Squad are playing for their careers, warns Hibs boss
Hibs manager Shaun Maloney last night warned his players they were playing not just for the club but also for their careers.
The former Scotland internationalist was left exasperated after watching his team slump from a 1-0 lead in the Edinburgh derby to a 3-1 defeat.
It sealed their fate in terms of consigning them to the bottom six. And, with a derby renewal next up in the Scottish Cup semi-finals on Saturday, he says they have no time to feel sorry for themselves.
“Hearts were very good but we can’t allow a setplay goal in the second half after a couple of minutes to completely alter how we play and the momentum of the team,” he said.
“We concede a set play, that can always happen, but we can’t allow that.
“At times in the first half we were very good and it completely changed our performance in terms of how we competed. That cannot happen.
“The performance in the second half I can’t accept and I won’t.”
“We can’t accept that, we can’t think that is going to be good enough to make the top four, to challenge for Europe.
“I understand we have some young players but they have to learn very quickly that it matters – to them, to the club and to their careers.”
“In every team you have to compete and it’s in those biggest moments when you go 2-1 down at your rivals that you have to still compete.
“Today we showed we didn’t. We have to change that very quickly and we have an opportunity on Saturday.
“What I saw today is the reason why we are in seventh.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do between now and next week and then more next season to make sure we don’t perform like we did in the second half.”
Hearts match winner Andy Halliday, meanwhile, confirmed the stick he had taken from the Hibs support had helped inspire him.
“I’ve played in plenty of derbies. I’ve won some and lost some but I just enjoy the occasions,” he said.
“A bit of sing-song when you are one-goal down with a lot of time to go can sometimes drive you on to impose yourself on the game and I managed to get a couple of goals.
“We will enjoy this moment for the next 48 hours as third place is secured as well with European football for us again.
“But listen, I don’t think Hibs were in great form when they beat Rangers in the League Cup semi earlier this season.
“So it’s important we regain our focus before we meet again in the semi-final and stick to what we are good at.”