Source: Team_Talk
Rank Hibs 'nowhere near good enough'
John Rankin admits the enormity of Hibernian's plight is hitting home as they continue to seek their first point under Colin Calderwood.[LNB] Calderwood takes charge of his fourth Hibernian match when he his team travel to Ibrox on Wednesday night to face SPL leaders Rangers.[LNB]Hibs were full of hope the last time they visited Govan, on Valentine's Day, retaining an ambition of splitting the Old Firm as they sought to close the gap on Tony Mowbray's Celtic to four points.[LNB]But a 3-0 defeat prompted a spectacular fall from grace which shows no signs of abating.[LNB]Hibs have won just five matches in a 32-game run stretching back to February.[LNB]The anticipated upturn from the impact of a new manager failed to materialise after Calderwood replaced John Hughes, with the former Scotland defender tasting defeat against Aberdeen, Dundee United and Hearts.[LNB]Hibs sit 11th in the SPL, level on points with bottom club St Mirren, and Rankin knows they have a huge fight on their hands.[LNB]"Eight points from 11 games is nowhere near good enough," the midfielder said. "We have won two games and one of them was the first game of the season, so we have only won one in 10. It's not good enough, especially for a club of this size.[LNB]"A year ago it looked as if we were unbeatable. I remember we scored early doors against Rangers at home and we were passing the ball about and the fans were shouting 'Ole'.[LNB]"It just shows you how quickly things have turned around.[LNB]"We have got to step up to the plate and take the bull by the horns. It's the same players."[LNB]Rankin was at a loss to explain their limp display on Sunday after a goal in each half handed Hearts a 2-0 victory in Calderwood's Easter Road debut.[LNB]Calderwood will have to turn their form around well before next summer but he will have ample opportunity to change his squad then when 16 players are out of contract.[LNB]"We were looking forward to the derby and were desperate to get out there," former Inverness player Rankin said.[LNB]"We just didn't perform on the day.[LNB]"We are coming to terms with what's at stake - we have livelihoods to protect. We are second bottom of the league on goal difference.[LNB]"We need to show character and not shy away from it and start to express ourselves in a good way.[LNB]"There are 16 of the boys whose livelihoods are at stake.[LNB]"We need to show some fight. People said there wasn't enough fight in the derby. We need to show that first and foremost, be difficult to beat and dig in."
