager and the staff behind us is that we should pry ourselves off clean sheets. Yes, granted we need to put this start behind us, there have been a few defensive mistakes that we'll own up to.

"We're big boys, we're professional footballers, we know that these mistakes can keep happening. I think as a team we need to defend better and yes we will, we've been working on it since we've come in. It's going to take time for us to gel and I've no doubt in my mind that we will gel pretty soon and hopefully, we'll do it Sunday."

Have the expectations surprised you?

"I wouldn't say they surprised me because like I said, I knew what I was coming into. As a footballer you want to be in a club where the expectations are high and the demands are high and that's what I wanted to be. For me personally, it's not been a surprise. Obviously the start of the season hasn't been good enough and you get told that straight away and that's what I knew I was coming into. I wouldn't say it was a surprise for me, I'm not sure for the other boys but me personally, no it's not a surprise and it's one that I'm trying to live up to and I need to relish. 

What about the Scottish Premiership as a whole - is it what you expected?

"Yes, obviously I knew it was going to be a step up from previous seasons in clubs and it's a tough league. I haven't played all the 12 teams like you said but for the last four games that I have played, or three games, it's been tough. The standard is definitely up there, we're one of the toughest I've played in. It's physical, it's quick and the atmosphere can go either way. It's what I knew I was coming into.

"It's something that I will get used to and I need to get used to pretty quickly. I think everybody can see that: we're a new team, we're still gelling together and with the new boys coming in, it's going to take time for us but we understand that you don't get time in the Premiership. We're looking to change things on Sunday and get a first win."

When the manager chats to the defenders, how clear are you on what he wants from you?

"He wants clean sheets, I think everybody wants that. We're working every day on it. He does take time for the back five, I'll call it, with the 'keeper as well. 

"We have been going through the phases of play if you want to call it, on the training pitch and we've been doing clips. It's getting clearer and like I said, that hasn't been good enough in terms of our defence and maybe some mistakes along the way. It doesn't help at all.

"He's been absolutely clear that in pre-season we prided ourselves on clean sheets. We've come away from that a little bit in terms of maybe the games, I can't really put a finger on it but we just need to get back to the basics of that. The gaffer has said that and we're going through to make sure it's as clear as possible."

As hard as you work on the training ground, how much value is there in just playing together again and again and again?

"We've got to get stronger every time, there's no doubt about it. It's the same for every aspect of the pitch. The whole team has got to get stronger the more we play together. Like you said, we've got a lot of new boys in, the spine of the team maybe has a few more bodies in it as well.

"It's one of them where it's going to take time. but there's no lack of belief in what we can do there. We all back each other, we all get behind the manager, we all back what he's trying to do and what he's trying to implement and we have full belief in that."

How important is it that you're saying that you're just focusing on the basics?

"Yeah, that's football in a nutshell. It's a game of emotions and sometimes you can get high, sometimes you can get low, it all depends on how the game goes, the atmospheres in stadiums and things like that.

"Ultimately the basics are the ones that win you games, in my opinion. Look, defensively we haven't been doing that in the last three, four games and we need to get back to it and it's something that we're working on."

As much as you focus on defensive play, you're still encouraged to try and play...

"Yeah, definitely, we need to be attacking as well. I'm not saying that we've got to sit in against every team and just be defensive. Personally, I want to be on the ball. The gaffer wants the centre-backs to step in and break lines and start attacks and that's something that we have been working on.

"We're not coming away from any of that, there's no doubt about it. I have to credit the players last week with two goals that should win us the game. Look, defensively we weren't solid, like I said, and two goals should win you a game in a game like that. But it is what it is and we have to move on from that.

"We have to have an attacking threat and for me personally, I want to be stepping in, I want to be breaking lines, I want to be starting attacks and I'll still try to continue to do that."

Do you feel as if you're not far away?

"I don't think we're that far away at all. I think we've been unlucky sometimes in certain games and I think sometimes it's been our own downfall, self-inflicted results. But yeah, I think we're not far away at all."