Colin Calderwood dismisses resignation rumours as 'a complete untruth'

The embattled Hibernian manager, who has won only two matches since taking up the post four months ago, saw his team hit a new low on Tuesday night when they were knocked out of the Scottish Cup by Ayr United.

With the club only four points off the bottom of the SPL, he warned that their predicament could yet get worse, but added that he believed the players had the determination required to battle their way to safety.

Calderwood's failure to sign any new players so far has heightened criticism of him by Hibs supporters, who are also increasingly blaming chairman Rod Petrie for the Easter Road club's situation.

Petrie stated on Wednesday that the money was there to make new signings and pointed out that business always tends to be done towards the end of transfer windows, saying: "We will continue to support the manager to the very limit of our resources in bringing new players to the club."

Speaking at the Hibs training centre, Calderwood praised that statement from Petrie, and expressed his faith in the club's long-term strategy. "It was a good statement - very sound in terms of the words he used," said the former Scotland defender, who celebrated his 46th birthday yesterday. "It reflects where I feel the club is and it was wise to translate that to the fans because they are getting slightly anxious, as we all are.

"One signing doesn't make it spectacular. It will be a group of players that solve this situation. The chairman hasn't used the words that I'll be given time to bring in a group of players, but I know I've got the time. I know what the strategy of the club is, so I'm very confident of that. They will support and give the manager time."

Giving every indication he wants that time, Calderwood denied the rumour that he had already offered to resign twice. "It's a complete untruth," he said. "Not once have I even thought about it. I am telling you now: it's not in my thought process. It never has been. I enjoy the club and the freshness." Although he is obviously convinced new blood is needed, and hopes to make a signing before tomorrow's match at Motherwell, Calderwood added that he believed the present squad would be able to dig their way out of trouble if recruits were not forthcoming this month.

"Yes, we can get out of this with the current squad," he said. "We can do better and should have done better - that goes for me, too - and we will improve between now and the end of the season. You come into the job very positive and want to address the results quickly.

"Did I think we would have a run of results like this? No, I didn't. But am I shocked? No, because if you judge the games and look at the mistakes we've made then there's your reasons for it. We should have addressed it and had better results, but mistakes can cause a run like this one. We are the ones who made them and we will be the ones to get us out of it.

"The squad were very low on Wednesday, but I see a steely determination now. We understand there's no time for great hilarity or joy. We've got to do this ourselves and get on with the job.

"What I've got to do is make sure they get their heads up and play as free as they can because the situation can get worse and we've got to be aware of that.

"This isn't the bottom of the pit, but we want it to be the lowest point we get to. They can't feel sorry for themselves, they'll have to go out and play freely, because they are paid to do a job."

With 15 players out of contract at the end of the season, Calderwood will have the chance to overhaul the squad completely provided he keeps his job until then. That situation could be a threat to the manager as some of those out-of-contract players may not feel motivated to play for a club which does not want them, but Calderwood himself believes it should spur them on.

"There's no problem," he added. "They're either playing for a contract here or a future with somebody else, and performances dictate that. Their attitude in a difficult situation will be something that I would be looking at if I was watching.

"Looking at their application would give me a good indication of what the personality is like. Every time you play a game of football you have no idea who might be watching."

The fact that Motherwell are one of the teams Hibs have beaten since he became manager could encourage Calderwood to look optimistically on tomorrow's match, but he says just being in action again so quickly after the defeat by Ayr is more important than the identity of Hibs' opponents. "I'm just glad this weekend isn't the next round of the cup so we don't have to sit and watch it. I'm glad we've got a game, and the run of midweek fixtures coming up too. Our focus has to be on that rather than our situation, because it's an opportunity for us to make a dramatic improvement."