Can Lee Johnson succeed where Shaun Maloney failed and bring back the feel-good factor to Easter Road?
His arrival was greeted by a mixed response amongst fans after reports that former Malmo boss ate Champions League winner Jon Dahl Tomasson had been linked with the vacancy.
There was a lot of support among the fans for the Dane, but the new Hibs boss is taking it all in his stride.
He said: “I understand it; I wasn’t a massive name as a player and there were some big football names being bandied about.
“But it’s not about me; it’s about creating a united identity that we can all be proud of. Hopefully we can not only win, but win the way we want to.
“I want an aggressive team in terms of forward thinking. I want players to play forward and run forward, to make sure we are playing with such a tempo and a high line that we can force errors and dictate the game.”
After making over 450 appearances in England and Scotland as a player, 40-year-old Johnson made an early step into management being appointed by Oldham Athletic in League One at the age of just 31, which made him the youngest manager in the EFL (English Football League).
He guided the Latics to safety and led them to their best league finish in five years – alongside introducing a high-quality style of football.
Johnson worked his way up the EFL and after a spell at Barnsley, he was appointed by his former club and English Championship side Bristol City.
Again, he steered the Robins away from the relegation zone in successive seasons whilst implementing a fresh approach and ethos around the Club.
The Robins continued to progress under his management as he turned them into Play-Off challengers and took them on a memorable EFL Cup journey.
His Bristol City side saw off a number of Premier League outfits, including Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United, before narrowly losing in the semi-final to Manchester City, which led to Pep Guardiola hailing Johnson’s style of play.
In his last managerial position, Johnson helped Sunderland lift their first piece of silverware in 14 years winning the EFL Trophy at Wembley Stadium and reaching the Play-Offs. He departed the Black Cats in January 2022 sat in 3rd place in League One.
Hibs’ Executive Chairman, Ron Gordon, commented: “Throughout this process we have been very clear on the type of profile, the style of football, and the experience we want our new Manager to have, and that aligned approach enabled us to be incredibly thorough and vigorous during our search.
“We will support him in the transfer window, so he can put his own stamp on the squad as we look forward to, what will hopefully be a really successful 2022/23 campaign.
“We are all looking forward to working with him, and his staff, to bring sustained success to our fantastic football club.”
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.
