New Hibs TV pundit Tam McManus speaks on old guard and how the can help youngsters make breakthrough

Making the breakthrough was actually the easy part. Sustaining first-team relevance has always been the tougher test, according to Tam McManus.

The former Hibs striker, who will assume a key punditry role for Hibernian TV this season, remembers coming through the ranks at the Easter Road club and how quickly the initial excitement was replaced by exacting demands and the need to deliver week in week out.

Which is why he places a premium on experienced professionals who can lead by example and ensure that newcomers and breakthrough stars are ready for the challenges that will come their way when the season kicks off tomorrow and, more pertinently, when fans are allowed back into the stadium on a match day.

“I came through with John Hughes and big Yogi certainly didn’t mollycoddle you,” he recalls. “I was terrified if I was playing against him in training because he would batter you about the place and if he was on your team, if you made a bad pass, he would be on your back as well. But he would always tell me and the other inexperienced boys, ‘if you can’t handle me shouting at you in training, how are you going to handle 15,000 getting on your back if you miss a chance or make a bad pass during a game?’ It was character building and it was important.

“As a manager, Alex McLesih was always at it as well. Not bullying but trying to toughen you up and make sure you could handle it because these guys knew the pressure of delivering on a Saturday.”

As well as youngsters like Ryan Porteous, Jamie Gullan and Sean Mackie, who have all tasted first-team action, new signing Kevin Nisbet will be charged with proving himself at Premiership level, while Drey Wright and Alex Gogic will be scrutinised to see if they can settle in more effortlessly than last summer’s recruits seemed to.

Which is why, for all the youthful exuberance and fresh faces, it is the older warhorses, guys who have been there and done it before for Hibs, who could determine how well things go this season, according to McManus.

“It is hugely important to have that. Usually the dressing room is only as good as the experienced players.”

“Hibs have got the likes of Scott Allan, Darren McGregor, David Gray,” he said. They also have Easter Road stalwarts like Paul Hanlon and Lewis Stevenson. “The young boys will follow their example. They are great professionals and i know how important that is. I had Mixu in there, and guys like Matthias Jack, Franck Sauzee. You look up to these guys and, for myself, Mixu and Craig Brewster were great to learn from. It was the way they trained, even in their 30s, and the way they looked after themselves and recovered after games. You need players to look up to and Hibs have got a good core in there and I’m sure they will help the younger boots.

“The most important thing now for the likes of Jamie Gullan is that whatever opportunities he gets, he’s got to take them. It’s the same for new signings.

“I would imagine that Christian Doidge will be the number-one striker at the start of the season. When I came through it was Mixu Paatalainen and David Zitelli, guys like that, and I had to try to nick their spot. That means you have to impress every day in training and when you get your chance, even if that is just 10-15 minutes at the end of a game, you’ve got to go on and do well and try to get yourself a goal because that will give the manager more confidence in you. But the other players won’t give up their place easily, you need to fight for it.”

If Florian Kamberi leaves, McManus expects Ross to bring in at least one more striker and says that competition for places is crucial to maintaining standards throughout an entire campaign.

“I think you need maybe four strikers vying for their place,” said the man who made over 100 appearances for the Capital club. “You have to have competition. I had that competition at every stage of my Hibs career, whether it was Mixu, David, Paco Luna, Garry O’Connor, Stephen Dobbie, Derek Riordan or Craig Brewster, you were always looking over your shoulder and you always had to perform or you knew someone would take the jersey. You need that.”

Such is the fans’ affinity with players who progress through the ranks, he knows that many in the Leith support will be championing guys like Porteous and Gullan but while they will be thrilled to be part of Ross’ plans for the season, that step up comes with greater pressures.

“I am sure a lot of Hibs supporters will be dying for Jamie to do well and become a regular. They have seen Ryan Porteous in there and he has been excellent and has secured his place in the team. Supporters love to see one of their own coming through.

“But, the easiest part is coming through. You then have to take that opportunity and make it count. They don’t face as much pressure when they are young guys coming through and just getting 10-15 minutes, but once they are a regular part of the team, and are starting games, then that’s when there is real pressure to perform. Porteous has shown he can do it in the big games. He has got his bearings and he is a real competitor. Now it is up to Jamie to show that. By all accounts, he is on track and Jack thinks highly of him. But when he is given his opportunity, he needs to take it. the pressure will be on.”