Hibs fans right to question Petrie’s judgment

AT A hastily-convened Monday night press conference at Easter Road ten months ago, a smiling Rod Petrie hailed the appointment of Colin Calderwood as Hibs manager as “a bit of a coup”.

As he oversaw the formal installation of his club’s eighth manager in just ten years, Petrie bullishly insisted the former Northampton Town and Nottingham Forest boss was “absolutely the right man for the job”.

Those Hibs supporters who watched their team slump to an eighth defeat in their last ten SPL games on Saturday would certainly appear to be justified in asking serious questions about the judgment of their chairman.

Calderwood continues to express a lack of concern over the performance levels of his team, stressing after the 2-1 home defeat to St Mirren that he does not feel under pressure. He could be forced to change his mind on that front this week.

Tomorrow night’s visit to Easter Road on Scottish Communities League Cup second round business of Berwick Rangers should surely allow Calderwood some breathing space, although the Third Division side may fancy their chances of taking advantage of Hibs’ fragile morale.

The real test for Calderwood and Hibs is more likely to be at Tynecastle next Sunday. For if there is to be a tipping point in just how much patience the Hibs support are willing to extend to Calderwood, who has now lost 21 of his 36 games in charge, it would be in the shape of an Edinburgh derby defeat which would leave them positioned very much at the wrong end of the SPL table.