Lee Johnson to transfer more power to players to change culture at Hibernian

Lee Johnson will move from dictatorship to democracy to change the culture at Hibernian.

The Englishman took over the hot seat at Easter Road in May and has decided it is time to take his side to “the next level”.

Ahead of the home cinch Premiership match against Ross County on Tuesday night, the former Sunderland, Bristol City and Barnsley boss revealed his new plan is based on the transfer of power.

“What I would like to do now is try to take us to that next level, certainly tactically,” said Johnson, who is confident attacker Martin Boyle will make the World Cup with Australia despite missing the games against the Staggies and Kilmarnock next weekend with a knee complaint.

“The lads understand the philosophy of play now but we just need to start thinking a little bit smarter on the pitch.

“I think we have the players who can do it and it will be interesting to see whether we can implement these things.

“We tend to have a lot of control in games, if you look at our possession count it has been high, a little bit too high for my teams and our team because I like the transition phase of the game.

“I have realised with having this much possession we have to be cuter and smarter, particularly in that final third.

“It is this moment in time, it is not Ross County-orientated, it is more about us, how long we have been together.

“It has probably been a bit more of a dictatorship, if you like, up to now based on the way I want to play.

“I think the boys understand it and I want them to solve the problems in the games now.

“It is the way we will do our post-match debrief for example. I want that to be more player-led rather than coach-led and we can be there to guide them.

“I need to encourage these young lads like Nohan Kenneh, an important player for us now, to have a voice to make sure these solutions on the pitch are being taken by them based on the principles of how we play.”

Asked about Boyle, who picked up his injury against St Mirren and missed the 4-1 defeat by Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Friday night, Johnson said: “He is not fit for the game. We won’t be seeing him in the next two (games).

“He really now has the focus on the World Cup for Australia.

“We have had confirmation that he is within the group in terms of to see whether he is fit enough to make the final squad.

“I think he will be okay. I am hopeful for him as well. It is his joint. There was a bit of inflammation on the joint and that was the bit in question.

“If that goes down and, if it does go down, is he free from pain and free-flowing in his movement, then he is good to go and there is a number of ways that can go down.”