Source: Team_Talk
Hibs boss wants value for money
Hibernian manager John Hughes has demanded his players prove they deserve their wages as they resume the pursuit of third place in the SPL.[LNB] Hughes' side stayed in touch with the Old Firm during the first half of the season but have since fallen off the pace, drifting five points behind Dundee United in the race to finish best of the rest following Wednesday's 4-2 loss to Peter Houston's side.[LNB]Hibs have won just two out of their last 11 matches across all competitions, in a period that saw them crash out of the Scottish Cup quarter-finals at the hands of Irn-Bru First Division team Ross County.[LNB]With Sunday's match against Celtic the first of two before the split, Hughes, whose side shocked the Hoops with a last-gasp 2-1 victory at Parkhead in January, has challenged his team to get back to winning ways to make sure they claim third and clinch a Europa League berth.[LNB]He said: "Let's not forget the good times we had earlier on in the season and that's the standards that we've set, let's see if we can get back to that.[LNB]"If they are big enough to sit in that first-team dressing room and pick up their wages, they are big enough to go on that park and pick up the goods, but most importantly to play to a standard that we demand at this club.[LNB]"That's what we'll be asking them to do from now until the end of the season.[LNB]"We've not been too far away, I believe there is a wee bit of luck in it, I felt against Dundee United the other night that if we had taken one or two chances it would have been a whole different game.[LNB]"We always want to get third or fourth in the league or we're always trying to get to the latter stages of cup competitions, and if you don't do it you're disappointed."[LNB]Since Hibernian's last encounter with Celtic, the Glasgow club have had a managerial reshuffle, with Neil Lennon recently being installed as interim manager following Tony Mowbray's sacking.[LNB]Hughes is looking forward to pitting his wits against the Northern Irishman.[LNB]He said: "It's a guy I've great respect for, a guy that I've got to know over the years.[LNB]"Tony Mowbray is another guy I had great respect for but I just concentrate on Hibs. I've got my work cut out getting Hibs back on the rails."
