Ex-Hibs and Nottingham Forest boss leaves Premier League role, former Hearts ace verdict on facing club

Hearts and Hibs return to action on Sunday as the relentless Premiership calendar continues.

We’re edging out of the festive calendar and just shy of a full week of rest is on the horizon for each club. Beforehand, Hearts will take on Dundee United at Tannadice and Hibs host Rangers at Easter Road in the early kick-off.

Coming into the game, the Jambos beat Motherwell 1-0 and Hibs took a point away at St Johnstone with a 1-1 draw. The January transfer window is also ongoing in one of the busiest months in the calendar.

Here are some of the latest headlines with Hearts and Hibs flavourings.

Ex-Hibs boss on the move

Colin Calderwood has left his role as a coach at Southampton. The former Scotland international started his managerial career at Northampton Town before taking up post at Nottingham Forest. He guided the club to promotion to the Championship out of League One but was sacked in 2008 after Nottingham Forest won just four games by Christmas. He came to Hibs in 2010 but was sacked having won just 12 of his 49 games in charge. Calderwood was most recently a coach with Southampton, who he joined in 2023, but Russell Martin’s exit as head coach and the arrival of new backroom staff for fresh gaffer Ivan Juric has sparked the ex-Hibs boss’ departure.

A statement reads: “Southampton Football Club is pleased to confirm the appointments of Matteo Paro and Stjepan Ostojić to the coaching staff of Men’s First Team Manager Ivan Jurić.

“Paro, who becomes First Team Assistant Coach, and Ostojić, who takes on the role of First Team Fitness Coach, have both had their work permits approved and have now begun work with the squad at Staplewood Campus. Former Juventus midfielder Paro, 41, has worked as Jurić’s assistant for a number of years, with the Italian national having followed him across his spells with Genoa, Hellas Verona, Torino and Roma. Croatia-born Ostojić, 49, who was a midfielder in his homeland as a player, has been alongside Jurić throughout his managerial career.

“The club welcomes both of them to Southampton, while it would also like to express its thanks to Matt Gill, Rhys Owen and Colin Calderwood, who have all now departed the coaching staff. We wish each of them well in their future endeavours.”

Nicholson on Jambos

Motherwell playmaker Sam Nicholson has opened up on facing his ex-side at Tynecastle. The former Hearts star featured in the second half as the Jambos beat the Steelmen 1-0 on Thursday. He said: “I'd done it last season. But, yeah, it's weird in the sense I grew up through the youth system and played here. I play for Motherwell now, so when I come here for Motherwell, I'm going to win. It's a tough place to go, regardless of their form or where they are on the table. It's still a tough place to go and they're still a good team at the end of the day."