‘Big club, big mentality’ - how Monty has changed Hibs mindset

Veterans impressed by demand for mentality monsters

Hibs have instituted a “big club” mentality under Nick Montgomery – and the new gaffer has already won over senior players by demanding higher standards across the board.

Montgomery, who led Central Coast Mariners to last season’s A-League title despite having the smallest budget in Australia’s elite division, has wasted no time in changing the way things are done at East Mains.

From inviting in a motivational speaker to rouse the troops, to challenging his players to show a more aggressive and assured attitude, his whirlwind start has impressed veteran squad members.

Long-serving left back Lewis Stevenson, the only player in Hibs history to count both a Scottish Cup and League Cup winners’ medal in his collection, admitted that the entire mindset of the group needed to change following the departure of Lee Johnson.

Speaking ahead of this weekend’s trip to Tynecastle for a derby that will test Montgomery’s men to the full, Stevenson said: “I don’t want to give too much away, some things we need to keep in-house!

“But he wants us to act like a big club. Things that might not seem big.

“There were attitude and mentality shifts that did need changed - and he spotted that early doors and put it right.

“It’s raising standards. If we want to be a big club we need to act like a big club. It’s little things that go a long way.”