Hibernian F.C. season 2008-09

infobox Football club season
club = Hibernian
season = 2008-09
chairman = flagicon|SCO Rod Petrie
manager = flagicon|FIN Mixu Paatelainen
league = Scottish Premier League
league result =
cup1 = Scottish Cup
cup1 result =
cup2 = CIS Cup
cup2 result = R2
season topscorer =
league topscorer =
prevseason = 2007–08
nextseason = 2009–10

Season 2008–09 for Hibernian is their tenth consecutive season of play in the Scottish Premier League. The SPL season began on 9 August 2008 with a 1–0 defeat at Kilmarnock.

Pre-season

Hibs manager Mixu Paatelainen announced during May 2008 that the Hibs players would only have four weeks off after the end of the 2007–08 season, giving them two weeks to prepare for the first Intertoto Cup game. [ [http://sport.scotsman.com/spl/Mixu-Short-break-no-big.4076499.jp Mixu: Short break no big deal for Hibs] , "Edinburgh Evening News", 13 May 2008.]
Hibs entered the last Intertoto Cup competition at the second round stage. They were drawn to play IF Elfsborg, who defeated Hibs 4–0 on aggregate, 2–0 at Easter Road and again at the Borås Arena. Hibs lost a glamour friendly 6–0 against Barcelona at Murrayfield Stadium on July 24.

Hibs then also lost a friendly to Third Division club Cowdenbeath. This prompted media speculation that Mixu Paatelainen would resign from his position as manager, which was denied. [Pattullo, Alan. [http://sport.scotsman.com/football/Relaxed-Paatelainen--says-.4337197.jp Relaxed Paatelainen says he will not quit] , "The Scotsman", 30 July 2008.] Hibs then suffered another heavy defeat, 3–0 to First Division club Clyde, before finally scoring their first goal of the season in a 3–2 defeat to Premier League club Middlesbrough. Hibs completed their programme of friendlies with a 1–0 defeat against Wigan.

League season

Having suffered through a very poor pre-season, Hibs were under pressure to get off to a good start in the Scottish Premier League, but they lost their first game 1–0 at fc|Kilmarnock. The team then bounced back with an entertaining 3–2 win at Easter Road against fc|Falkirk, but drew with fc|Inverness Caledonian Thistle and lost 1–0 at home to fc|Motherwell. The "Scotland on Sunday" reported after the latter result that Hibs' "lack of quality" was the reason for their poor results. [ [http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Hibernian-0--1-Motherwell.4443570.jp Hibernian 0 – 1 Motherwell: Hibs' lack of quality their undoing] , "Scotland on Sunday", 31 August 2008.] Hibs bounced back to record back to back wins over Dundee United (2–1) and Hamiton (1–0). However, in their next game, Hibs lost 3–0 at home to Rangers.

cottish League Cup

Having failed to qualify for European competition in the previous season, Hibs entered the Scottish League Cup in the second round. They were drawn at home to First Division club Morton, [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/7554318.stm Co-op Ins Cup - second round draw] , BBC Sport, 11 August 2008.] but suffered a shock 4–3 defeat after extra time.

Transfers

Football kit box
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leftarm = FFFFFF
body = 1A732F
rightarm = FFFFFF
shorts = 1A732F
socks = 1A732F
title = Hibernian home kit (2008-09)Football kit box
align = right
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pattern_la =
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title = fc|Hibernian away kit (2008–09)There was expected to be something of a clear-out of players during the 2008 summer transfer window because manager Mixu Paatelainen stated that he wanted to reduce the size of the first team squad from 32 players to around 25 players. [ [http://sport.scotsman.com/hibernianfc/Hibs-squad-to-get-a.4099921.jp Hibs squad to get a summer trim – Mixu] , "Edinburgh Evening News", 20 May 2008.] Paatelainen began this process by releasing four players who had been out on loan during the 2007–08 season. He also released left-back Abderraouf Zarabi, who had only been signed a few months previously. [Wright, Angus. [http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Zarabi-exits-Hibs-after-four.4108729.jp Zarabi exits Hibs after four months] , "The Scotsman", 22 May 2008.] Key midfielder Guillaume Beuzelin signed for fc|Coventry City under freedom of contract. [ [http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/coventry-city-fc/football-rumours-gossip/2008/06/16/guillaume-beuzelin-lacked-commitment-says-pat-stanton-92746-21082122/ Guillaume Beuzelin "lacked commitment" says Pat Stanton] , "Coventry Telegraph", 16 June 2008.]

Right-back David van Zanten signed for Hibs, having made a pre-contract agreement to sign when his contract with fc|St. Mirren expired. Fabián Yantorno was given access to Hibs' medical facilities with a view to him signing when he recovered from a long-term injury sustained whilst playing for fc|Gretna, [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hibernian/7339035.stm Yantorno given chance with Hibs] , BBC Sport, 9 April 2008.] [ [http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football-news/scottish-football/spl-football/hibs-fc/2008/06/19/i-ll-prove-i-m-worth-hibs-deal-after-they-rescued-me-from-gretna-hell-vows-fabien-yantorno-86908-20613081/ I'll prove I'm worth Hibs deal] , "Daily Record", 19 June 2008.] and he signed for Hibs in August. Former Nantes youth player Steven Thicot and former fc|Chelsea player Joe Keenan were taken on trial and signed on in July. [Crowther, Stuart. [http://www.hibs.co.uk/news/more.php?id=2870_0_1_0_C Hibernian sign two] , fc|Hibernian official site.]

Hibs then trimmed their squad on the final day of the summer transfer window by releasing Martin Canning, Brian Kerr and Zibi Malkowski, but they brought in Dunfermline central defender Souleymane Bamba. Mixu Paatelainen was quoted as expecting a "busy day", [Etherson, Brian. [http://sport.setanta.com/en/Sport/News/Football/2008/09/01/SPL-Paatelainen-on-deadline-day/ Paatelainen expects busy day] , Setanta Sports, 1 September 2008.] which was highlighted when Derek Riordan completed a much-anticipated return from fc|Celtic. [ [http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Riordan-reunited-with-his-first.4447362.jp Riordan reunited with his first love] , "The Scotsman", 2 September 2008.]

Players In

Loans Out

Notes