Is time up for Hughes at Hibs?

02nd Oct2010

Is time up for Hughes at Hibs?

by WeKnowSFA

Time must be running out for Yogi

After a battling performance at Celtic Park last weekend many Hibees felt there was room for hope and optimism about their team turning around the fortune. We disagreed. We felt it would be another case of a side raising their game against Celtic or Rangers but failing to produce the same level of performance in their match in a more mundane game.

The match versus St Johnstone was the real test for John Hughes and Hibs and sadly, the Edinburgh club failed. Two late goals gave the Perth club victory, which sees them leapfrog Hibs in the league. The victory will have given Derek McInnes a bit more breathing space at McDiarmid Park but it looks fairly bleak for Hibs.

With just one league win this season, and that in the opening weekend, the pressure is really starting to build on Hughes. The loss of Anthony Stokes to Celtic and then an injury Daryl Duffy has limited the attacking options to Hughes.

With the international break meaning there are no SPL games next week, Hibs are not back in action for a fortnight. A home match against Kilmarnock could be another chance for Hughes to get his season back on track. Alternatively, it could see a new manager having a great opportunity to get their Hibs career off to a flier.

If Hughes is relieved of his duties at Hibs, who would be the likely candidates to take over at Easter Road?

Former Hibs player Michael O’Neill was linked with the Dundee United post when Craig Levein quit and his name will likely surface again this time. It’s hard to think of any first division manager worthy of a crack at an SPL club but perhaps the success of Craig Brown at Motherwell may influence the Hibs board?

Whilst John Hughes is still in charge, this sort of talk is mere speculation but there can be no doubt that time is running out for Hughes.