Lee Johnson names 'realistic' Hibs target he met achieved in 6 months as sporting director relationship explained

An overhauled Easter Road side are setting their sights on European success ahead of their Conference League campaign.

Lee Johnson can’t wait for his first taste of European football – and is adamant Hibs are on the right path now they are there.

The former Sunderland and Bristol City boss navigated a rocky start to life in Leith to guide the Hibees to a spot in next week’s Conference League second qualifying round. But lifting Hibs up three places from their eighth-spot finish the previous season was far from plain sailing for the 42-year-old. He saw his side crash out at the Viaplay Cup group stage and being penalised for playing an ineligible player.

He then endured a mid-season run of nine losses in 11 games and suffered back-to-back derby drubbings by Hearts, including another first-hurdle exit in the Scottish Cup which left him clinging to his job. Signings such as Momodou Bojang and Marijan Cabraja have already been moved on without making an impact while Jair Tavares looks certain to follow. Johnson admits poor decisions were made in the early part of the campaign.

But after blasting the mediocrity in his squad he has overhauled his playing staff and rates the appointment of former Leeds boss Brian McDermott, as director of football, a masterstroke. With six summer signings in the bag and a fully-fit Martin Boyle soon to be at his disposal, he insists Hibees have reason to be optimistic.

They round off their pre-season with a friendly against Groningen in Leith on Friday night then it’s down to the real stuff next week against either Vikingur of the Faroes or Andorran side Inter Club d’Escaldes, who hold a 2-1 first-leg lead.

Johnson never experienced European football in a 13-year playing career or in the last decade as a boss. And he said: “It’s really exciting. It’s one of the reasons I wanted to experience a new league, a new environment.

“I thought it was a realistic aim for us. II thought there was a lot we could improve at the club last season and that took us six months.

“We’ve been open and honest with three or four poor decisions we made, for the right reasons, in the early part of the season and we were so unlucky with the injuries we had to our top players. You need your money on the pitch at clubs like this because it’s not big enough a wage bill to carry not having them.

“Even seeing Martin Boyle back in training is really exciting. He’s a player with a reputation in this league and what tends to happen with that is full-backs drop off a little bit and it creates a little more space for others.

“Things like that are why it’s really important to keep your key men fit, so we changed a lot at the club within our structures and processes. The club brought in Brian McDermott as director of football and his main focus has been this window.

“That’s been good. It has been nice to bounce things off each other and has been a really positive start to our working relationship.”

Hibs are back home from their Spanish training camp and Johnson said: “Back in the normal climate we will gain that extra yard, that extra breath, and our fitness levels will have improved greatly. Squad bonding is key on trips like this and we’ve had a good balance between rest, play and hard work.”

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