Michael Weir: Why Hibs boss Jack Ross should be a contender for Manager of the Year

Clinching third place and reaching the Scottish Cup final is a great achievement for Jack Ross in his first full season as Hibs manager.
Hibs manager Jack Ross encourages his players during the 1-0 win over Aberdeen (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)Hibs manager Jack Ross encourages his players during the 1-0 win over Aberdeen (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)
Hibs manager Jack Ross encourages his players during the 1-0 win over Aberdeen (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)

If he can go on to win the cup then it will be a top season the likes of which Hibs haven't had for many years.

When it came to the Manager of the Year awards they were always going to look at Steven Gerrard who has done an outstanding job at Rangers with the pressures on him, but Jack has done a great job. Particularly when you consider what he walked into when he first took charge of the club. He's built his own side, slowly but surely, and I'm sure he'd want to improve on it, but I don't think any other manager could have done any better.

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If you had said to Hibs supporters at the start of season that you would be in the Scottish Cup final and finish third, then they would have been delighted with that. There have been bumps in the road, but he's done the job he was brought in to do. He's achieved a lot more than other Hibs managers have achieved in a certain amount of time.

I think he's growing into the job now and starting to realise the expectations of Hibs and I think he's enjoiying it. He knows what's needed now and I think over the next year or so he can make the club even better. He's taken a few tough results, but he's always found a solution, and now after winning at Hampden and Pittodrie in the same week, he's hopefully found the solution to winning big games. This week's results certainly answered a few questions about Hibs and big games, but they've got a bigger game coming up now in the Scottish Cup final.

I was always confident we would beat Dundee United if we turned up – and we did. It was all about how they handled the occasion and they did that. Then Wednesday night at Aberdeen was another big game that they've dealt with that so they are certainly on the road to good success, and regular success.

In terms of other managers this season, there are only one or two that have achieved as much as Jack Ross so he deserves great credit. He has had his critics at times, but that's just the nature of the game. When you're manager of Hibs it's a travesty whenever you lose at home, which Hibs have done a few times this season, but he’s managed to come through it. There's been a few bad ones but it's what you achieve at the end of the season that matters and we've found form at the right time. Nothing is achieved at Christmas. You win things on the run-in and we've had good run-in to get us into a cup final and into Europe.

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In terms of recognition he's sneaked under radar a bit because he just goes about his business quietly and effectively. He's brought the club to a level they should be at and you can't ask any more of Jack Ross. Going forward the club is in a position to kick on and hopefully he'll be the man to do that.

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