Neil Lennon thinks that as Hibs approach the last stretch of the season, the next five Premiership games won’t define them.
Nick Montgomery, the manager, is under pressure after his team placed last. The club board of directors declared the bottom six finish to be “unacceptable” in a statement last week, but they play St Johnstone this weekend.
In partnership with Black Knight Football Club, a thorough evaluation of the football program will take place now that Bill Foley’s investment is drawing closer. Montgomery and I had conversations in which we both acknowledged that the outcomes had been underwhelming and that they needed to do better.
Next up this weekend is a trip to Ross County, then at home games against Aberdeen and Motherwell before a season-ending match at Livingston. Lennon, the Hibs manager from 2016 to 2019, believes that the last five games have little bearing on planning for the upcoming campaign because financial investments haven’t produced the expected results.
“They had to say something,” he said to PLZ. Despite their considerable investment in the squad, they have failed to meet the basic requirement of being in the top six, for whatever reason. Looking at it, I reasoned that they might give Nick a little more time, possibly even into the upcoming season.
“To tell you the truth, I don’t think the remaining performances or outcomes will matter. They will have no bearing whatsoever on the upcoming season. They weren’t consistent enough, in my opinion, and they had plenty of chances to place in the top six.
“Remember that Wednesday was another game for Dundee. With one game left, Dundee secured a spot in the top six. When you look at Kilmarnock, St. Mirren, and Dundee, do you think the Hibs team is superior on paper? You would like to believe that they did not perform up to par.
