THE departure of Rob Jones for Scunthorpe United has not only deprived Hibernian of a first-choice centre-back, it has also taken away the most influential member of the first-team squad at Easter Road. Every captain exercises a degree of influence over his club, of course, but Jones played a bigger role than most in that respect, and it will be no simple task to replace him.
Rarely beaten in the air in defence, Jones was also a powerful tackler on the deck, often surprising attackers with the speed and accuracy with which he slid into the challenge. He could be just as influential at set-pieces at the other end of the p
itch, as he showed by scoring in the high point of his three years with the Edinburgh club, the 2007 CIS Cup final victory over Kilmarnock.
As well as his on-pitch leadership, Jones was instrumental in preserving a degree of unity in the squad during some tough times at Easter Road. The most testing occasion came soon after that CIS Cup win, when the Hibs players revolted en masse against the then manager John Collins, but there were also times under Mixu Paatelainen when a lowering of morale might have had serious long-term impact but for the positive example shown by Jones and a handful of senior colleagues.
With the arrival of John Hughes, a shrewder and more experienced manager than either of his predecessors, there will probably not be such a need for that kind of example. Nonetheless, Hughes had been keen to hold on to Jones, and on taking over at Hibs last month made optimistic remarks about his chances of doing so. "I have a real sneaking feeling that I could turn him around," Hughes said then when asked about Jones's desire to leave the capital and return to England. "I will give him a lot of responsibility in terms of being captain of the club, so who knows? Maybe I can convince him to stay that extra year."
At the same time, the manager made similar comments about the other big name who has since left Hibs for England, striker Steven Fletcher. "I am really looking forward to working with big Steven Fletcher," he said. "He will enjoy working with me. I am aware of the business side of things, but first and foremost I want to work with him for a number of years."
Some might deem Hughes unwise to have made himself a hostage to fortune with such comments, but others would respect his courage in voicing hopes which were always in real danger of being dashed. And certainly, given that the speculation about both players began long before Hughes was even linked with the vacancy at his former club, very few if any Hibs supporters will be ready to blame him for the dual loss.
But he does have a serious problem to solve, and little time in which to do so before the season starts. Abdessalam Benjelloun's return from a loan spell will offset the loss of Fletcher to an extent, and the comeback of Benjelloun's fellow-Moroccan Merouane Zemmama should provide the central link between midfield and attack which was often absent last season. When it comes to Jones, however, there is no such ready-made alternative.
The key decision for Hughes will be whether to go back into the transfer market to replace Jones – or at least it will be if he is given the funds to do so. He was non-committal when asked about his former Falkirk captain Darren Barr yesterday, and he may already have decided to go ahead and plan for the new season with the players he already has.
He certainly has options when it comes to both central defence and the captaincy, as Ian Murray and Chris Hogg are capable of doing both jobs. Hogg is ultra-dependable and whole-hearted, while Murray's commitment to the club is also first-rate. But neither has the same presence as Jones, and Murray could have more creative influence elsewhere.
If Hughes decides Murray should play at left-back, Darren McCormack could deputise at the core of defence, while Sol Bamba, although more useful as a holding midfielder, is another who can play there. So in terms of personnel at least, there is no need to rush back into the market. But Barr, like Jones, is more than just a centre-back-cum captain. He has immense promise, has a subtler touch, and is likely to develop into the kind of player who would command a large six-figure fee in two or three years. By splashing out now, Hibs could recoup their investment several times over in 2011 or 2012.
Hughes will already have thought long and hard about how to deal with Jones's departure. If he gets that one right, everything else should slot into place.
GUIDE TO SCUNTHORPE• KEVIN Keegan and Ray Clemence joined Liverpool from Scunthorpe.
• Cricketer Ian Botham played for the reserves on occasion.
• England manager Graham Taylor lived there as a young turnip.
• When a man is tired of Scunthorpe, he can visit the nearby delights of Doncaster, Hull and Grimsby.
The full article contains 883 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
