I’ll make Dylan the real deal
“I’ve known him for a long time and I know the type of kid he is. He’s alright. If he needs a stick across the backside he’ll get one.”
It’s no so much a stick across his bum as a rocket up the jacksie that Stokes has given himself in the last week during Hibs’ sunshine winter training camp in Portugal.
By his own high standards, the striker feels he hasn’t done well enough in the first half of the season despite delivering a decent return of 11 goals.
Much more consistency is required in his overall game, according to Stokes. And with new boy Jamie Maclaren adding more competition
“It has been a mixed season. There have been games when I’ve played really well and didn’t score.
“And there have been others when I wasn’t happy with my performance but nicked a goal here and there.
“Hopefully I can improve that in the second half of the season and be more consistent.
“As a team we done well so far and have put ourselves in a good position but we can still do better. “There were plenty of times when, I wouldn’t say we dropped points, but we let games get away from us. “There’s plenty of examples – we were 2-1 up against Motherwell with 20 minutes left and ended up drawing. There were too many of those in the first half of the season.
“That’s something we’ll look to rectify in the second half, seeing out games better. Managing games better to hang on to the result.
“With our style of football we are not great at sitting back and soaking up pressure. We are better when we are on the front foot.
“At home we’re going to have the fans on our back because they want to see free-flowing football and chances every time we get the ball but that’s not the way it can always be.
“Sometimes you have to take the draw and accept it. It’s a good mentality to want to press on and try to win but that has to be done in a certain way. You have to manage it well and we need to do that better.” during last week’s winter training break in Portugal.
The playmaker could be a free agent in the summer and is allowed to negotiate with other clubs now but Lennon hopes he sees staying at Easter Road as the best option for his career development.
Over the last year the boss has seen the kid who came through the youth ranks under his watch at Celtic mature into one of the most assured homegrown talents in the SPFL.
But there’s so much more Lennon believes he could achieve if he sticks around to complete his education under the guidance of a guy who knows more than most about commanding a midfield.
Lennon said: “The contract is not in writing yet but is verbally there. The ball is firmly in Dylan’s court and he is taking a bit of time to think about things – I’ll be pushing him a little more as the weeks go on.
“He is an important player, he is having a fantastic season and we are seeing the best of him. This is his best season to date.
“You can see the maturity and quality he has. It’s something we will look to pursue quickly. It is high up on our list of priorities.
“It’s his prerogative to think things over and he hasn’t said no. We’ll speak to him and his representative as soon as possible.
“I believe Hibs is the best place for him. He is blossoming and we are seeing him mature into one of the best midfielders in the country. But we are in a dangerous position.
“We knew we would have this problem all along. He is in a position where he can go but he owes a bit to the club as well.
“He is realising the potential I saw in him as a kid. I would like more goals from him because he has that ability in his game.
“Aside from that his all-round game is superb – his fitness levels, reading of the game, passing, drive and robustness. We are now seeing the best of him.”
Lennon also admitted former St Mirren midfielder Stephen Mallan is on his list of potential targets.
The 21-year-old could be available on loan from Barnsley this month as he has struggled to force his way into the f irst team since joining last summer in a £200,000 deal.
Lennon said: “We are interested in a lot of players but there isn’t anything happening there so far. We like him, we liked him at St Mirren, and if there’s an availability it’s something we might look at.”