Fenlon in line to take over at Hibs as Bohemians approve approach

HIBERNIAN have moved closer to appointing Pat Fenlon as manager after their official request to speak to the Irishman was accepted by his current club Bohemians last night.

The news marks a beginning of the end to the process of appointing a successor to Colin Calderwood. Fenlon has long been the bookmakers’ favourite to replace Calderwood, who was sacked on 6 November with a record of 12 wins in 49 matches and 12 months in charge. A statement on the Dublin club’s website, bohemians.ie, read: “Hibernian FC this afternoon [Wednesday] sought and was given permission to speak to Pat Fenlon.”

The Easter Road club have kept their customary silence on the matter. Notification of a press conference at the Hibs training centre tomorrow was sent out yesterday. This briefing, it was stated, was designed “to preview the club’s Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League match against St Johnstone”. There was no mention of who will be previewing the game.

Caretaker manager Billy Brown was also interviewed for the permanent post, but Hibs have chosen to look across the Irish sea.

Fenlon almost landed the Dundee United post in 2010, but the deal broke down when a compensation fee could not be agreed. Hibs will be spared such negotiations with Bohemians as the League of Ireland club are beset with financial worries and are understood to be willing to allow Fenlon to move on. His contract is believed to now include a clause stating that no compensation is due.

It is now up to Hibs and Fenlon to agree a deal. The 42-year-old is known to be keen to continue his career in Scotland. Apart from a spell as a youth player with Chelsea, Dublin-born Fenlon has spent his career in Ireland. He played for St Patrick’s Athletic, Bohemians, Linfield, Shamrock Rovers and Shelbourne, where he first turned to management in 2002.

Fenlon won three titles in five seasons at Shelbourne then led Bohemians to the League of Ireland and FAI Cup double in his first full campaign and retained the title the following year.

However, Bohemians finished the latest campaign in fifth place as Shamrock Rovers won the title for a second year running under Michael O’Neill, another reported Hibs target.

O’Neill was in Sweden last night, where he watched Rovers play Malmo in a friendly prior to their final two Europa League games. O’Neill, who played for Hibs for three years in the mid-Nineties, yesterday insisted Hibs had never been in touch.

“Obviously as an ex-player at that club the speculation can be quite intense, but it’s not a job that I applied for,” he said. “I wouldn’t do that because I’m under contract. Hibs have not approached Shamrock Rovers to speak to me which would be the first step in any process.”