Source: Team_Talk
Calderwood warns of tough times
Hibernian boss Colin Calderwood has confessed his side require a big improvement if they are to achieve their season targets.[LNB] The Easter Road side begin their Scottish Premier League campaign on Sunday with a home fixture against Celtic and the former Nottingham Forrest manager is expecting a difficult start.[LNB]Calderwood has lost more than a dozen players from his squad and only signed Garry O'Connor, Ivan Sproule and Sean O'Hanlon.[LNB]O'Connor has the burden of leading the line on his own with Akpo Sodje out for about a month with a knee injury.[LNB]Calderwood had hoped to bringing in Cillian Sheridan on loan from CSKA Sofia following a trial period but the former Celtic forward joined St Johnstone instead.[LNB]Calderwood is hoping to push through a deal to sign former Forest forward Junior Agogo but the 32-year-old has a slight knock and the deal is yet to be completed.[LNB]And the Hibs boss expects some tough times in the early part of the season until he can bring in reinforcements.[LNB]Calderwood said: "The aim for the season is European qualification via either the league or the cups.[LNB]"We'll need a real big improvement for that though.[LNB]"I can't see us starting the season in the type of form that will take us to that level.[LNB]"What I see is scope in the unit to improve - we'll certainly have to ride out one or two storms through the first half of the season.[LNB]"Going into the first game we're not perfect and are a wee bit under-strength but hopefully we can grow as a team.[LNB]"We have to deal in the fact we've got a tough opening game and then travel to Inverness which is a difficult place to go.[LNB]"Saying that we hope to take points early on and register a win in our opening three matches."[LNB]Following a disappointing spell towards the end of last season, Hibs fans opted to vote with their feet and attendances dropped considerably at home fixtures.[LNB]Calderwood is aware that his side are under pressure to produce positive results and that a poor beginning could lead to more speculation regarding his future.[LNB]He has been linked with the assistant manager's posts at Nottingham Forrest and Birmingham but insists he sees his future in Edinburgh.[LNB]The 46-year-old said: "The effect of a bad start to the season can change people's minds and jobs - although if you look back a bad start hardly hampered Kilmarnock did it?[LNB]"I am delighted to be at Hibernian, the speculation has dragged on all summer but my focus has been on pre-season and now it's on the opening game.[LNB]"I hope the fans realise that when I go to work my concentration is firmly on the task in hand."[LNB]"We have a good opening fixture and after all of the things that seem slightly negative it's almost perfect.[LNB]"It's one that the fans can look forward and will get along and support the team."[LNB]
