Hughes ready to use loans to bring new faces in Hibs

Published on Thursday 25 June 2009 10:08

HIBS boss John Hughes has admitted he won't hesitate to use the loan system to bring new faces to Easter Road.

Although adamant his existing squad will be given every chance to impress, Hughes has also conceded there will be "comings and goings" as he gets down to work when the players return for pre-season training next week.

But he is aware that, like most other managers, he'll be expected to operate on a tight budget, a challenge he's relishing having disclosed that in six years as boss of Falkirk he spent barely 120,000 in transfer fees. All throughout Hughes' time in charge of the Bairns, however, he became renowned for bringing in players on loan, the most successful, arguably being striker Anthony Stokes from Arsenal and Newcastle United goalkeeper Tim Krul.

Manchester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, son of United legend Peter, also spent a season with the Bairns while, more recently, Sunderland midfielder Arnau Reira has starred for Falkirk.

Now Yogi is prepared to go down the same road with Hibs if it means getting in the players he believes can strengthen competition for places at Easter Road. As a manager, Hughes has built up a vast array of contacts thanks to his repeated spying trips to England and, again, he's ready to hammer up and down the motorways in search of new talent.

He said: "I eat, drink and sleep football – it will mean nothing to me to finish training and drive down to England to take in a reserve game and see what might be available for Hibs sometime in the future. There's nothing better than Brian Rice and I jumping into the car and going south to take in games and see what is what.

"There are players out there but you need to get out there and look for them, and that is where a good support staff and scouting network comes into play.

"I guess I have a bit of a brass neck as well. I'm certainly not scared to make phone calls and take players on loan if I think it is the right thing to do. I've never been a cheque book manager, I love working the market and the loan system as I did for a number of years at Falkirk where we had a lot of success in bringing in the likes of Stokes, Schmeichel, Krul and so on.

"But, first and foremost, everyone starts afresh and there's already a lot here to work with."

Meanwhile, Hibs have added a trip to face Raith Rovers at Stark's Park on Tuesday, 21 July, to their list of pre-season friendlies.

Freed Hibs striker Damon Gray has joined First Division Partick Thistle for pre-season training in the hope of winning a contract.