There's no panic at Hibs claims Ghanaian

The big defender has yet to taste victory in a green and white shirt and over the past four weeks has heard John Hughes' side booed from the pitch and listened to a torrent of abuse directed at his manager by fans angered at Hibs' stuttering start to the season.

Defeat at Celtic Park made it just one win in nine matches for Hibs, a meagre five points from six SPL games while the Edinburgh club have also exited the Europa League (prior to Dickoh's arrival) and the Co-operative Insurance League Cup at the first time of asking.

But for 27-year-old Dickoh there are no regrets, only an unshakeable belief that sooner rather than later Hibs will be back on the winning track, the trials and tribulations which have accompanied his first few weeks in the Capital consigned to the history books.

While he may not have liked some of what he has heard, Dickoh has no argument with those voicing their opinions even if he believes it's perhaps been a bit extreme at times.

He said: "People are passionate about their football, you just have to cope with it as it is part of the job description and you can't take it personally. Everyone wants the best for the club and to me people are allowed to express themselves so long as it's kept within reason.

"Fans of every club expect their team to win and when it doesn't happen that's a normal reaction. Everyone knows the potential within Hibs, within our players . They expect more, we expect more so I would appeal to them to stay behind us and cheer us on.

"I wouldn't say I'm glad to have experienced it, I would have liked things to go better but at the end of the day it's not going to kill me. It will make us all stronger, closer together."

And despite all sorts of rumours and speculation regarding dressing-room bust-ups, dismissed by the players themselves as nothing more than raised voices as individuals have expressed their opinions, Dickoh insisted a strong bond existed not only between Hughes' stars but between them and their manager.

He said: "We need some points, that is obvious and we all realise it. But for me the dressing-room has been fantastic. I tell you, if the fans were to come to watch our training they will see the dedication and application as we work to correct our mistakes.

"Hibs finished fourth last season and we have to get back to that position again. The season is long, we players have every confidence in each other and the gaffer that it will happen, definitely."

If Hughes has been feeling the heat, Dickoh insisted there's been absolutely no sign of his boss wilting. He said: "I think everyone feels pressure but the gaffer has been exactly the same, trying to get 100 per cent out of every player.

"He did that on the day I came in, he's still doing it and he'll continue to do it."

Although the journey along the M8 resulted in yet another setback, Dickoh insisted Hibs' performance at Celtic Park, where many believed it was simply a matter of "how many" for Neil Lennon's side, was indicative of the desire and determination within the Easter Road camp to turn their season around.

Despite going down to a Scott Brown goal after just five minutes and a second scored by Glenn Loovens almost immediately after the interval, a wonder strike from Derek Riordan ensured a nervous ending for the Glasgow side, their anxiety only eased by the final blast of referee Callum Murray's whistle.

Dickoh said: "We'd hoped to have come away with at least a point but suffered two lapses of concentration at the start of each half. The first goal was an easy one for them but we didn't crumble, we showed great morale and character. We did our best, we hung on, we passed the ball and at times frustrated Celtic."

Loovens' goal, the big defender stooping to meet Shaun Maloney's corner to send the ball over the line despite John Rankin's desperate attempt to clear it, however, proved too much for Hibs to overcome.

Admitting his culpability in that instance, Copenhagen-born Dickoh said: "Loovens came from nowhere. I was told afterwards he had been across speaking to his gaffer and then he came from the edge of the box, stole a yard and got his head to the ball.

"It didn't even hit the net so it was a soft goal. That's not how you defend and me as a defender has to learn from that. You cannot defend like that at a place like Celtic Park.

"Most people probably thought it was all over when they got their second but Derek produced that magical finish which kept us alive. Unfortunately we could not build on it but we tried our best and if you'd gone into our dressing-room you'd have seen every player with his lungs hanging outside his clothes."

Given the outcome of this match stretched Celtic's run to 14 straight SPL wins, the final result may not have reflected too badly on Hibs but, as far as Dickoh was concerned, the Hoops' record was irrelevant.

He said: "I don't care about what went before, I went with Hibs to try to win. Statistics are there to be re-written, unfortunately on this occasion we weren't able to do so.

"But I am sure things will turn, definitely. Every club has a run like this, it's not so long ago Celtic went to Utrecht and were beaten and before that they were defeated by Braga, they did not hit the Champions League or the Europa League.

"As I have said, it is a long season, everyone has to stay positive and try to work for each other. Everyone would have seen our dedication against Celtic, we tried to run every metre and against St Johnstone this weekend it will be the same story; we need to run non-stop, to fight, pass the ball and I am sure we will get the result we want."