Talent plotter
Ross reckons key is to make the most of top players – before they move on
JACK ROSS is not concerned Brexit rule changes over the signing of foreign players could turn clubs such as Hibs into Old Firm feeder teams.
Record Sport told on Friday how Scottish clubs’ ability to sign players from overseas could be restricted by the tightening of laws post-Brexit.
That in turn could see them lose even more of their top talent to bigger sides closer to home – with Hibs having seen their own “golden generation” move to Rangers and Celtic more than a decade ago.
Ross says it’s inevitable his best players will move on at some stage – but the key is making sure Hibs are successful in the time they have them.
The Easter Road side booked a third successive semi-final spot during the week by reaching the last four of the Betfred Cup.
And Ross said: “It is impossible to keep players forever. The idea is to keep them for a period where you can benefit from them.
“We’ve been doing a bit of work on how we move forward as a club and what we did was look at that golden generation.
“But what I wasn’t aware of until I looked back at the body of work was exactly how many games they had played before they all moved.
“Scott Brown and Steven Whittaker and guys like that, they all played 100-150 first-team games for Hibs so that period was beneficial.
“Hibs went from finishing seventh or eighth, to finishing third. The club also benefited f inanci al ly moving forward and maybe that was because, at that time, the players saw it as the best place for them to develop their career.
“I know things have changed a little but that remains the challenge for us, rather than becoming paranoid about making it entirely avoidable because it will happen at times.
“We want to be a club that is consistently where we are just now, we want to be achieving that season after season.
“Hopefully that will make us more attractive to our own young players or to other young Scottish players, like Kevin Nisbet and Kyle Magennis.
“The fact Kevin has already been talked about for Scotland squads and is up there as one of the top scorers in the Premiership, we see as vindication of that.”
Hibs can go second in the Premiership if they beat Dundee United this afternoon and Ross added: “They’re a humble group. But equally they should have a bit of swagger about them at times because of what they’re doing on a regular basis.”
Meanwhile, Magennis reckons settling for third spot isn’t good enough.
He said: “I know people are looking at third and fourth best but we’re capable of continuing to win games. If we keep doing that we can maybe nick second place – or first.”