Hughes tells Hibs team: Don't worry - beat Celtic

JOHN HUGHES today told his players to forget about him and concentrate on getting their season back on track, starting with tomorrow's daunting trip to face a Celtic side which has clocked up 13 successive SPL victories.

• ANNOYED: John Hughes is determined to face the challenge of turning things around

The Easter Road stars were waking up this morning to a flurry of newspaper headlines speculating on their manager's future in the wake of Hibs' Cooperative Insurance Cup exit, the latest setback in a stuttering start to the season which has seen Hibs win just one match.

Hughes, who was particularly annoyed at one suggestion he'd said he had only three months to save his job, remains convinced his players aren't too far away from getting it right, adamant that but for bad luck they could easily be sitting third in the table and looking forward to a Cup quarter-final.

He said: "There are all sorts of things being taken out of context, twists and slants being put on it. What I did say is that we need to dig in and that when Christmas comes the window opens and there's a chance to bring a few in to help us along.

"Until then we have what we have. We need to rise above it all. We are only six matches in and, while the results haven't been coming, I think anyone looking in could certainly see that we could have been picking up results.

"We have had one bad performance against St Mirren when I criticised the players because I thought we were terrible but, apart from that, we have been creating chances but carrying no luck."

In the light of what has happened in recent weeks, a trip to Celtic Park would be the last thing many people may want but to Hughes it's a challenge he wants to see his players face head-on.

He said: "They don't come any tougher, Neil Lennon has brought in a lot of players and they seem to have gelled together and have been battering in the goals.

"But I want my players to go there and not be shrinking violets, I want them to stand shoulder-to-shoulder. There's no bigger test of resolve and character."

Hughes, however, insists there is a togetherness within his own camp, the players displaying a "hurt" at recent disappointments and a real desire to correct the situation they find themselves in.

He said: "I have some wonderful players in there, they believe in what we are doing and we'll be looking to give Celtic a right good game."

Tomorrow, of course, will see Hibs face Anthony Stokes, their top scorer of last season, who has already claimed three goals since his 1.4 million move to Celtic but while aware of the Republic of Ireland striker's threat, Hughes warned his players they'll have to be aware of other dangers.

He said: "I saw Anthony against Kilmarnock last week and he looked razor sharp, he scored the winner and he's since got two more.

"We know what we can do, but it isn't Anthony Stokes against Hibs and we have to be 100 per cent concentrated on the entire game. We'll be doing our best to ensure we are well-organised and know what we are about tactically.

"But I also want us to be positive, to ensure we retain the ball and try to take the game to them."