Hibs boss tips Ian Murray for bright future

HIBS boss John Hughes today insisted Ian Murray can become an even better player.

The Easter Road club revealed yesterday that Murray has signed a new two-year deal at Easter Road.

The versatile Hibs player's contract was due to expire at the end of this season but he has agreed to stay with the club until 2012 at least and Hughes said: "I am absolutely over the moon that Ian and the club have agreed a new deal. I think it shows that Hibs are going in the right direction.

"Ian is everything that you could want from a professional footballer.

"He has got a fantastic attitude and wants to win at everything that he does.

"And I think that I can make him an even better player. He is at an age where he wants to learn and be involved in everything that is going on.

"He also wants to get involved in the coaching side of things and I think that it's fantastic he's interested in that side of the game. He's certainly got the right attitude to be a success as a coach or manager."

Meanwhile, Murray admitted anything less than third spot would be a huge disappointment for the Easter Road side this season. Hibs – who finished last season in sixth – currently sit five points behind second-placed Celtic, but have a game in hand over the Parkhead side and Murray said: "To go from sixth last season to third would be fantastic and if we don't finish in the European spots now it would be an absolute disappointment for us, there's no question of that.

"It seems that every time we lose a game or draw a game people start panicking about third place. But we are five points behind Celtic with a game in hand, which is a fantastic achievement and hopefully we can hang on to them."