WE WILL SURVIVE

Hanlon confident Hibs can still prosper even if McGinn joins Easter Road’s summer exodus

AS Paul Hanlon prepares to mark ten years in the Hibs first team, one of the most important lessons he has learned is that no player at Easter Road is irreplaceable.

That goes for John McGinn (pictured), a target for Derby County and Celtic, and departed loan stars Brandon Barker and Scott Allan.

And the same applies to Dylan McGeouch, who continues to weigh up his future following talks with Sunderland.

With 345 appearances under his belt since making his debut in a Scottish Cup tie against Inverness in January 2008, Hanlon has played alongside the likes of Steven Fletcher, Derek Riordan, Garry O’Connor and Ian Murray.

All have excelled and then departed, and he is adamant that, regardless of what this latest transfer merry-go-round brings, Hibs will be stronger in the forthcoming campaign.

‘That is just part and parcel of being at a club like Hibs,’ said 28-year-old Hanlon. ‘You’re not the top team in the league, so when you have assets in the squad, people are going to be looking at them. It shows the success we’ve had in the past few years.

‘People are coming to watch the games. It’s happened at Hibs many times. We sell players or they run down their contracts.

‘However, we are a big club and have a good recruitment set-up ready, watching players all over the world.

‘They are ready to fill the gaps that are needing filled. For the last few years, there’s been the same core of players who have stuck around for a while now. ‘There have been a few added in here and there. We will adjust as we need to. ‘I’m sure the squad will get even stronger between now and the first game of the season.’ While team-mates will come and go, the departure of head coach Neil Lennon would have been a devastating blow. Hanlon is adamant the players had no choice but to take the fiery Northern Irishman at his word when he suggested he would consider his position in the aftermath of a meek defeat against Hearts in the penultimate Premiership fixture of last season.

That Lennon will still be in the dugout next term is both a relief and a guarantee that standards will not be allowed to slip.

‘He came out publicly and said it, so you had to take it quite seriously,’ recalled Hanlon.

‘There’s a part of you worried the manager might move on because we all have a good relationship with him and we are all playing for him.

‘So we were all delighted when he came out and said he was staying and was committed for this season.

‘It’s about keeping standards high and building on what we did last season. With the manager we have in place, he won’t let us slip.’

Hanlon was speaking ahead of his testimonial match on July 8 against Blackburn Rovers, managed by former Easter Road boss Tony Mowbray.

As well as being a fitting honour for the die-hard Hibee, it will also be crucial preparation for the team’s Europa League first leg at home against NSI Runavik of the Faroe Islands four days later.

‘We’ve managed to get into Europe, so, now, we want to make the most of it’ said Hanlon.

‘One of the scouts who went over and watched them sent me a text with brief bits about Runavik. The video team will be putting clips together for us to watch.

‘The club worked quickly to ensure we got people over to see them and it just shows you the work that goes on and how in-depth they are in terms of preparation.

‘It’s what you need to do. You can’t leave anything to chance.

‘We’ve got to try our best to get through as many rounds as possible and see where it takes us.

‘It would be massive financially for the club to get through to the group phase.

‘It’s going to be tough but that is what we played for all last season.’