Hibernian sack head coach Paul Heckingbottom
Written by News on 05/11/2019
Hibernian have confirmed they have sacked head coach Paul Heckingbottom after nine months in charge of the Scottish Premiership club.
Heckingbottom guided Hibs to a fifth-place finish in the Scottish Premiership last year, but this term failed to win a game since the opening day of the season against St Mirren, with the club currently sitting 10th in the table.
His exit comes after Hibs were knocked out of the Scottish League Cup by Celtic following a 5-2 defeat at Hampden Park on Saturday.
The 42-year-old, formerly in charge of Barnsley and Leeds, was appointed as manager in February and signed a three-and-a-half-year deal at Easter Road, taking him through to June 2022.
He succeeded Neil Lennon, who left the club by mutual consent and went on to win Celtic’s third successive domestic treble after returning to Parkhead in February.
Heckingbottom’s assistant Robbie Stockdale has also left Easter Road – while Eddie May, following his brief spell as caretaker following Lennon’s dismissal, will take charge of first-team affairs until further notice alongside Grant Murray and Steven Whittaker.
Both of the Edinburgh clubs in the Premiership are now without a manager as last week city rivals, Hearts sacked boss Craig Levein after he also recorded one win in the Premiership this season, with the club languishing in 11th position.
Hibs face St Johnstone away on Saturday as they look to end a spell of five consecutive league draws.
Moyes rules himself out
David Moyes has confirmed he is not interested in either the Hibernian or the Hearts vacancy.
“No, neither job would be of any interest to me,” he said.
“I wouldn’t say I wouldn’t move back to Scotland. Scotland is my love and Glasgow is where I’m from. Hopefully, someday I may well come back, but at the moment it’s not just now.”
Former Hibernian managers John Hughes and Alan Stubbs have both publicly expressed their interest in returning to the role.
Former Sunderland, St Mirren and Alloa Athletic manager Jack Ross is also understood to be interested in a swift return to management – and Sky Sports News has learnt he would be a popular appointment within the Hibs dressing room
New Hibernian owner Ron Gordon and chief executive Leeann Dempster are expected to address the media later this week.
Who next for Hibernian?
So, Moyes has already ruled himself out of a return to Scotland to manage Hibs, but who else could be in the running for the top job at Easter Road?
Jack Ross
Jack Ross has been out of work since leaving Sunderland at the start of last month. He lost out in the play-off final at the end of last season to Charlton Athletic.
Ross, who previously held a coaching role at city rivals Hearts, led St Mirren to the Scottish Championship title back in 2018 so knows the Scottish game well.
Sky Sports News understands that Ross would be a popular choice within the Hibernian dressing room and among the support.
Ross previously played at Falkirk under Hibernian head of football operations George Craig and he also managed midfielder Steven Mallen at St Mirren.
John Hughes
Former Hibernian captain and manager John Hughes would be interested in a return to the Easter Road dugout.
The self-confessed Hibs fan has been out of work since leaving Raith Rovers back in 2017 and would be a popular choice among the Hibernian fans.
He managed Hibs between 2009 and 2010 and took them to a fourth-place finish in what was the SPL at the time.
He went on to have spells at Livingston and Hartlepool before guiding Inverness Caledonian Thistle to glory in the 2015 Scottish Cup Final for the first time ever.
Alan Stubbs
Alan Stubbs won the Scottish Cup for the first time in 114 years with Hibernian back in 2016 in a 3-2 victory over Rangers. However the week after the game, he stood down opting for a move back to England with Rotherham. He only lasted five months due to a string of bad results.
Stubbs was most recently in charge of Scottish Premiership side St Mirren, replacing Jack Ross after his move to Sunderland. But he was only in the job for three months.
Stubbs is keen on a return to Easter Road, chief executive Leeann Dempster appointed him in 2014 and they have a good working relationship.
Sky Bet odds: Next Hibernian manager?
- Jack Ross – 1/2
- Gordon Strachan – 7/1
- Alan Stubbs – 8/1
- Jim Magilton – 8/1
- John Doolan – 12/1
- Dean Holden – 14/1
- Gary Holt – 14/1
- Sergio Porrini – 14/1
- Steve Robinson – 14/1
- John Kennedy – 16/1
- David Unsworth – 18/1
- Own Coyle – 18/1
- Chris Coleman – 20/1
- Eddie May – 20/1
- Henrik Larsson – 20/1
- John Hughes – 20/1
(c) Sky Sports 2019: Hibernian sack head coach Paul Heckingbottom
