Johnson insists he’s on board with hiring director of football

LEE JOHNSON is adamant he is backing Hibernian’s search for a director of football, claiming he has no ‘ ego’ to be bruised by the move and is not throwing his ‘ toys out of the pram’ at the prospect of the new appointment.

The Easter Road outfit this week announced their decision to recruit someone to the fresh role after confessing to making mistakes in recent times.

Whilst owner Ron Gordon and son Ian, as head of recruitment, have come in for criticism, Johnson is fully aware as manager he will attract much of the blame for the disappointments of the current campaign.

“I just want the club to improve,” said Johnson, who revealed the number of people approaching him over the role was already into double figures. “Genuinely. I don’t have an ego. Of course, I am vicious in my opinion because I have a lot of football experience, and a lot of contacts and football nous.

“I am open and honest and the communication lines here are strong and they have been since I walked in the door. That’s the way it should be. Ian, Ben, Ron and myself, that quartet, is massive. We don’t pull any punches when we talk to each other. But at the same time I think there’s a mutual respect and strong relationships within that group.

“No- one is using this to bash me on the head. We have had these discussions, and everything has been discussed, and obviously it all comes down to the candidate now.

“But I am certainly not throwing my toys out the pram or saying this is the wrong thing to do because this club requires more and more football nous throughout the organisation and the business.

“It will free me up to do more on the coaching side. That’s a fundamental part of it, to make sure that the laser focus can be on the things that matter most.”