Ross is looking at big picture
HIBS BOSS KEEN TO BE EUROPEAN REGULARS
FC SANTA COLOMA of andorra would never be mistaken for some of the heavyweights Hibernian have jousted with since becoming the first British entrants into european competition in 1955.
This game matters hugely, however, to the 4,700 souls in attendance tomorrow — most of whom have been absent from easter Road for 16 months — and to a manager who has never before worked in the european environment.
In Jack Ross’ eyes, such occasions also have to become the norm. It’s been three years since the club embarked on a european adventure and 14 years since they enjoyed the experience in successive seasons.
The fact that the club’s name has only been in the hat in nyon sporadically in the intervening years speaks to its inconsistency.
‘This club has had small bursts of success, but to do it season after season is a big driver for me,’ Ross explained.
‘We want to shift the whole mindset of the club so we can look to deliver that every season.
‘It’s not easy in this league, but it’s something I want to be involved in and it is a big motivation factor for me to be that person who delivers that success at Hibs.’
The high turnover of managers in Leith has not helped matters. Ross is the 14th permanent occupant of the hot seat already this century, his 21 months in the post almost putting him in line for a long-service award.
He got the only recognition that interested him yesterday, however, with a two-year contract extension taking him through until 2024.
Whisper it, but a club that’s known little but tumult and change for so long may just have some long-term stability.
‘When the chairman (Ron gordon) spoke to me about extending my contract it was relatively straight forward,’ Ross explained.
‘I spoke last season about how happy I was in the job and how much I still want to achieve. I never take this job for granted.
‘I think the deal gives me an element of comfort having that backing of the club and owner.
‘Ron mentioned that we speak all the time about taking the club forward and being more successful.
‘They see me as a big part of that, but I need to be successful in the short-term to prove I am the right person.
‘I enjoyed last season with the exception of one or two occasions.
‘I want to keep enjoying my work and that’s a big part of it.’
The fringe benefit of the mutual trust that exists between manager and boardroom is that rarest of commodities in the game — scope for longterm planning.
‘stability isn’t that exciting sometimes,’ Ross smiled. ‘In the world, everyone wants to change everything at the first opportunity.
‘That can be the manager or the players. We haven’t changed a lot going into this season, but is that a bad thing when we had a good season? ‘We need to keep improving, but hopefully that stability in the management feeds through to the players and they believe it’s a good place to develop.’ With a settled squad and a manager that’s going nowhere fast, why shouldn’t Hibs back themselves to better their achievements of last season? Making it to the group stages of the inaugural europa Conference League would be one way to achieve that. Barring an unforeseen disaster, better sides should lie in wait in the two subsequent qualifying rounds but few would be seen an insurmountable obstacles. ‘There is the obvious incentive for us from a financial point of view and what that means to the club and how we strengthen all aspects of it,’ said Ross. ‘But also the perception of this football club. It is a club that has a long and brilliant history and is rightly recognised as a big club and we have always got to back that up with what we do on the pitch.
‘The next challenge is for us to do that in european football. That isn’t easy — it is probably becoming more and more challenging and you can see that at international level as well — but there is no reason why clubs in scotland shouldn’t be aiming for prolonged stays in european football.’
While still a long way short of capacity, the healthy number of supporters that will click through the turnstiles tomorrow should offer additional insurance against a monumental upset.
‘Undoubtedly, it helps us to have fans back in the ground, as evidenced in the arsenal game,’ added Ross.
‘I know that was only a pre-season friendly, but I think the way that game went, we played well and we got ourselves ahead and dug in against a really good team.
‘The fact we will get more of them on Thursday night is good. We know that all the people who should be rewarded by getting inside the stadium aren’t yet.’