Aidan Smith: It's not easy being a Hibs fan but it's even harder being a Hibs manager

By Aidan Smith
Published 12th Dec 2021, 07:00 BST
Updated 12th Dec 2021, 14:00 BST
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Jack Ross walks away from another Hibs defeat and out of the jobJack Ross walks away from another Hibs defeat and out of the job
Jack Ross walks away from another Hibs defeat and out of the job
When was the last time a football manager steered his club to a cup final with a sensational performance against a team boasting resources many times greater … who was looking forward to his players walking out at the national stadium for the sixth time in little over a year … but who was then sacked just a fortnight after said sensational performance and with the showpiece mere days away?

Don’t tell me, this has happened in South America frequently, and in both Columbia and Bolivia only last week. And in Columbia there was an immediate political coup with the jettisoned boss being installed as the country’s president. Oh, and he also now hosts his own TV game show.

I jest, slightly, about the craziness of a continent where referees have been known to carry guns, but not about the plight of Jack Ross. Maybe the top political post in Britain will become available soon but Ross won’t be a candidate. Here, we’re still (fairly) rigorous about who we want in charge of government. Football, though, is a different kettle of piranha. I’m not sure I ever thought I’d be asking such a question, but at the Tony Macaroni Arena the other night and the morning after, did Scottish football go a little bit Bogota?

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In his one full season at Easter Road Ross took Hibs to third place and Europe, to the semi-finals of the League Cup and the final of the Scottish Cup. Not bad, eh? Then this term after a decent start they stuttered but that victory over Rangers at Hampden seemed to hold out the promise of more progress, a good battle with Hearts for the best-of-the-rest spot and, who knows, maybe some silverware.

Martin Boyle, celebrating his cup semi-final Hampden hat trick, returns to the Hibs team to face Rangers again after suspensionMartin Boyle, celebrating his cup semi-final Hampden hat trick, returns to the Hibs team to face Rangers again after suspension
Martin Boyle, celebrating his cup semi-final Hampden hat trick, returns to the Hibs team to face Rangers again after suspension

Instead it brought just one win from four and suddenly Ross was a goner. How? Why? The decision has baffled many in the meeja who liked him. Who the hell do Hibs think they are and when will this sense of entitlement of theirs cease?