Football Season Guide

Hibernian

In


Elie Youan (att) St Gallen; Adam Le Fondre (att) Sydney FC; Jordan Obita (def) Wycombe Wanderers; Jojo Wollacott (gk) Charlton Athletic; Maksymillian Boruc (gk) Slask Wroclaw; Dylan Levitt (mid) Dundee United; Riley Harbottle (def) Nottingham Forest

Out


Darren McGregor (def) retired; Mikey Devlin (def) Livingston; Aiden McGeady (mid) Ayr United; Kevin Dabrowski (gk) Raith Rovers; Kevin Nisbet (att) Millwall; Marijan Cabraja (def) Rijeka; Kyle Magennis (mid) Kilmarnock; Runar Hauge (att) Jerv

Last campaign was mixed with 2 separate 4 match losing runs but some good spells of form too. A strong finish to the season saw Hibs finish in 5th and qualify for Europe, but they were inconsistent and particularly vulnerable in defence. Lots of transfer action in close season helped to remove underperforming squad players. Solid additions in defence could help to make a difference. Experienced striker Le Fondre is a big boost to the forward line. He will need to perform well to replace departing star man Nisbet. Hibs have some good technical players in their squad. They can adapt to a range of playing styles, including a strong counter-attacking tactic. Defender Fish, returning on loan, is another valuable boost and could help to stabilise the defence. Defence seems to be hugely vulnerable, especially in the centre. Players like Bushiri and Stevenson lack confidence and limited replacement options are available. Goalkeeper Marshall is another weak link and looks error prone. Outlook for the season ahead is poor. Team looked off the pace in pre-season fixtures and suffered a disappointing European loss against opponents from Andorra.

Target


5th place again would be good enough for a struggling team. More consistency at the back and improvements in Europe are needed too.