Tony's time to reflect but not regret

In fact, it is debatable whether their casual jog around the pitch actually did justice to the word "training".

Manager Tony Mowbray followed them through the stadium's front door shortly after, carrying some documents and flanked by his chairman, Rod Petrie.

Both, undoubtedly, had at some point over the course of the previous 12 hours pondered the consequences, both monetary and in terms of prestige, of their UEFA Cup elimination suffered the night before in Dnipropetrovsk.

An insight into the mood within the Hibs dressing-room as they approach tomorrow's meeting with Inverness Caledonian Thistle was provided by Mowbray with the admission that the atmosphere was "a little bit quiet".

Hardly unexpected after a 5-1 defeat to a Dnipro side which will, in all probability, not still be present in the UEFA Cup come the latter stages of the quarter and semi-finals.

So it is a time to re-focus for all down in Leith as domestic matters once more take precedence.

"It is, after all, progress on home soil that will ultimately ordain whether there are to be further Continental sojourns for Mowbray and his players in 12 months' time.

After such a hefty defeat - most would concur that 5-1 was an unfair reflection of Hibs endeavours but, nonetheless, the damage to morale would be considerable - it was inspiring in a sense to hear Mowbray remain in jovial mood the day after what was the horrible and distressing night before.

"The heads are wet at the moment after running round the pitch," laughed the Englishman.

"I'm sure come Sunday we can lift ourselves and get the right result.

"I know that the players will be anxious to get a victory for the club and after that the majority of them can take a breather with the international break coming up.

"That will be a time for us to take stock and then push on when we return.

"The players wouldn't want excuses about fatigue but, for professional athletes, it is still demanding to try to peak every three or four days as we have been asked to with seven games in the last 21 days.

"Sunday is a difficult game for us because I see Inverness as a tough nut to crack.

"I think a lot of teams find that. They are well organised and

determined and Craig Brewster gives them that little bit of craft up front when they need it.

"He is right up there in the SPL goalscoring charts so far this season so it's not a bad mix they have.

"We have found it tough against them in the past. We lost 3-0 up there last season so that tells you how capable they are."

Although Mowbray spent the four-hour return flight from Ukraine scribbling on his tactics sheet in an attempt at a head start on preparations for the visit of Inverness, it will be impossible for either him or any of his players to completely blank out the events of Thursday night.

Positives there were plenty from a Hibs point of view, like the authoritative driving of their offensive players at their Ukrainian counterparts almost throughout the match.

Passing was generally sound, attitude never an issue.

The central negative and contrasting aspect to all of this was the ultimate scoreline and the at-times naive defending which contributed heavily to it.

"As a staff we will reflect on it," said Mowbray.

"The focus is Inverness, but individually they will reflect on the different style and knowledge that they encountered in the Dnipro players.

"To give you an example, their No.28 [Nazarenko, right] drifted in and around the main striker, sometimes he would drift left into Steven Whittaker's area.

"We have to learn when to mark touch-tight and when to sit ten yards off a player and condense the space he is trying to play the ball into. Top players only need a yard of space and I'm sure my players will learn their lesson. It is a big curve for them.

"The result was still harsh on the team but I take a number of positives from the game.

"The fact we did create chances, the fact we had plenty of comfortable possession and got into good areas.

"You don't need the best players to win cup competitions, as I think Liverpool proved by winning the Champions League. Dnipro are a good, all-round unit."

Mowbray has already questioned himself over whether his tactical instructions and team selections were sound in Ukraine.

However, given the chance all over again, he would alter nothing and utilise precisely the same group of players in precisely the same manner.

"We did score a goal and at one all we were actually in the lead in terms of the overall tie," he pointed out.

"If it had stayed at one all for any length of time it might have been interesting.

But, having lost five you do find yourself questioning whether you got the tactics correct.

"It is such a fine line in European competition.

"On the plane coming back we were already thinking about Sunday and how we might freshen it up.

"I might manage teams in Europe for the next 20 years or I might never get to that level again. Were we right to be brave and go about getting a goal the way we did?

"I think so. It's losing in the manner that we did which disappoints me."

It seems he knows only one way to play, that evidently being to attack your opponents in the kind of style which made Kevin Keegan's time as Newcastle manager such an exciting one.

Mowbray, however, is conscious of the need for controlled passion from his players where Keegan was perhaps a touch naive.

Tomorrow against Inverness provides another outlet for that tempered vehemence.

Hibs will set about the task of ensuring that they are granted an opportunity to re-display their swagger with a return to European competition next year.