Hibernian

Were you at Easter Road or following the match from home? Either way, we want your views on the game – have your say here, external.

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Hibernian head coach David Gray: "It was difficult to watch at times for certain reasons. We start poorly again and lose a really poor goal again.

"As a result we looked nervy and fragile. But credit for getting back in the game just before half time. It was an important goal at an important time.

"We came out second half in a much better frame of mind and we were on the front foot and dominating the game.

"It is a new back four that's playing together. We need to be critical of ourselves to make sure we're doing everything we can. But we also need to understand why the decisions are being made. Because it's poor decisions or positional play.

"So we need to find the answers to these as quickly as possible. The way to do that is by reflecting, going over the game and sitting down with individuals and collectively to work on it every single day. That's clearly the area we need to improve."

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Thomas Duncan, BBC Sport Scotland

This already felt like a significant game for Hibs’ rookie head coach Gray, after a thumping 3-0 defeat by St Mirren was backed up by league and cup losses to Celtic.

The latter two games were a free hit, but a home game against a perceived smaller club is a game fans expect more.

But Hibs simply will not achieve what they want if they keep making defensive errors, which has been a theme for at least three seasons.

Jordan Obita’s horrible clearance and then a missed challenge from Nicky Cadden made it easy for Lyall Cameron and Scott Tiffoney to work the opening goal.

Then Warren O'Hora appeared to be unaware of Murray's presence for the Dundee equaliser. There were other moments where they looked shaky, too, and the struggling defensive unit was not helped by a sluggish midfield.

On the bright side, Martin Boyle grabbed a much-needed goal for his confidence and Bowie, 21, looks like he will make a big contribution when up to full speed.

But it already feels like Gray's tenure will be defined by sorting out his team's defending and making some late signings in midfield.

Hibs give a debut to on-loan Celtic midfielder Kwon Hyeok-kyu against Dundee as one of three changes from last week's League Cup defeat.

Nicky Cadden also makes his first start and Rudi Molotnikov comes back into the XI.

Rocky Bushiri, Josh Campbell, and Nathan Moriah-Welsh drop to the bench.

• Follow the action live

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Kanayo Megwa says signing a new deal at Hibs was a "no-brainer".

The defender put pen to paper on a four-year deal that keeps him at Easter Road until 2028.

"I'm really happy," the 20-year-old told HibsTV, external.

"We've been talking about it for a while so I'm just happy to finally get it over the line.

"The manager spoke to me and told me how much he trusts me and what I can do for the future so it was a no-brainer for me.

"Because he's been with me for a while he trusts me and he knows what I can do."

Aberdeen have agreed a loan deal with Millwall to sign former Hibernian striker Kevin Nisbet. (Daily Record)

Kevin Nisbet was also wanted by Hibs, who he left for £2m last year, but has opted against a return to Easter Road. (Scottish Sun)

Click here to read Saturday's Scottish football gossip in full.

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Hibernian could hand a debut to on-loan Celtic midfielder Kwon Hyeok-kyu but Elie Youan, Junior Hoilett and Jake-Doyle Hayes are all still working their way back to full fitness.

Dundee trio Charlie Reilly, Josh Mulligan and Clark Robertson are close to a return from injury but unlikely to be involved this weekend. Captain Joe Shaughnessy (knee) remains sidelined, but Seb Palmer-Houlden and Billy Koumetio have both recovered from knocks suffered against Airdrie last weekend.

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Nathan Moriah-Welsh believes there is "no need for alarm bells" despite Hibernian's winless start to the league season.

David Gray's side have lost four of their last five matches in all competitions, including a League Cup group-stage game against League 1 Kelty Hearts.

But the midfielder stressed it's too early in the season for anyone with a Hibs persuasion to be concerned and instead calls for "calmness".

"It’s only been two weeks so far into the (league) season so there are no alarms going off," said the 22-year-old. "There is no need to panic at all, we’re all calm.

"It’s not just the gaffer, it’s all the lads, we’re like, ‘keep calm’. It’s two weeks into the season, there is no reason for alarm bells."

The Guyana international also thinks Hibs are improving and if costly errors can be cut out, results too will take a swing in the right direction.

"We’re still learning about each other," he added. "It’s been a good start, not results-wise, but as a collective it’s been good. If we can cut out the mistakes we’ll be in a much better place,

"It’s going to be important to get points on the board and get the season going, the last three games have been unfortunate but it’s in the past and we need to look forwards."

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Hibs defender Kanayo Megwa has signed a new contract with the club, keeping him at Easter Road until the summer of 2028.

Megwa, 20, made his first-team debut in 2023 and has spent time out on loan at Airdrieonians and Kelty Hearts.

"I’m really pleased that Kanayo has committed his future to the club," head coach David Gray said.

"He has quietly gone about his business in the last few years and he fully deserves and has earned a new deal.

"Having worked with him for a few years now, I know he has a great attitude, and a real desire to get better every day. He is a great athlete who enjoys defending and is improving every day.

"He has shown he is capable of making that step up into the first team and he needs to keep working hard to keep improving and push for that starting spot."

Hibs and Kilmarnock are the only teams yet to get off the mark in the league and the mood at Easter Road remains bleak after three underwhelming seasons and last weekend's League Cup exit.

David Gray is Hibs' second appointment since Lee Johnson was sacked after losing his first three league games last term and while the former captain is in no such danger he could really do with a win to lift confidence.

The good news is Hibs have only lost one of their last 15 top-flight meetings with Dundee (W8 D6). The bad news is Gray was in interim charge for that defeat in May 2022 - and the Dark Blues are currently in fine fettle - unbeaten in seven so far this term, with six wins.

"I can't keep on picking the same players that make the same mistakes all the time," said an exasperated Gray after the League Cup loss at Celtic, so it will be interesting to see what changes are made.

The Hibs boss was a ferocious competitor as a player and is trying to rid his team of a long-held reputation for being soft touches.

Gray will also be keeping a close eye on Dundee skipper Luke McCowan, reportedly the subject of several offers from the Edinburgh club.

Read the rest of this weekend's Premiership picks.

Hibs are hoping to arrange a second loan for Bournemouth defender Owen Bevan, who had signed up in January only for a recurring injury to force the Wales Under-21 centre-half to return to the Premier League club. (Edinburgh Evening News, external)

Read the rest of Friday's Scottish gossip.

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• Hibernian have only lost one of their last 15 top-flight meetings with Dundee (W8 D6), a 1-3 defeat in May 2022 when current boss David Gray was in caretaker charge.

• Dundee’s last away top-flight win at Hibernian came in October 2001 under Ivano Bonetti (2-1), with the Dee winless in 14 such trips since (D6 L8).

• Hibernian have lost their opening two league games this season and could be the first team to lose their opening three Scottish Premiership games in back-to-back campaigns since upcoming opponents Dundee did so in 2017-18 and 2018-19, and were relegated in that second season.

• Dundee have taken four points from their two league games this season but the Dee haven’t taken five or more points from their opening three matches of a Scottish Premiership campaign since 2003-04 (6 – W2 L1).

• Luke McCowan has scored in three straight Scottish Premiership appearances for the first time with his two goals this season coming from the penalty spot; since the beginning of last season only James Tavernier (12/16) has taken and scored more penalties in the competition than the Scotsman (5/6).

• All 12 Premiership sides provided a total of 15,101 minutes to Scottish players aged under 21 in the 2023-24 season.

• Those minutes average out to just 1,258 per club, which is the equivalent of only 14 full 90-minute matches.

• Six teams failed to reach a total above 700 minutes.

• Celtic and Rangers were the worst offenders in the division, with Celtic managing just 89 minutes all in, while Rangers' total was even lower at only 26.

A lack of first-team action given to youngsters in the Premiership backs up the Scottish FA's assertion that Scotland is not bringing through enough emerging talent.

Just three of the 12 top-flight teams are able to say they provided over 2,000 minutes to Scots aged under 21 across last season's pre-split fixtures.

Dundee sit top of the 2023-24 table with 3,538, but a large chunk of that was clocked up by the one player - Lyall Cameron.

The same applies to the three next best clubs on the chart, Aberdeen (Connor Barron), Kilmarnock (David Watson) and Motherwell (Lennon Miller).

At the bottom of the table are both Old Firm clubs, with the pair posting concerning figures - Celtic just 89 minutes and Rangers only 26.

The report uses Hungary's top flight - a 12-team league - as a direct comparison. It shows Honved provided 6,544 minutes to Hungarian under-21 players, PAFC reached more than 5,000 and two more clubs achieved over 3,000.

Click here to read more on how Scottish football is failing young players.

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Clubs in Scotland are failing to bring through enough young players, a report, external by the Scottish FA has said.

The governing body says Scottish football is "significantly underachieving its potential" in youth development compared to countries of a similar size.

Using a range of data to compare leagues across Europe, it shows players under the age of 21 in Scotland are playing fewer minutes in the top-flight than countries such as Denmark, Norway, and Croatia.

Meanwhile, game time for young Scottish players in major European club competitions ranks below countries with smaller populations and fewer resources, such as Montenegro and North Macedonia.

It also stresses clubs are missing an opportunity to reduce wage costs and increase transfer revenue by developing their own players.

The report was commissioned by the SFA's professional game board at the end of 2023, and a working party comprised of SPFL and SFA representatives will now consider its findings.

Read the full story

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What now for Neil Lennon?

It's a question many, including ex-Scotland striker Lee Miller, are asking following the former Celtic and Hibernian manager's Rapid Bucharest sacking.

The 53-year-old had only been in charge of the Romanian club for six matches after being appointed three months ago.

A run of five draws and a defeat in those six games has Rapid sitting 12th in the 16-team SuperLiga.

After winning 10 domestic honours as a manager in two spells at Celtic, bookending a largely successful spell at Hibs, Lennon tested himself at Omonia Nicosia, where he won the Cypriot Cup, but he was also sacked there after just seven months.

This week's Rapid exit means the Northern Irishman, who had been at home earlier this month following the death of his mother, is out of work again.

As a former manager, Miller praised Lennon's ambition to work abroad, even if he had "nowhere near long enough to produce".

Speaking on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, ex-Falkirk boss Miller said: "Lennon felt he wanted to try something different, he wanted to test himself, and good on him for doing that.

"But it's just the way he's been repaid... it annoys me as an ex-player and ex-manager. I just think managers need to be given time to work and get their point across to players and get a style in place.

"Three months isn't long enough, it's nowhere near long enough to produce. I don't know what's next for Lennon now, where does he go from here?"

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Ex-Hibernian striker Kevin Nisbet would be a good fit to replace Bojan Miovski at Pittodrie, says former Aberdeen forward Lee Miller.

The 27-year-old has struggled to make an impact at English Championship side Millwall since departing Easter Road in June last year.

And following Miovski's big-money move to Girona, reports have suggested Aberdeen are interested in bringing Nisbet back to Scotland.

Miller, who played more than 140 games for the Dons between 2006 and 2010, says he would be surprised to see the former Hibs man return north so soon but feels he needs regular game time.

Speaking on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, Miller said: "He's 27, he should be in his prime. He needs to play games because he's a very, very good player. On the top of his game he can be really effective and Aberdeen could be a good fit.

"But I would be surprised if he came back up to the Scottish game because when you go down south, you kind of jump about in the merry-go-round.

"Although, I don't know his personal situation. He could be missing home, missing his friends, missing his family.

"But he's not featured as much as he probably thought he would down there. Sometimes you don't realise how hustle and bustle it is. You're playing Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday. It's a real long slog."

Former striker Lee Miller, who turned out for Dundee United, Aberdeen and Kilmarnock among others, recounts his experiences of being on the move on transfer deadline day during his playing career.

Listen and subscribe to the Scottish football podcast on BBC Sounds

Matty Fairnie
Fan writer

Having conceded a goal to Celtic within the first three minutes of their league meeting, Hibs were determined to avoid a similar fate at Parkhead on Sunday in the Premier Sports Cup.

Hibs lasted about a minute longer this time before Daizen Maeda put the hosts ahead. Hibs had, ironically, started quite brightly but familiar lapses in concentration at the back meant the pre-game strategy was binned almost immediately.

A second Maeda goal duly followed, and – as with the previous week – a rout looked on the cards. Hibs, though, found a way back into the match with a stunning header from Mykola Kuharevich that gave us an unlikely foothold in the game.

Hibs started the second half brightly before more calamitous defending saw Celtic’s Nicolas Kuhn block Jacob Bursik’s clearance and the ball rolled into the net, killing the game as a contest.

A frustrated David Gray lamented the repeated mistakes from his players and vowed to make changes to a team that has been leaking goals this season.

He’ll need all his squad available soon if he’s to be able to do that, with new players at varying stages of fitness.

With Dundee and then Kilmarnock up next, Hibs don’t have time to dwell on two of the toughest games of the season.

We need to be heading into these match ready and determined to get the first points of the campaign on the board.

Matty Fairnie can be found at Longbangers podcast, external

We asked for your views after Hibs bowed out of the League Cup with a 3-1 defeat at Celtic Park.

Here's what some of you said:

Kenny: We were always going to struggle against Celtic. The good thing is David Gray has now played Celtic twice so he should know where he needs to be with Hibs. He needs to sign at least two quality players before the end of the month.

Stuart: Not the management team for Hibs, another poor season on the horizon.

Darren: The season starts Saturday, everybody has a free pass so far! From Saturday if you're not pulling your weight then it's out the door you go! We deserve better as supporters.

Les: Pathetic defending has cost us the chance to get back in the game again. Five managers and we are making the same mistakes week in, week out. Playing three at the back with Rocky Bushiri and Marvin Ekpiteta was an accident waiting to happen. They need to get Ryan McGowan in as soon as possible and a decent centre-half to partner Warren O'Hora.

Mark: Ekpiteta and Josef Bursik seem to be competing to see who can make the worst mistakes. If Gray thinks we can pass out of defence with that lot, he won't last beyond September. The fact that we look like we need to sign more defenders and another goalkeeper after already signing a few in the summer shows once again what a mess the club is in.

Neil: We need to stop trying to play a brand of football associated with higher calibre teams. Our players are decent but they need to be more effective and get the basics right. We're good going forward, so go forward, stop inviting teams into our half and then faffing about until we screw up and concede. Failed attack is easier forgive than defensive blunder.

Bill: Who is signing these duds? Bursik and Ekpiteta are bombscares. Is it a case of, if they are free, we will try them? Surely Malcolm Mackay and Gray can see the weaknesses the fans can. It will be interesting to see the line-up against Dundee, they have to get it right. Let's go with two up front.

David: Same story, same mistakes I am afraid. Need to get the defence sorted and our ineffectual midfield need to do more. Players still to come into the picture but are they any better? We shall see.

Malcolm: When Celtic can turn down a €23m bid for a single player, and arguably not their best, that speaks volumes regarding the difference between them and other clubs. Discount the two Celtic games and move on. That is all we can do here.

Scott: The team cannot defend and they're not confident to play out from the back. Sadly the manager sounds like a broken record each week. Losing is habit forming, he looks lost in the dugout and so does his team of mediocre players.

Millwall and Standard Liege are among a number of clubs who have registered their interest in signing Hibernian centre-half Rocky Bushiri, the 24-year-old who could be available for a cut-price fee in the region of £250,000. (Football Insider), external

Former Hibernian striker Kevin Nisbet is wanted by Aberdeen, who want to see if a potential loan deal can be agreed with the 27-year-old Scotland international having fallen down the pecking order with Millwall. (Daily Record), external

Read Tuesday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

Goalkeeper Josef Bursik's blunder leading to Celtic's third goal in Hibernian's League Cup defeat highlights how much football has changed, says Jackie McNamara.

Click here to listen to more on Monday's episode of the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.