Hibs have been handed a major boost ahead of this weekend’s Premiership opener after finally being granted work permits for Elie Youan and Marijan Cabraja. Lee Johnson was denied the services of the duo throughout the calamitous Premier Sports Cup campaign because of frustrating paperwork delays.
Youan, a former France U20 striker, was recruited on loan from St Gallen in Switzerland in June but has been made to wait for his first-team debut. Cabraja penned a three-year deal a fortnight ago to join from Dinamo Zagreb but has also been left kicking his heels because of red tape.
However, both have now been given clearance to get their Hibs careers up and running ahead of Saturday’s trip to St Johnstone. After the double embarrassment of last week’s draw with Morton and subsequent punishment for playing Rocky Bushiri while suspended, it is welcome news for Johnson, who is already under some pressure with an Edinburgh derby on the horizon.
But the new boss is determined to approach the kick-off to the league season with optimism, despite confessing his squad’s preparations have at times been a “shambles”. With nine first-team players missing Sunday’s 1-0 win over Norwich, and Aiden McGeady injured during the friendly, Johnson said: “I’m pretty sure going into Saturday we will start to get three or four back and (getting) a couple of work permits converted (is) nice.
“But, at the same time, these boys haven’t had the chance to work in a cohesive team so that’ll be the difficulty of the team selection. Players who you might actually want in (the team) in your mind have not been cohesive yet with other players.
“It’s been a mish-mash of a pre-season or cup run or whatever you want to call it. You have to think now we’re stepping into the league season and we’ll only get stronger.
“It’s a learning curve for all of us. Hopefully this time next year we won’t even be in those stages of the (cup) competition but if we are that won’t happen.
“Understandably, (the Morton game) was a bit of a shambles on and off the pitch but what do you want to do, mope or crack on? We’ll get the boys ready for what’s a really important start to the season.”
Hibs lost one of their seven pre-season and cup games and have struggled to integrate nine new signings because of a mixture of work permit issues and injuries.Asked if he was exited about the league starting, Johnson added: “Of course I am, I just want to get 15, 16 players, the ones that you are going to use on a regular basis, together, cohesive, tight.
“We have a lot to learn about each other, in terms of personalities. When you sign a lot of new players like we have it’s going to take time to blend them all.
“There have been some really good signs. Take the games we’ve had, we’ve scored goals, we’ve now beaten Norwich. This is an ever-moving set of scenarios that we have to deal with the best we can.”
