Marink Reedijk wants Hibernian's intensity to become 'second-nature', as he identifies the next step for the Easter Road side following their Hampden semi-final victory.
The Dutchman, who took charge of his fifth Hibs match as his men downed city rivals Hearts in the Premier Sports Cup, wants to see that crucial aspect of their win be deeper ingrained into his players.
With Hibs still rooted to the bottom of the Premiership table, finding a good run of form will be vital as they seek to recover from a poor start to the league campaign.
A trip to Aberdeen presents Reedijk with the opportunity to register his first league win. To do that, Hibs will need to build on their positive result at the national stadium – and maintain the level of performance which they demonstrated they are capable of.
Reedijk told the Edinburgh Evening News that their Hampden intensity needs to become 'automatic', as they return to Premiership duties.
"Whether your win or if you lose, this needs to be our second nature –that this intensity stays on the pitch, and will always be there in our games," he said.
"There will be moments in the season when it will not be like this, but it should be our second nature; that it is just like breathing, it's something which is happening automatically.
“I always believe that if you do these basics, you always have a good fundament to fall back on. And for me, it's now about consistency in performance – and then, I believe that consistency in results will also come.”
Although Reedijk is keen to avoid putting limits on what his Hibs side might achieve this season, he stressed the importance of focussing on one game at a time, as the Easter Road club look to climb up the table.
Read more
-
Colton Swan analysis reveals where new Hibs striker excels and must improve
-
The Adam Mayor numbers that stand out for Hibs and reveal a key Nicky Cadden shift
-
The tactical story of Hibs' historic derby win with two vital Reedijk decisions
-
‘Wow, what happened there?' – Hibs boss on reaction to Hampden victory over Hearts
-
The joke Hibs stalwarts shared at Hampden as derby winning detail emerges
Within that focus, Reedijk asserted that he wants to win on a consistent basis, encouraging his men to aim 'as high as possible'.
"I cannot see the future," he admitted, when asked if the European places are still within Hibs' reach.
"For me, it's about this Saturday and Aberdeen. And then, we look from Aberdeen onwards to the next game. That's the focus for me.
“Don't get me wrong: I want to aim for the highest possible. What is the highest possible? I don't know. But we want to win every match.
"If you win every match, you know where you can end. So let's see.”
Share