Hibs news: Shaun Maloney 'has already met prospective signings' as he works on shaping 2022/23 squad

Shaun Maloney has confirmed that he has the final word on any prospective Hibs signings but feels the different departments working on recruitment at the club are vital to ensure the right players are brought in.
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The emergence of Ian Gordon as Head of Recruitment coupled with the acquisition of some players who had been identified prior to his appointment as manager in December last year led some supporters to seek clarification on how transfer windows would operate.

The club has already started working on summer recruitment but Maloney has explained how the process works at HTC.

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"I’ve got the final say on any player that comes into the first-team squad, and that will always be the case,” he said.

Shaun Maloney has already started shaping his Hibs squad for next seasonShaun Maloney has already started shaping his Hibs squad for next season
Shaun Maloney has already started shaping his Hibs squad for next season

“With every football club there are many departments involved when it comes to trying to sign players. We have to try to get as much information as we can.

"Every player who we sign, we have to have as much information on them as possible so that we minimise the chances of the signing not working out.

“We’ve got Ian heading up player recruitment and the CEO Ben Kensell who will then go and do the transfer, so there are several departments involved but when it comes to that final decision, it’s me, and it has to be a player who I want for the team and who I know will make the side better."

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The gradual easing of the Covid-19 pandemic means it is easier for Maloney to meet with targets to ascertain if they are the right for Hibs.

“I always try to meet the player. That's happened recently for next season,” he continued.

“I have to find out what he's like as a character and whether he fits the values of this club which were in place many, many years before I arrived. If I don't feel the player has those values, then I don't sign them, but I have to get face-to-face with the player to work that out.

"It's difficult. Sometimes it's been on Zoom, and that's not really what I want but now hopefully we are able to meet face to face.”

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Maloney has already identified areas for improvement within his squad with a number six and reinforcements in the attacking third top of his list. Supplementing his squad with quality additions, particularly up top, can help Hibs be a ‘very, very good team’, according to the Easter Road manager.

"Certainly we can strengthen in the forward areas. There are lots of things we do well – getting into the opposition box and the final third a lot but it’s during those moments that we need to be better and that’s where we need to recruit,” he explained at an event for Hibs season ticket holders.

"We need to do as much as we can in terms of coaching but we need speed, and we need individuals who have that explosive pace so that when they go one-v-one with another player they can really hurt them.

"That’s what we're trying to recruit in the summer because I don't want to have however many passes and however much possession in a game and not have as many shots and chances.

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"When we get that right then we're going to be a very, very good team.”

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