Stubbs Hibs are going on a completely different path now

Hibernian’s new manager Alan Stubbs admits the structure of the whole club needs to change.

He’s less than a fortnight into his new job with Hibs.

But Alan Stubbs has already heard all the banter about the club not having enough keepers to hold a game of five-a-sides.

The new Easter Road boss is not concerned though. With just a few calls, he claims he could get two games on the go featuring only shot-stoppers.

“We have literally got a list of 20 available goalies who we could sign up,” explained the Englishman with a wry smile. It is a buyers’ market in the sense there are an awful lot of players out there.

“There are guys who have been released from their clubs, a lot of young lads, and, yes a lot of senior professionals too. You put that together and it would be very easy for me to go out bring in a lot of numbers but not necessarily with the quality we are looking for. You need to be clear about what you are after and where possible you want to be getting as many of your first choices for each position as possible,” Stubbs went on.

“I know for a fact the ones who fall into that category are definitely of the required quality. I am 100% certain of that.

“What I don’t want to do is slide down the scale because you see a drop-off. Of course we want guys in, but the new faces will add an extra 10 or even 20% to the positivity we are already seeing in training.”

Stubbs certainly talks a good game and as the man who used to be in charge of Everton’s Under-21 side, he can be trusted to know what he is talking about. Yet is logic enough to counter the desire of the club’s support to see new faces in right now?

“Supporters are knowledgeable people and I think they understand the situation,” he argued. “They know what has happened and, of course, the first reaction to relegation would be to want to get new people in.

“I believe, though, that as long as they know the structure we are putting in place is the right one for Hibernian Football Club then they will go with that all day long. “And we are talking a complete restructuring,” Stubbs insisted. “It is not just that the manager has gone and the assistant manager has gone.

“We are trying to bring in different departments. I am talking about a head of recruitment, a sports scientist and someone to oversee the strength and conditioning work.

“We are going on a completely different path to the one the club has ever known so it is short steps at this moment in time, but these are short steps which can deliver huge gains.”