Ross relishing chance to fulfil owner’s wish

Photograph by Sandy McCook

Hibernian head coach Jack Ross insists he shares owner Ron Gordon’s ambitions of being in the top four in every competition as he prepares for their Scottish Cup quarter-final against Inverness.

Ross has the chance to fulfil Gordon’s demand at the first time of asking when the Edinburgh outfit welcomes the Championship promotion hopefuls to Easter Road tonight.

US-based Gordon unveiled his plans for the club on Wednesday and Ross believes he is right to aim high.

“When I came into the job, people asked about my ambitions for the club. I said that we viewed the two domestic competitions as a chance to win silverware. That should always be the case for us,” said Ross.

“In any cup competition, you always need elements of fortune with regards to the draw and these oneoff games, but we should always believe we have a chance of winning the competition and progress to the latter stages. And the club has done that consistently over the last decade.

“This game represents another opportunity to do that and I don’t think there’s anything wrong in believing that should be the aim for us at the start of every season.”

Gordon announced his five-year plan at his first annual general meeting, stating he hoped to double the player budget by 2023.

“I had heard Ron’s presentation prior to last night,” said Ross. “It was part of the attraction of coming to the club in the first place because I had a feel for what he wanted to achieve at the club.

“I don’t view my position as one that’s simply about being able to spend lots of money.

“It’s about being part of a club that progresses and becomes better.

“Naturally, if we find ourselves in a position that we are able to recruit even higher quality players in one or two positions then there’s an obvious benefit to do that, but you have to use the resources in the right way as well.”