Under-fire Hibs boss Paul Heckingbottom adamant ‘it will improve’ after Fir Park flop

Paul Heckingbottom insists he is equipped to fix the problems that need addressed within his “underperforming” Hibs team after he came under fire from the travelling fans at Fir Park.
Paul Heckingbottom said Hibs were dominated in one v one situations.Paul Heckingbottom said Hibs were dominated in one v one situations.
Paul Heckingbottom said Hibs were dominated in one v one situations.

A section of supporters could be heard calling for the manager’s head after his team fell two goals behind in a demoralising 3-0 defeat to Motherwell. Those who remained until the end vented their anger towards the players and manager at full-time.

"I shook hands with the staff and everything so I didn't hear it,” said Heckingbottom. “You are going to get stick because you are in charge, of course you are, that's the nature of the job, that's what you get paid to take. You don't get carried away when they are chanting your name and you don't get carried away when you're getting booed. It's obvious for me what we need to change and how we need to do it - get back to work.”

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Asked what went wrong for his side at Fir Park, Heckingbottom said: “One v one situations went wrong for us. A pretty team got dominated in one v ones at key moments. It happened in our box and their box.

“We didn’t have enough shots for the situations we got in. When we did, it didn’t go our way. They were better than us in the final third.

“We were dominated at set plays, they won too many headers from corners—one led to a penalty. They were dominant in wide areas and that cost us. You’ve all heard the saying that hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. We worked hard but we were too easy to play against.

“Most of the players were here last year when we weren’t getting beaten. Some are under-performing. We have enough time now to stress that on the players but it can’t just be for the next game. It will improve, without a doubt.

“It will be reflected in the teams I pick, it will be reflected in the business we do in the next windows. You might play pretty stuff and have a half-decent season but we want better than that.”