Hibs keen to recruit a new defender

Hibernian manager Paul Heckingbottom may be at pains to stress that the loss of 11 goals in three games is a team issue, with more than just his defence at fault, but he is also aware that those kind of stats, allied to injuries to more and more of his backline options make enlisting at least one more defender a priority.
Hibs boss Paul Heckingbottom is looking to recruit. Picture: SNSHibs boss Paul Heckingbottom is looking to recruit. Picture: SNS
Hibs boss Paul Heckingbottom is looking to recruit. Picture: SNS

“We need to be looking, whether that is before Monday [when the transfer window closes] or the best frees after the window.

“We’ve got enough bodies but it’s not ideal because not all of them have been training or playing since pre-season. We would like them to be in better shape. We need to be ready.”

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David Gray is the latest to be forced onto the sidelines, sustaining knee ligament damage during last weekend’s draw with St Johnstone, which could keep him out of action for three months. Darren McGregor hobbled off a week earlier and needs time.

Lewis Stevenson was thrown into the recent League Cup tie, despite missing out on pre-season and while he made it through the whole match and extra time, his manager says he is still getting back up to match speed.

That job is still in front of Ryan Porteous, who has not played a first team game since suffering a knee injury in January but was on the bench at the weekend, and full-back Tom James, who is still rehabilitating.

“If everyone comes through healthy from the weekend, then it’s the international break and it’d be nice to think Ryan Porteous will get football under his belt. Going away with the [Scotland] under-21s is good. With Tom James, he will be a couple of weeks further down the line. But then it starts to look a little different.”

But he said the fact that Gray will again have to battle back to fitness is a disappointment for the club and the player who has been dogged by setbacks in the past couple of seasons.

“As soon as it happened, the physio said to make the change. So, straight away, you’re thinking: 'Oh no’. When I saw him walking off, I was hoping it was just the previous injury he had that had been aggravated. But, seeing him in the brace after the game and getting the scan results back; it’s not what we were hoping for. It’s a blow but just how it goes.

“He missed a lot of pre-season but he was thrown in because we needed him. We know he was medically fit but he missed pre-season so was getting all his fitness in first-team games which is not ideal for the team or for him. However, credit to him, he gave it a go and every day he was getting fitter and stronger. To get this now, and for him to be in a brace for six weeks, is a blow for him. He’s got to go through it all again.”

Getting players up to speed is a major factor in the team’s performances in recent weeks and Heckingbottom says that applies to new signings as well as the players emerging from the physio’s room.

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And the Hibs boss admits that it throws up a quandary when it comes to team selection for tomorrow’s trip to Fir Park.

New signing Melker Hallberg, is shy of match fitness and watched from the stand last week but his manager is mulling over his inclusion against Motherwell.

"It'll probably be more gradual. Through necessity we've already got a couple playing their way to fitness in the team. It'd be tough consciously throwing more in to do the same thing. He's settling in with his teammates and looking good so we're pleased with him. I want to get him involved and he's certainly a good enough footballer. When we do it and what the right time is, we'll wait and see."