Calderwood says Hibs ready to fire on all cylinders

A return of three points from their first five games has consigned Hibs to the bottom of the SPL, but a first home win in the league could see them jump several places. With strikers Junior Agogo and Leigh Griffiths far closer to match fitness than they were before the international break, Calderwood has more options up front now, and will start with one of those two or Akpo Sodje alongside Garry O’Connor.

Given the poor defending of recent games, the manager knows that an all-round improvement will be required against opponents who are also desperate to move away from the wrong end of the table. But the availability of four fit strikers has left him feeling genuinely hopeful that a corner has been turned, and believing that by the end of the month Hibs will be in a position which more accurately reflects the strength of their squad.

“The personnel we have in the striking department makes me a lot more positive,” he said yesterday. “I expect the supporters to see a different scenario. We have firepower in the team and a lot more goals now. I think the front end of the side has become incredibly stronger.

“I’m hoping to see a big difference in the next few weeks. Until now, big Garry has been ploughing away up front on his own – now we’ll have support around him. And I can make changes from the bench that will give us a goal threat.

“Junior is the only one who hasn’t scored in Scotland, but he will. Garry is in form and Leigh’s record shows he’s a goalscorer – he has excited me in training with his quality of finishing.

“I think we have a strong pool of players now. We’ve had two weeks off, so we’re fitter and to have four strikers of that standard, with different styles, will be important for us.

“It’s probably as good as you will get – and we’ll play with two strikers on Sunday. Sunday gives them a chance to show what they’re capable of. It’s an important match and we’re hitting it in a difficult situation.

“I think we’re set now. If it was the start of the season I would be really pleased with what I’ve got.”

A group of Hibs supporters are planning a protest before Sunday’s game, aimed not at the players, but at the manager and club chairman Rod Petrie. Calderwood said he realised why they felt motivated to complain about the club’s recent results, but again expressed confidence in the squad’s ability to turn the corner.

“I’m big enough to handle any of the criticism I might get on Sunday. It’s more important the fans are behind the players and I think they will be. I’m very comfortable with who I am and what I am. They probably don’t know, because I haven’t produced results for them yet. But I think I can change that – in fact, I know the players can change it.

“I can understand their frustrations. But you don’t have to be a scholar in football to know why we’ve lost games. A positive performance would go a long way to alleviating any unrest from the supporters. Actions are more important than words.

“There is an underlying belief within the dressing-room that we can win games and get goals. We can be a different team to the one which is bottom of the league at the minute.

“I don’t feel under pressure. I would worry if I looked at the players and didn’t think they had the skill sets to win games, but they do. We’ve put ourselves in a pressurised situation, but I want them to play without fear and with freedom.”

Having voiced his optimism, Calderwood reverted to type when he introduced a note of caution into his assessment of the match, warning that Aberdeen had shown better form than their return of four points from six games might indicate. “We’ll have to do well or be very lucky to beat them,” he said. “If we’re both, we might win. Aberdeen are similar to ourselves: they haven’t started the way they’d have liked. But if we win, we’ll go above them.

“They’ve had to play the Old Firm already in the space of six games and that makes a difference. They played well at Rangers and that game wasn’t done until injury time. And they were impressive against Hearts before the first goal.”

Aware that one victory will not be enough to silence his critics, Calderwood accepts that this month’s league matches taken as a whole will be the true gauge of whether his team can sustain any improvement they may make tomorrow. With a visit to Dunfermline followed by home games against Dundee United and St Johnstone, Hibs have been given a sequence of games which should allow them to prove they can justify the manager’s confidence.

“This is an important period for us, with three games out of four at home. Where we are at the end of this spell will let me know whether I’ve been over-ambitious in terms of what the players can achieve. I don’t think I am.

“We’ve put ourselves at the wrong end of the table; we realise that.

“It’s important to get away from it, but it’s only been one game. Let’s make sure it stays that way.”