New Hibs’ boss Terry Butcher has told his squad that places in the first team for this weekend’s televised fixture against St Mirren are still up for grabs and that there will be a number of disappointed faces when the team is announced.
Those not picked however still have an important part to play and will have to prove to him that they should be picked for the next game.
Speaking to Hibernian TV, Butcher said: “The team is not picked for St Mirren yet – we’re still looking and there are places up for grabs.
“I think when you come to a new club you’ve got to have an open mind about things.
“What you’re hoping for is that players respond and that players are eager to get into the team.
“When I do name the team for Saturday there will be a lot of disappointed people, who aren’t in the team, but it’s up to them to force their way in for the next match. It’s up to them to do well in training and because if they are called upon they have to be fit, ready and able.
“We want to get that mentality that even if you’re not in the team you will still have a very important part to play.
“If you are in the team then you have to perform well in order to stay there. The last thing I want to do is to keep chopping and changing.
“At Caley Thistle, we had the same team for the first eight games of the season and we went on a really good run of results.
“So we’re looking to do the same here. Competition for places is fierce because there are a lot of players here, who are all hopefully eager and keen to help us get up the table.”
Hibs currently sit in seventh position, five points behind Dundee United. Butcher’s men travel to Paisley on Saturday then face Ross County in Dingwall in the Scottish Cup before taking on Partick Thistle at Easter Road on December 7th in what will be the manager’s first home game.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
