Chris Sutton
CELTIC LEGEND WRITESEXCLUSIVELYFORYOU EVERY IT has taken five torturous years for Hibs fans.
But this could be the day when the balance of power in Edinburgh starts snaking down from Tynecastle, along Princes Street and all the way to Easter Road.
Hibs could be back in the big time by this evening.
Over at Hearts, meanwhile, they look as though they are going in one direction and it’s not the correct one.
It’s been an eye-opening season for both clubs and, where there was a gap as wide as the city not so long ago, it’s being closed at a rapid rate.
And you have to say much of it could be down to the respective managerial appointments.
Hibs have been the poor relations for a while now.
Hearts were already the club doing better on the pitch, if not off it with shambolic leadership, before the 2012 Scottish Cup Final.
But that 5-1 hammering dished out by the Jambos at Hampden almost five years ago followed up by Hibs’ awful relegation from the top flight under Terry Butcher two years later put the green and white half of the city under the cosh.
It’s been that way ever since. Even though Hibs enjoyed one of the greatest days in their history when lifting the Scottish Cup 11 months ago to end their jinx in the competition, they were still stuck in the Championship after failing to win promotion under Alan Stubbs.
But when you look at what’s been going on at Tynecastle since the appointment of Ian Cathro, you can only say there has been regression.
Now let’s get one thing absolutely clear before I continue.
I thought the targeting of Cathro by critics when he was appointed was bang out of order and I still believe he deserves time to implement his ideas.
What would help him is to stop dishing out Warb-isms every time he steps into a press conference. Pulling bizarre statements out of someone’s old Magic Hat doesn’t help in these trying times.
Jambos owner Ann Budge has come out this week and fired cannons at everyone for criticising the management set-up of Cathro and Craig Levein.
She says Cathro picks the team and that director of football Levein has a wide-ranging role.
I actually thought she made a lot of sensible and valid points.
But I’m sorry, the whole affair of Levein having Jon Daly doing doggies up and down the stand at Aberdeen passing notes to Cathro and then going into the dressing room at half-time just doesn’t sit right with me.
Maybe that’s the way they do things. If so, no problem. That’s their business.
But what is every fan’s business is results and six wins in 20 games prior to last night’s encounter at Rugby Park isn’t good enough.
Budge will offer time, as she should do.
But if Hearts continue to win about one in every three, it won’t wash with a support who already have suspicions Cathro’s a bad plan put in place by Levein and will demand improvement.
What will also speed up their process of angst will be seeing Hibs go in the other direction.
Neil Lennon might have his detractors and he might lose the plot now and again but he’s done exactly what was required of him when he took over from Stubbs last summer.
Failing to go up from the Championship at the third time of asking was simply not an option but he’s sorted that.
Promotion should be clinched today and Hibs are also producing a marvellous defence of their Scottish Cup by reaching a semi-final against Aberdeen next week.
Hibs look good right now. Looking at their squad, they could well be a top-six team next season.
Lennon’s big question to himself will be: How far can I go with this club?
He did well at Celtic before falling foul of a bad situation at Bolton. He’s restoring his reputation at Easter Road but the fans can sense they are resurgent, they can see Hearts starting to falter and they can sense top-dog status is close.
Lennon will also smell it and Hibs can do it but the board are going to have to back their boss properly in the summer.
It’s been tough financially being out of the top division for so long, I know that.
However, they need to satisfy the demands of a manager who wants the very best and won’t settle for kicking around the bottom six of the Premiership.
If they do give him cash and Lennon keeps going progressing Hibs while Hearts continue to wrestle with issues, the crossover in power might be edging closer.
And it could be a whole lot closer by 4.50pm tonight.
Tynecastle fans have suspicions Cathro is a bad plan put in place by Levein