Ex-Bairn Yogi has no room for sentiment with Hibs

Published on Friday 27 November 2009 08:41

JOHN HUGHES today admitted he feels for his former club Falkirk as they struggle at the foot of the SPL table having been through the same trauma with the Bairns last season.

But as he prepared to welcome Eddie May's side to Easter Road for the first time as manager of Hibs, Hughes insisted there was no room for sentiment in demanding that his players start to pick up their performance.

Although the Hibees have stretched their unbeaten run to eight matches, including a creditable three successive away draws at Ibrox, Tynecastle and St Mirren Park, Hughes believes there is still plenty to come from his team.

And he feels the return of Moroccan playmaker Merouane Zemmama, missing since picking up a groin strain in the victory over Aberdeen in Hibs' last home match, could provide the spark to lift what he hopes will be the biggest crowd of the season at Easter Road.

The Hibs boss said: "There's no doubt we've missed Zouma, he gives us that natural width on the right and it will be nice to have him back.

"I think we could get more than 15,000 tomorrow given it's our first home game in almost a month, it's a Hibs Kid's day and the initiative by Hibees Reunited to encourage fans back to the ground.

"So it will be up to us to take that on board and go and entertain them.

"I've been quite happy with what we have done, going away to three tough venues and taking something from each of them but now I am looking to start getting a performance.

"If we can do that then I believe the results will come.

"We've been getting stuck in, fighting our corner, battling away because of the way in which opposition teams have been setting up against us and that's credit to the boys for doing so.

"But we've perhaps forgotten we can pass and create chances. We have to start doing that again and we know if we make chances we have the players capable of taking them."

Although Falkirk remain rooted to the foot of the table, their confidence will have risen after a terrific 3-3 draw with Celtic and last weekend's victory over fellow strugglers Hamilton.

But Hughes, who saw the Bairns avoid relegation only on the final day of last season, won't let their predicament detract him.

He said: "I feel for them, it's not a nice place to be in and I know having been there in that dogfight myself.

"However, we have to be ruthless. There's no room for sentiment, we have to go and pick up the points.

"While I believe Falkirk have nothing to lose, they are a good side, trust me. They are hard to beat, can hit you on the counter-attack and if you sit off them they will play good football."

Hughes only injury worry, other than long-term casualty Kevin McCann, is midfielder Kevin McBride, who is nursing an ankle injury although he'll be given every chance of proving his fitness.