Common sense tells you that you can’t judge a manager after one game but when did common sense ever exist in Scottish football?
Hibs fans turned up in numbers yesterday to welcome their new boss with the promise of fast flowing football and pressurising the opposition ringing in their ears.
But 90-minutes later new manager Marink Reedijk was not the only disappointed figure after Hibs 1-0 defeat to Dundee United at Tannadice.
Daniel Bennie scored the only goal of the game, which condemned the team to defeat in the Dutchman’s first match in charge.
At the final whistle the Block 7 Ultras made their feelings known toward the players.
Speaking to Hibs TV after the match, Reedijk predictably promised more hard work to fix things.
Hibs face Falkirk next weekend at Easter Road where anything other than 3-points is unthinkable then Celtic at home which is probably a free pass then St Mirren in Paisley before the Premier Sports Cup semi-final.
Any goodwill for Reedijk will depend on the result of the Hamden derby and Hearts are flying.
He said: “I’m disappointed. If you look at how the last two weeks went, it was good. Today, I didn’t see that on the pitch.
“So there’s work to do, especially towards and in the final third, where we were imprecise and indecisive in those moments.
“I think we created two or three chances in the first 20 minutes. After that, it was a little bit of a balanced game.
“We brought Dundee United back into the match when we had some momentum. These moments happened, and I think it is hard to really create something, especially towards the end of the match.
“However, I think we should have avoided the goal, and these are the details we need to improve. The goal should be avoided, and then it stays 0-0. It can also be a different game then.
“But in the second half, we didn’t start with the bravery I hoped we would show, which we had shown in the weeks before.
“After the substitutions, there were some moments, but then it felt flat again. After the red card, the desire, ambition and intention to do things right were there, but we weren’t dangerous enough.”
Reedijk reserved praise for the travelling support and ensured the Hibs support that his team will work hard to rectify the result.
He added: “There needs to be more focus on the basics. For example, in this case today, when we have the ball in the final third in promising areas, we need to be more precise and more decisive.
“For me, that is important to keep control of the match. Otherwise, you go up and down the pitch constantly. This is what you need to avoid, although it always happens in football. Today, it happened too often.
“I want to thank them (the Hibs supporters) for coming all the way over. It’s disappointing for me, as it is for them, that this is the result.
“But we will work hard to make sure that this changes.”
