BUDDIES BRACED FORTHE UNKNOWN
GRAY TAKES CHARGE OF MANAGERLESS VISITORS Robinson left to second guess after Maloney’s Hibs axe
Stephen Robinson admits he is in the dark over what Hibs side his Buddies will face tomorrow afternoon in the Scottish Premiership.
The Easter Road team enter the postsplit fixtures without a manager, having sacked Shaun Maloney after only four months in the job.
David Gray is in interim charge of the Leith men until the end of the season, but Robinson believes the length of Maloney’s tenure is enough to put aspiring managers off.
He told Express Sport: “We don’t know what to expect now. I had watched a changed team in the last three games before he lost the job.
“There are two wins between losing your job and being a great manager in this league. Football has just gone that way – you don’t get time.
“If you don’t win in five or six games, the narrative becomes ‘change the manager’.
“If you are a young manager, then there is not a lot of longevity in this job. I know the risks, but I know a lot of good coaches who do not want to become a manager.
“I think there will be a lot of people lost due to the current trends in football. There is no patience.
“Everyone wants instant success, the fans demand instant success.
“Society does not have a lot of patience with anything any more.
“I have the utmost sympathy for Shaun and hopefully he will be back in the game again.”
Robinson is due to have the likes of midfielder pair Greg Kiltie and Ryan Flynn back for the Hibs game at a good time because Alex Gogic misses out against his parent club.
But a big blow for the former Motherwell gaffer is the news that Charles Dunne’s season is over with a foot injury.
That blow is somewhat softened by the return of Scott Tanser.
The full-back last featured in the Scottish Cup defeat against Hearts and Robinson is glad to have balance back on the left-hand side of his defence after having to play the versatile Richard Tait in that position.
The Buddies gaffer added: “Tanser will be back again. That’s great news because it gives us balance.
“Gogic can’t be involved because it’s his parent club and Dunney is a blow for us.
“But it’s up to others to step up. “The balance is massive.
“We don’t have a big enough squad – we only have one injury and we only have 17 players available.
“It’s hard to move things around, so having that balance is massive. Taity has played there a few times. He has a terrific attitude and is a terrific boy.
“He doesn’t complain and gets on with it.
“But the natural balance Scott gives us and the ability he has on the ball we lose an impact of crosses into the box when he’s not in the team.
“So it’s really important in how we want to play and the amount of ball we want to deliver into the opposition box.”