Hibs close in on Ross deal
● Ex-sunderland boss set for top job at Easter Road ● Hearts thought to have also spoken to their former coach
Hibernian are close to appointing Jack Ross as their new head coach.
The Easter Road club have worked their way through notes of interest from well over 100 candidates since Paul Heckingbottom was dismissed in the wake of the 5-2 Betfred Cup semi-final defeat by Celtic at the end of last month
Ross has emerged as the preferred candidate. He is believed to have also been interviewed by Hearts, who are without a manager after Craig Levein was sacked on 31 October.
The former Alloa and St Mirren manager was dismissed by Sunderland on 8 October with the Wearside club sixth in League One after 11 games.
He took them to the playoff final at Wembley last season but Sunderland lost to Charlton and missed out on promotion to the English Championship.
Ross, 43, had been headhunted by Sunderland following the transformative impact he had when he took over at St Mirren.
Appointed in October 2016 with the Paisley club languishing in the Championship basement, Ross steadied the ship and guided them to safety.
In the following season he led them to promotion to the top flight, winning the title in some style. He was named PFA Scotland Manager of the Year for 2017–18.
With both Edinburgh clubs seeking a new manager, it is Hibs who have struck first. Intriguingly Ross had a spell on the coaching staff at Hearts when Robbie Neilson was in charge but left abruptly in October 2015. The Tynecastle club considered him as a replacement for Levein and are understood to have spoken to him this month. But it looks like the highly regarded Ross is now heading to Easter Road. Celtic assistant manager John Kennedy had been on Hibs’ radar to replace Heckingbottom but he has reportedly opted to remain with the Glasgow club.
A raft of names had been linked to the Hibernian role, including the likes of former Australian internationalist Harry Kewell.
The former Leeds and Liverpool attacker, who has coached at Watford, Crawley Town and Notts County, was spotted taking in Hibs’ most recent league game, away to St Johnstone, but it is understood that Kewell was not considered as a serious option.
This will be the fourth managerial appointment by Hibs chief executive Leeann Dempster, left, following Alan Stubbs, who delivered the Scottish Cup in 2016, Neil Lennon, who guided the club back into the top flight the following season, and Heckingbottom, who was sacked with the club languishing near the foot of the Premiership.
Coaches Eddie May and Grant Murray have been holding the fort on an interim basis and oversaw the 4-1 win in Perth, Hibs’ first in the league since the opening weekend of the season.
Hibernian are on the cusp of re-signing former Liverpool goalkeeper Adam Bogdan on a short-term deal.
The 32-year-old is currently a free agent so is able to join the capital club immediately.
He is expected to pen a contract until January, with Easter Road chiefs confident of snapping up the Hungary internationalist prior to their next Premiership fixture against Motherwell.
With youngster Kevin Dabrowski currently impressing on a season-long loan at Cowdenbeath, Chris Maxwell and Ofir Marciano are Hibs’ only two senior goalkeepers.
Bogdan’s stay could be extended in January if he impresses, particularly if Marciano pursues a move elsewhere after losing his place between the sticks.
The Israeli recently stated: “I have a contract for another year after this season but it’s impossible to know if I’ll leave.”
Bogdan spent last season on loan at Easter Road from Liverpool, making 21 appearances as he battled Marciano for the number one spot. The former Wigan, Crewe and Bolton man left Anfield permanently during the summer but has failed to find another club.
However, he was well-liked by his team-mates at Hibs and has remained in contact with several members of staff, paving the way for his impending return.
Meanwhile, Hibs winger Martin Boyle played the final 16 minutes of Australia’s World Cup 1-0 qualifying victory against Jordan in Amman.
Manager Graham Arnold had suggested he would use Boyle sparingly due to the fact that he has only recently returned from two serious knee injuries and the 26-yearold replaced Anwer Mabil on 74 minutes with the Socceroos ahead.
Striker Adam Taggart scored the only goal of the game on 13 minutes.