Europa express: With qualifier on 29 July, Hughes says Hibs players must stay in shape before training starts

JOHN HUGHES has warned his players he expects them to "hit the ground running" when they return to pre-season training on 1 July just under a month before their Europa League campaign gets underway.

Every single member of Hughes' Easter Road squad departed for their summer holidays with an individual fitness programme to follow with the Hibs boss insisting he'll quickly be able to spot anyone who has failed to do so.

While it is common for clubs to provide players with a light schedule to keep them ticking over as they grab a few weeks relaxation before being pitched back into the action, Hughes stressed it was even more important his stars adhere to their plans with Hibs due to play competitive football almost three weeks before the SPL action gets underway.

However, as they said their farewells having clinched fourth spot in the league table with a final-day win over Dundee United and with it a guaranteed place in Europe, the Easter Road stars were, at that point unaware, of just when they'd be back at the club's East Mains Training Centre.

Victory for Ross County in the final of the Active Nation Scottish Cup final at Hampden would have seen their Euro campaign get underway on 15 July, resulting in pre-season training getting underway in early June.

United's win, though, means Hibs won't be required to play until the Europa League's third qualifying, the first leg of which is scheduled for Thursday, 29 July, with the second a week later.

But, while that means an extra few days holiday, Hughes insisted it was still vital his players don't get too out of shape. He said: "We have to make sure we hit the ground running.

"Everyone has gone away with their own pre-season programme including nutrition and diet which will, hopefully, let us get going right away. But it will only take one good, hard session to tell me who has done a bit and who has not."

By the time the players report back, Hibs fans will hope to see new faces, Hughes having reduced his squad by releasing goalkeeper Yves Ma-Kalambay, defender Darren McCormack, midfielder Patrick Cregg and striker Abdessalam Benjelloun while on-loan forward Alan Gow has returned to Plymouth Argyle, his spell in the Capital having been blighted by injury which reduced him to only a handful of appearances in a green-and-white shirt.

As always, Hughes has been reluctant to comment on speculation linking him with a number of players other than to confirm there will be arrivals having revealed his side badly needs more height and a greater physical presence.

Hughes admitted he was acutely aware of those shortcomings, disclosing it did affect the strategy and tactics he was able to deploy throughout the season.

He said: "I couldn't go public in saying so because that would have given other teams a 'heads up'. I had to keep it to myself but that's why we'd leave three and four up the park at corners against us, meaning the opposition would have fewer in our box."

Having signed Graeme Smith and Mark Brown during the January transfer window to join Graham Stack, who had arrived last summer, Hughes believes he has, at last, solved what had been seen as Hibs' Achilles heel in recent seasons, that of goalkeeper.

With the departure of Ma-Kalambay the three will fight it out for the right to wear the gloves, Hughes having insisted all are capable of holding down the position although Brown, having suffered a broken wrist, has yet to taste first-team action for Hibs.

It's no secret a right-back will be high on Hughes' list, David Wotherspoon, Steven Thicot and McCormack having all been pressed into service in that berth with Kevin McCann sitting out the entire season once again, bar the opening day against St Mirren.

In addition to height and physique, though, Hughes will also be looking for more experienced players given the relative youth of his current squad.

He said: "We are still a young bunch and I'd like to have one or two more experienced players in the dressing-room to help them along.

"I also think we need a bigger, more physical presence in the middle of the park."

Although he'll undoubtedly be adding to his squad, Hughes insisted he won't forget the youngsters coming through the club's impressive youth system.

But, in answer to those who claimed he should have given youth a fling as his side floundered in the second half of the season, Hughes replied: "The fans see ninety minutes on a Saturday, I see the bigger picture.

"It's the old thing, when a team isn't doing as well as everyone might hope, the guys who aren't playing suddenly become the answer to everything. However, you can't forget they are still youngsters and, as the picture looks right now, they still have a year or so learning to do.

"I might put them out on loan, the likes of Callum Booth did really well at Arbroath last season, but I'm looking for them to do what David Wotherspoon and Paul Hanlon did, come in and knock someone off their pedestal. It's up to the guys, the door is still open, I love and care for them but I work with them every day and it's no just about talent but that character, that will to win, the culture we are striving to instil at the club.

"I feel many of them can still have a massive future here at Hibernian Football Club and I'm hoping that for one or two it's the first team next season. But they have to earn their stripes and spurs and I'm looking to bring two or three here with a bigger physical presence, more experience to help them along.

"At the same time, though, we won't lost sight of the fact we have a great reputation for producing young players, we've done it again with David and Paul and we want to continue hearing people elsewhere say 'here they come again'."