Liam Miller: Hibs in good shape for Maribor

The Easter Road outfit learned late last night they'll be travelling to meet Slovenia's most successful football team next Thursday after they secured their place in the third qualifying round of the Europa League with a 2-0 win over Hungarian side Videoton.

After securing a 1-1 away draw last week, Maribor, eight-time winners of their domestic league although they finished runners-up last season, completed the job in their own Stadion Ljudski with 23-year-old striker Dalibor Volas, on loan from NK Nafta Lendava, scoring both goals.

Hibs boss John Hughes will get a comprehensive run-down on the threat facing his side from his assistant Brian Rice who left the club's training camp in Holland to travel to Slovenia, the intention being he'll remain there to take in Maribor's second league match of the season, away to Rudar Velenje on Sunday having won their opening game against Triglav 5-0 last weekend with Vito Plut scoring a hat-trick.

Today, though Miller and his team-mates were preparing for Hibs' final match in the Netherlands, against Eredivisie side Vitesse Arnhem having enjoyed mixed results so far, losing 3-0 to Heracles, winning 1-0 against NEC Nijmegen and then going down 2-1 to Ado Den Haag.

But Miller insisted preparations for Europe were on schedule, the Republic of Ireland midfielder saying: "As much as you'd like to win every game I don't think that's important at this stage.

"It's all about preparing for the Europa League matches and the forthcoming SPL season and to that end the manager has been trying different ideas, using players in different positions with different formations and tactics.

"We've had three really tough games against sides from the top League in Holland with another to come tomorrow. You have to give these teams credit for the way they pass the ball and make you work to get it back so even with the results it's been enjoyable learning from them.

"I'm not making excuses, but in addition to that there's been a heavy workload every day with double training sessions. But I feel we are most definitely getting there, speaking personally I feel I'm getting sharper with every game. I think we'll all benefit and we'll most definitely be ready for next Thursday."

Having experienced both Champions League and UEFA Cup football with Celtic and then Manchester United, Miller insisted he'd had no preference as to which of last night's teams went through. And he reminded fans that the sketchy knowledge they have of Maribor will be expanded over the next few days.

"Brian will be able to fill us all in on what to expect, who their danger players are and I'd imagine we'll be doing a fair bit of video analysis on top of that so we'll most definitely be in good shape for them."