How trip to Hibs supporters club brought Lee Johnson and players out of post-Motherwell funk

Hibs manager Lee Johnson has revealed how a dreaded trip to a supporters club’s awards night brought him out of a bad mood after last weekend’s 3-1 home defeat by Motherwell.

Reflecting on last weekend’s loss as he previewed Sunday’s trip to Tannadice to face Dundee United, Johnson reiterated his belief that he and his players had let down the fans with their performance against the resurgent Steelmen.

“We had the fans’ Player of the Year awards at Sunnyside on Sunday and you’re thinking, ‘I could do without this’. But you get there and you realise they’re the proper supporters, they’re fully behind the lads and fully behind me, and it turned from something that I had gone into thinking, ‘this will be tough’, to coming out really encouraged and buoyed by the fact that when the dust is settled, the supporters love the lads, the staff, and what we’re trying to do. They can see it. But unfortunately, we let everyone down last weekend.”

Johnson’s family remains in Bristol; a scenario which means it’s sometimes hard to focus on anything other than football, especially after a poor result or performance. But he insists he is confident things are heading in the right direction.

Hibs manager Lee Johnson was brought out of his post-Motherwell funk by a trip to Sunnyside

“You’re all in, from 7 in the morning until 11 at night, whether you’re looking at data, the opposition, watching training back, trying to find ways to improve players,” he continued. “It can become super intense and when a game is a damp squib in terms of our performance, it’s disappointing, it bloomin’ hurts. You want to do well, you want the club to do well. It’s not about me, it’s about giving all I have to add value to the football club.

“When that falls short you take responsibility, as all managers do, but it’s difficult. It’s tough for the players because they don’t want to go out and perform poorly, particularly at home, and it’s difficult for the fans.

“But I really believe in what we’re doing and that’s why it’s such a great club, and why I never lose an ounce of enthusiasm. The frustrating thing is taking two steps forward and one step back, just when you think you’ve cracked it. People tell me this a lot about Hibs – and it slaps you in the face!”