‘ Hibs can’t keep sacking managers’: Nisbet pleads for Johnson leniency
Striker insists his boss needs time to find feet as pressure rises
KEVIN NISBET has said that Hibernian ‘ can’t keep sacking managers’ as the Scotland striker made it clear that embattled boss Lee Johnson had not lost the dressing room. Johnson’s immediate future has been the subject of intense interest since Monday’s 3- 0 humbling at the hands of Edinburgh rivals Hearts.
That defeat was the team’s ninth in 11 Premiership outings and the concerning run of form was clearly the source of Johnson’s forthright post- match comments at Tynecastle.
Johnson said he was ‘ sick to death of the mediocrity’, while he also directed some of his ire at the board over their failure to tie sought after defender Ryan Porteous down on a new contract years ago.
It appears – for the time being at least – that the former Sunderland and Bristol City manager, the club’s fifth manager since January 2019, will be given time to make amends in the dugout as Hibs prepare for tomorrow’s clash at Motherwell.
“This is a squad that has a lot of players that have been brought in by previous managers and it is getting to a point now where you can’t keep sacking managers,” said Nisbet.
“We need to give someone a right good shot. The players are behind the gaffer and if the board are also behind the gaffer then I think he can turn us into a really good team.”
Nisbet would be well within his rights to be aggrieved by some of Johnson’s post- match remarks on Monday, particularly since part of the criticism was directed at the side’s toothless attacking play.
In mitigation, Nisbet is still working his way back to match sharpness after 10 months without competitive football due to a ruptured ACL.
“If you are a footballer then you need to know how to take it,” said Nisbet. “If you’re not playing well then you get criticised and it is down to each individual how they deal with what is said and how they take that. We need to take it in a positive way and go out and get three points on Sunday.”
Nisbet, however, refuses to use his lengthy convalescence as a reason
he is yet to be firing on all cylinders.
In fact, the 25- yearold welcomes the fact that supporters are expecting him to hit the ground running.
Nisbet, who has scored two goals in four games since returning to action last month, said: “It is just about scoring goals. As a striker you just need to go and put the ball in the back of the net. That eases everyone so that puts a lot of pressure on me but I am happy to take it. It’s just because I was scoring goals before my injury so they relied on me a lot and now that I’m back, the expectation has come back.
“I have dealt with that my whole career and still scored goals so I’ve no issues with that.
“It will take time to get back to the player I was but I also think I came back better than people expected.
“Personally, I think I thrive on a wee bit of pressure. I think I perform better when I have that on my back and we have a lot of pressure on us just now so hopefully that means I can put a few away on Sunday.”
When it comes to the manager himself, Johnson – who arrived in the summer – remains steadfast in his commitment to what he describes as the ‘ project’ at Easter Road.
The 41- year- old also claims to enjoy the challenge of dealing with the pressure of trying to orchestrate
an upturn in the team’s fortunes.
“I think it brings the best out of you,” said Johnson.
“All those skills you learn over the years now come to the forefront building up to what is a really important run of games.
“I love it, it’s in the blood and makes you feel alive, good times and bad times.
“Getting through the bad times, you come out stronger.
“You hope you get the time, because if you do get the time - if you look through history any manager who has had the time has ended up being successful because it’s the consistency of decision making and that’s what becomes really important.
“At times it can become untenable and I
understand that. I honestly believe in the project, if I didn’t I wouldn’t be here.
“I would have walked out. The reason I’m so passionate and the reason my post match was so front foot is because I believe in it and what we can do as a football club.” Johnson’s January clear- out has got under way, meanwhile, with the departure of Momodou Bojang, whose loan move from Gambian side Rainbow was cut short after seven first- team appearances. Motherwell, too, have ended Louis Moult’s second spell at Fir Park but manager Steven Hammell remains hopeful of adding to his squad before tomorrow’s visit of Hibs. Moult has been troubled by an ankle injury and only made one start after returning to the club on a season- long loan from Burton. Motherwell say the injury “may require further work” so they have exercised a clause to terminate the deal. “Louis is a legend at Motherwell and we are gutted it didn’t quite work out the way we had all hoped,” Hammell said.
We need to give someone a right good shot. The players are behind the gaffer