Exclusive:SWPL title winners Hibs in 'unwritten bond' claim as Edinburgh side ditch 'underdog' tag to confront rivals
New season kicks off with Aberdeen at Meadowbank this afternoon
SWPL title-winning Hibs boss Grant Scott believes the unique bond created by last season’s stunning league triumph will stand his squad in good stead as they launch a daunting defence of the crown. And he’s welcomed the extra pressure that comes with being champions.
Hibs upset all the odds to win the league in the best traditions of the modern SWPL, running out winners at Ibrox on the final day to hold off the twin challenges of Rangers and Glasgow City as the race went right to the last blow of the referee’s whistle. Having retained most of the squad for the new campaign, Scott understands that it’s not just as simple as demanding the same again.
There to be shot at and expected to carry themselves with a certain extra swagger, Hibs can no longer revel in their underdog status. As they embrace the honour of competing in the Champions League, any notion of Scott’s team being rank outsiders simply won’t wash.
But the experienced manager believes the positives more than outweigh any fresh challenges presented by this promotion to the ranks of favourites, explaining: “From my past experience, being involved in teams when you win trophies, you have that unwritten and unspoken bond – and you will have that forever. Because you were part of something special together.
“That doesn’t mean everything will be perfect. You can’t have harmony every single day. But you’ve achieved something quite fantastic.
“The players deserve to be proud of themselves, proud of each other. They did something special – and they did it side by side.
“There’s no doubt there will be a different dynamic now. We’re not the underdogs any more and, yes, we will be targets.
Defending title a ‘bigger challenge’
“So it’s a different mentality. We need to work on presenting ourselves in a slightly different way, because we have a different status in the game now. That’s a different level of pressure.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way. And the players will all feel the same.
“We’re delighted to be champions. We love being champions. And we probably don’t need to change too much about ourselves.
“Defending the title is almost a bigger challenge. Because everyone else is going to be different again. And we will be a bit different.
“But the challenge is to be consistent, just as we were last year. And don’t get wrapped up in what everyone else is doing.
“Now, that’s the easiest thing in the world to say. It’s much harder not to be distracted by what other teams are doing. But we were good at that last year – and want to be the same again.”
Hibs travelled to Jacksonville, Florida, for a pre-season camp that didn’t go exactly to plan, with adverse weather forcing the postponement – and then cancellation – of a friendly. In brutal conditions, though, the players were able to build fitness.
Scott, who takes his team to Cyprus on Champions League duty later this month, admitted that everyone involved is just itching for the proper competitive football to start. Which it does for Hibs at home to Aberdeen at ten past four this afternoon.
“The first little break seems to go quickly, then you start getting players back in pre-season, and if feels like weeks and weeks of training,” said Scott. “You just want the games to start, to be honest.
“We were privileged to get away to Florida and do the work we had. Obviously working in that sort of heat made it more taxing than it would have been back home, so that was a help – especially looking ahead to the Champions League in Cyprus.
“For us, no matter where you go, it’s great to have everyone together for such an intensive period of time. You get maximum time with everyone, all having breakfast, lunch and dinner together, spending time with the team in the evening.
“Although we haven’t had a lot of changes in the squad, and most of the group has stayed together, it helps everyone to get to know each other better. You need that in a team environment.”