Paul insists it’s no problem receiving a helping hand with Hibs’ signing targets

PAUL HECKINGBOTTOM has revealed that he has no desire to exert full control over player recruitment at Hibs. Speaking on the eve of his first match in charge of the club, the Yorkshireman (left) admitted the demands of being head coach at Easter Road will give him limited scope to identify and pursue the players he believes are capable of improving his team. Instead, he will happily delegate much of the groundwork to Graeme Mathie, the club’s head of player recruitment and identification, and head of football operations, George Craig.

The issue of transfers was a bone of contention in the lead-up to Neil Lennon’s fractious departure last month.

The failure to adequately replace the core midfield trio of John McGinn, Dylan McGeouch and Scott Allan was of particular frustration to Lennon, especially as a sevenfigure sum was blanked through McGinn’s sale to Aston Villa.

Heckingbottom must wait until the summer transfer window to introduce some new blood of his own.

Heading into the summer, he will hand a list of suggestions and requirements to Mathie and Craig — and let them to do the rest.

‘Not many managers now will have 100-percent control over recruitment,’ he said.

‘You need to guide it and have a direction but with the detail and everything that goes into recruitment these days, you can’t be doing it. Clubs have many staff working full-time to provide names for you.

‘It’s about getting involved at the start of the process to guide them.’

Inevitably, Hibs chief executive Leeann Dempster will also have a hands-on role when it comes to completing deals for new players.

It was she who suspended Lennon in the wake of a heated team meeting that precipitated his departure by ‘mutual consent’.

She has said little on the matter publicly and will not be going into the detail of what actually happened that Friday afternoon at Hibs’ East Mains training complex.

However, Dempster strongly refutes the charge that she is a meddler, saying: ‘I think I’ve had a good relationship with everybody that I’ve worked with.

‘Recently, I’ve been categorised, or potentially painted, an interferer. I understand why folk might think or say that, but I’d deny it. I don’t think it’s true.

‘When you move from one head coach to another, it can be difficult.

‘Have I enjoyed the last couple of weeks? Not desperately. I’m sure other people have not enjoyed the last couple of weeks either.

‘You take decisions in life as they come towards you and you have to live with those decisions.’

There is, plainly, some regret within Dempster (right) over the way Lennon’s departure was handled.

‘Unfortunately, we don’t live our life in rewind. We have to go with what happens at that particular time,’ she continued.

‘Sometimes you can reflect and see you might have wanted to approach it in a different way or you might have

been happy to do it again but that’s just life.

‘Neil had two very successful seasons here. He was great for us and we were good for him.

‘I really like Neil as a person. I enjoyed his time here. I think he enjoyed his time here.

‘When a head coach transitions out, under any circumstances, it’s never an easy time.

‘I understand why supporters want to know every single element of what goes on but sometimes in life you just can’t do that, unfortunately. We have moved on now and we have a new head coach in Paul.’ Heckingbottom, who has previously managed hometown club Barnsley and Leeds, insists he is more than comfortable with the structure at his new club. ‘I knew what I was coming into and what they wanted,’ he said. ‘In football, people say a hell of a lot of things to look good but can’t back it up. Here, though, was an acknowledgment and realism of where Hibs are and a clear plan to get to where we want to be.

‘There were no silly ideas, there was a synergy — even the very top clubs need that.’

Heckingbottom recognises that the club’s model means he could also end up in position where his best players are sold.

‘The club has sold some good players — I’ve been in a position where that’s happened to me in every window and it’s difficult — but it’s not impossible.

‘If results go through the roof and we’re overachieving next January, I might be sitting worrying about who’s getting sold.

‘I’d rather be in that position, though.’

Heckingbottom started his career as a youth player at Manchester United and counts the club’s renowned youth coach Eric Harrison, who died earlier in the week, as a major influence.

‘I wanted to be a youth coach and Eric and Pop Robson were the reason for that,’ he added. ‘I did not see out my career at United.

‘Sir Alex Ferguson told me I wouldn’t be staying, but it was still a really positive thing for me.’