Road trips take their toll, says Hibs boss Jack Ross, as he makes the most of training ground routine

By the time Hibs entertain Dundee in the last of their Betfred Cup group matches next month, they will have played six successive games away from home, and travelled more than 1200 miles around the country on cup and league business.
Hibs manager Jack Ross enjoying time with his players on the training pitch. Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS GroupHibs manager Jack Ross enjoying time with his players on the training pitch. Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group
Hibs manager Jack Ross enjoying time with his players on the training pitch. Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group

Over the past two weeks, national team demands for the growing band of internationalists in the Easter Road ranks have further limited the time manager Jack Ross has had to work with his players.

This week is a welcome exception, he says. After he was reduced to just three outfield subs for last week’s trip to Forfar, he has welcomed key men back from Nations League action and injuries, and is squeezing in more meaningful training sessions.

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“It was good to have a full bench again [against Ross County on Saturday] and I’m looking forward to having them all in for a full week this week.

“Not that we have made much of it but we only really had Thursday and Friday last week and, infact, Ofir [Marciano, Hibs’ Israeli goalkeeper] only came back on Friday.”

Recovery sessions have had to take precedence as players who had not featured much in the opening weeks of the season were suddenly playing a lot of football and then being cooped up on lengthy bus journeys.

“We have been on the road a lot and it has been a really fragmented couple of weeks of training and while it is not an excuse, we had very little preparation time for the [Ross County] game. It is nice to have a full week before we are on the road again,” added Ross, who will follow up the recent trips to face Cove Rangers, and Forfar and Saturday’s match in Dingwall with away games at Kilmarnock, the Scottish Cup semi final against Hearts at Hampden and then a journey up to Aberdeen.

After a five-week hiatus, they will next run out at Easter Road on November 15.

“It feels like we have not been back at Easter Road for what feels like a long time and we have some tough away and neutral venue games coming up but, at least it will be nice to, hopefully, have extra bodies back and have something close to a full squad again.”

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