Hibs' David Marshall calls on authorities to look at calendar - 'difficult to play most important three games of your season in six days'

Hibs captain David Marshall has called on Scottish football’s authorities to look at the scheduling for future seasons, saying that teams should not be asked to play three big matches in six days at the end of the season.

Hibs lost Chris Cadden to a serious Achilles injury during the 1-1 draw against Hearts - their third big match in six days.

Hibs’ campaign has been affected by long-term injuries to key players such as forwards Kevin Nisbet, Martin Boyle and Aiden McGeady and they were dealt two more blows on that front during the 1-1 end-of-season draw against Hearts at Tynecastle, with midfielder Jake-Doyle Hayes damaging his shoulder and wing-back Chris Cadden suffering a suspected ruptured Achilles tendon. Already deprived of the services of CJ Egan-Riley against the Jambos due to a muscle strain picked up in the midweek win over Celtic, Marshall believes that while last winter’s unique World Cup has had an impact on the calendar, more should be done to protect players from such a heavy workload so late in the season.

"We've been really unlucky [with injuries],” said goalkeeper Marshall. “Kevin Nisbet came back in November and we've missed McGeady and Boyle. They're strong players. I don't think we should be playing three games in six days in the last week. We very rarely do that in the season. Down south it's normal to play Friday-Monday at Easter time and start the league with three games in six days. I think it's something that needs to be looked at. Too many breaks, you stop for the quarter-finals [of the Scottish Cup], you stop for the semi-finals. It's difficult to play the most important three games of your season in six days.”

Hibs are likely to get little rest over the summer, particularly if Celtic defeat Inverness in next Saturday’s Scottish Cup final. Such a result would mean that Hibs, who finished fifth in the league, will enter next season’s Europa Conference League at the second qualifying round phase. "I think we are between three and four weeks,” Marshall said of the post-season break. “The World Cup has done it to everyone. It's not ideal but it is what it is. We want to be playing European football so hopefully Celtic can do us a turn next Saturday. We'll be straight back into it.”