Exclusive: Hibs WILL get better as new players gel - fans promised quick improvement

Hibs players applaud the remaining fans at the end of Sunday's disappointing defeat. | SNS Group

Hibs have the quality to show dramatic improvement as their new signings get up to speed with the Scottish Premiership and start gelling with team-mates, according to experienced all-rounder Chris Cadden. And the versatile wide man believes it’s only a matter of time before the fresh talent available to rookie boss David Gray begins to shine through.

Cadden, pleased to see twin brother Nicky, Kieron Bowie, Junior Hoilett and Mykola Kuharevich all sign on at Easter Road in the space of a week, is returning to full match fitness after getting a solid 30 minutes under his belt in Sunday’s 2-0 home loss to Celtic. The former Motherwell man accepts that Hibs will be up against it – again – when they take on the champions at Celtic Park in their Premier Sports Cup last-16 tie this weekend.

But the 27-year-old says a horrible start to the league campaign, with the Celtic defeat following a 3-0 away loss to St Mirren on the opening weekend, is not an accurate indicator of what will happen – and what MUST happen – next.

“Of course it has to get better,” said Cadden. “But we know it is going to get better. We know the quality we have in that changing room, especially with the new signings who have come in – we know the talent they’ve added to the group.

“For example, once we get Nicky and big Kieron, Myko and Junior all ready to start, that level of quality has to make a difference. It just adds to what we have.

“Once we gel together and work with each other a bit more, we are going to get better. It has to happen.

“Listen, it’s been a tough start to the season. We know that. But we’ve got the belief and the characters in the changing room to know that it can get better – and it will.

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“Kieron showed a bit against Celtic how good he can be. Considering he’s not played a lot of minutes, he did very, very well. He’s big, strong, great on the ball – and he’ll be looking to take his chance here. He was impressive.

“As I say, there are good players in there. Too good not to improve on what we’ve shown so far.”

Turning his attention to this weekend’s challenge, Cadden pointed to the obvious improvement needed by a Hibs side who conceded after two minutes and 45 seconds at home on Sunday, saying: “Celtic away will be tough. Conceding within three minutes makes it even tougher. So we need to start by avoiding that!

“The gaffer knows that; we know it as players. However tough it is, anything can happen in a one-off cup game.”