The writing was on the wall for Jack Ross as soon as his own fans sang about him being “sacked in the morning” and it seems Hibs are now on the hunt for a new boss.
Defeat to Livingston made the manager’s position untenable – despite a looming League Cup final against Celtic.
That could see the unusual sight of a caretaker leading the team out at Hampden – unless Ron Gordon and his board can get a new man in the door quickly.
Sacking a manager before a cup final is a bold move, but the capital club clearly felt change was needed.
Ross himself appeared to know the writing was on the wall following the loss to Livi.
He said after the match: “There’s times where I would be more defensive if I felt the performance was good because everyone judges it on the end result.
“But tonight all the criticism I receive will be justified because I am in charge of that team.
“That level of performance was not good enough so the criticism should fall upon me.”
Hibs are a big club with a decent squad so there are sure to be plenty of applications for the vacant role.
The likes of Kevin Thomson, a former player, could be an outside candidate as he flies high with Kelty Hearts while the American link could mean turning to Major League Soccer.
Here are eight men who could be on the Easter Road shortlist.
Callum Davidson
If Hibs want to look inside the Premiership then Davidson is the obvious candidate to replace Ross.
The former Scotland international has worked wonders with St Johnstone, winning both domestic cups last season and coming within a whisker of the Europa League group stage this term.
That success leaves open the question of what more Davidson can achieve in Perth, and the ceiling would be higher at Easter Road.
Clearly St Johnstone would fight to hold on to the man who led them to unprecedented glory so a substantial compensation package could be needed.
Based on his career so far though it would be well worth getting in one of Scotland’s up-and-coming coaches.
Add to that, the idea of hiring a cup specialist with the Premier Sports Cup final on the horizon would make sense…
Derek McInnes
Things may have turned sour at Aberdeen by the end but McInnes delivered consistently at Pittodrie.
Hibs will be looking to compete with the Dons and city rivals Hearts for third place and the out of work boss is a steady pair of hands.
McInnes never finished lower than fourth across a full season at Pittodrie, achieving European football for seven seasons in a row.
Some may bristle at his playing style but his record at St Johnstone and Aberdeen makes him a proven Premiership operator.
If Hibs need someone to steady the ship immediately then McInnes could be a perfect option, and the former Rangers player would love to get one over on Celtic in the aforementioned cup final.
Alex Neil
The former Norwich and Hamilton boss is sure to be an early front-runner for the Easter Road job.
Once seen as a rising star after taking the Canaries to the Premier League, Neil’s image is in need of some rehabilitation after a difficult spell at Preston North End.
Hibs CEO Ben Kensell worked with Neil at Norwich so will be intimately familiar with what he can bring, and that relationship could tempt the 40-year-old north.
Like Steve Clarke and Ross himself, the former Accies manager may well view a Premiership job as the ideal stage to rebuild his reputation.
Hibs know all too well what he can bring to the table, with Neil’s Hamilton side relegating them in the 2013-14 play-off.
The Scot is likely to be among the leading candidates for the role and is open to returning north of the border.
He told the BBC on Wednesday: “I think I’ll certainly manage in Scotland again if I get the right opportunity.
“Whether that’s short term, as in the next job, or in future I’m not sure.
“My career started in Scotland, I came back to Scotland and I’ll probably come back to Scotland.”
Steve Kean
One potential candidate is already in the building, with Kean appointed as academy director last month.
He was selected by Kensell as one of his first actions, with the CEO speaking highly of the new man.
He said: “To bring someone like Steve with his experience, coaching nous and credibility to the club is a big step forward and is really exciting, especially for our young players.”
(Image: Roslan Rahman/AFP/Getty Images)
Though his time at Blackburn Rovers was disastrous he won the Singapore League Cup in 2014 and the Singapore Premier League in 2015 while at DPMM.
His most recent experience in the dugout came as interim boss at Melbourne Victory in the A League, before returning to Scotland to take up his current post.
Gordon and Co may well opt to give it to him on an initial caretaker basis with the season already in full swing.
Raphael Wicky
With Ron Gordon at the helm it would not be a surprise to see Hibs turn to MLS in their hunt for a new manager.
Wicky is a free agent after leaving Chicago Fire in September and has an impressive track record.
He won a league and cup double with Basel in 2016-17 before boasting a win record above 50 per cent with the US Under-17 team.
Wicky’s first season at Chicago Fire saw them miss the play-offs by just a point, and while his record was poor in 2021 he’s still only 44 and would be an exciting appointment if he looks to get his career back on track in Leith.
The Swiss already has some green credentials to help him fit in right away, though of the environment kind – he famously used to ride his bike to training at Basel!
Massimo Donati
Another left-field option which could make a lot of sense, Donati received his Pro Licence from the Italian FA in September.
He had an eight game spell in charge of fourth tier side Sambenedettese but left that role on October 31, with the club in financial turmoil.
Donati knows the Scottish game well, having played for Celtic, Hamilton and St Mirren and also did coaching work with Accies and Kilmarnock.
Getting a Pro Licence in Italy is a rigorous process involving a written thesis, and with experience at clubs like Celtic and Milan the former midfielder would bring top level standards.
His lack of experience in the number 1 role would be a cause for concern, but Donati wouldn’t be coming in as a complete outsider.
Garry Monk
Another who is looking to rebuild his reputation, Monk has shown in the past that he has something about him as a manager.
He did well with Swansea and stabilised Leeds before unexpectedly resigning.
While that may look a poor decision in hindsight, the fact he managed over 50 games under trigger-happy former owner Massimo Cellino suggests he was doing something right.
Subsequent jobs have not gone as well, with Monk sacked by Middlesbrough, Birmingham and Sheffield Wednesday.
Just because he’s struggled recently though doesn’t mean he’s a busted flush, and with options in England likely limited he could be tempted north of the border.
Neil Warnock
An outsider for sure, but Warnock has been open about his desire to manage in Scotland – and particularly in Edinburgh.
The veteran said in 2019: “I’ve always fancied one of them – Hibs and Hearts.
“It appeals to me up there with them being neighbours.
“No disrespect to the big two but I’ve always been an underdog and I’ve always thought, ‘I wish I could get a club up there and get a team to rival Celtic and Rangers.’”
Warnock has managed over 1,000 games and is used to firefighting, so would surely have no qualms about walking in to Easter Road and shaking things up.
He also revealed on Thursday he’s been keeping an eye on the capital club’s form, and the Yorkshireman has a holiday home in Dunoon – could he be up for one last job?
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