John Hughes agrees Hibs have had share of 'luck'

Published on Thursday 5 November 2009 21:59

HIBERNIAN have indeed been lucky this season.

Michael Stewart may have objected to the way in which his views on the subject were conveyed in some quarters earlier this week, but Hibs manager John Hughes is happy to agree that his team have enjoyed good fortune as they have risen to second in the Scottish Premier League table.

Stewart, the Hearts captain and a former player at Easter Road, said that Hibs had "maybe had a slice of luck here or there" in a number of their games, and contrasted that with his own team, who had "maybe fallen on the wrong side of a bit of luck here and there". He later complained that his analysis had been over-simplified to make it look like he had merely been saying Hibs were lucky.

Hughes, by contrast, did anything but take umbrage when it was put to him that his team had been fortunate at times. "Although he retracted it, Michael Stewart was in the newspapers the other day saying that we are carrying a bit of luck – well, I actually agree with him," said Hughes, who takes charge of Hibs in an Edinburgh derby for the first time tomorrow.

"I think we have been carrying a bit of luck. But I think you make your own luck and hopefully we will be carrying a bit of luck on Saturday to make sure the three points come back to Easter Road.

"We've scored a few goals late on, but I'd like to think that's down to the character and spirit. We've been lucky with injuries and that sort of stuff.

"I can understand where he's coming from. Although he's retracted it, there was a smile on my face because there's many a time I've said I felt we had carried a bit of luck. But you need luck. You need luck in life and you need luck to take you where you want to go, so hopefully we've still got all that luck on Saturday."

Whatever good fortune Hibs may have enjoyed thus far, those who have watched them cannot fail to have noticed that they have also been playing with greater consistency since Hughes took over as manager in the summer. They are spoiled for choice up front – another contrast with Hearts – and have quickly acquired a settled look to their team. By any rational analysis then, the visiting side should be favourites at Tynecastle tomorrow. But Hughes, having told his team earlier in the season that they have to approach every match as if they are underdogs, appeared loath to accept that tag. Instead, he contended that home advantage should make Hearts favourites, and that the Edinburgh derby is rarely amenable to rational analysis in any case.

"You know the importance of the match and what it means to the supporters. That has to be in your dressing room – that gives you something to go and play for. You want your supporters to have the bragging rights in the city.

"But that doesn't mean to say we're going into the game favourites because of the league positions. In any derby match, the form goes out of the window and anything we get there we'll have to go and earn, that's for sure.

"I think Hearts are in a false position. I think they're better than what they're showing. But it's a long season and I don't think they'll be far away from where they want to be come the end of the season.

"There's no way the players will be over-confident. I don't think we're favourites and I'm not just saying that to play it down. I honestly think that Hearts, being on their own patch, are favourites."

Having installed Hearts as favourites, Hughes then declared that meant the pressure was on Csaba Laszlo's side. "I think the pressure's on Hearts – I don't even think we have to go and win the game.

"It's up to them. They're at home and they have to win the three points."

In the sense that Hearts are more in need of the points, he could be right. It might be harder to agree, though, with his prediction of how the game would go.

"I think it's going to be a good tactical battle," he said. Some might delete the word tactical from that sentence; others would get rid of the word good too, and suggest the game will just be a battle.

"The two teams play the same sort of system, and hopefully it will come down to what's on show on the day," Hughes continued. "If that's the case, I have great belief in my players that they can go and win the game."

Having been sent off as a Hibs player in the derby, Hughes is confident he can convince his players of the need for self- control. "You learn from your mistakes and it's my job as manager to make sure we've all got our football heads on and that focus, and then the concentration levels.

"The most important thing is controlling your emotions – it's as simple as that. To do that you have to have a mindset to go out there and pass the football."

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