Mixu gets green light to boost Hibs' squad

HIBS boss Mixu Paatelainen has revealed he's already eyeing up signing targets for the January transfer window, having been given the green light by the Easter Road board to further strengthen his side.

Since succeeding John Collins as manager ten months ago, Paatelainen has brought in ten new players, three within weeks of becoming boss and seven more over the summer, culminating in the return of fans' favourite Derek Riordan.

The £400,000 paid out to capture Riordan, who has scored three goals in four games, was, chief executive Scott Lindsay told the shareholders annual meeting, a "statement of intent".

And that intent, Paatelainen revealed, has extended to a commitment to support him in his efforts to bring further new faces to the club at the start of next year, his priorities being a new goalkeeper, a playmaker and someone to patrol the right flank.

He said: "I am always looking to strengthen the squad and I'm glad to say that once again the board has indicated there will be the chance to improve again come January.

"I'm already looking to identify some players."

Paatelainen confirmed a new goalkeeper remained his No.1 aim with Moroccan star Khalid Sinouh, who has been on trial with Hibs for the past week, set to feature in Thursday's closed-doors match against Livingston.

But he insisted such a move wouldn't signal the end for either Yves Ma-Kalambay or Andy McNeil, the current rivals for the gloves, insisting he was looking to step up competition for that position.

He said: "At the moment, we have two very good goalkeepers who I feel have been wrongly criticised as not being good enough for the SPL. I disagree with that totally. We have had loads of trialists in and I have not seen a better goalkeeper and that's an indication our goalkeepers are not bad."

And, although he has a wealth of midfield talent at his disposal, Paatelainen admitted to last night's meeting he believes Hibs hadn't adequately replaced French ace Guillaume Beuzelin, who opted to quit Edinburgh for Coventry at the end of his contract.

He said: "When Boozy left I felt we did not quite replace him. We really need someone who can take his time on the ball, someone who has good enough awareness, vision and the ability to pass the ball. Unfortunately, Boozy wanted a new challenge and is no longer here but that is a position I feel we need to strengthen.

"I also think we need someone on the right-hand side to give us options to play a different system. But we are working on that front and I am delighted to say we are again in the position to strengthen and will do so."

Paatelainen was challenged by one supporter as to his input when players departed the club, insisting he had the final say as he cited the example of David Murphy, who left for Birmingham City in a £1.5 million deal at the start of the year.

He said: "There was a lot of money on the table for his services, the board and the chairman (Rod Petrie] in particular asked me if I wanted to keep him or sell him.

"I decided because the player was so unhappy and wanted a new challenge to go down south to the English Premiership I didn't want to stop his progress so I thought it better for club and player that he went.

"But I do have the say whether a player stays or goes."

Lindsay backed Paatelainen's assertion that he'd be given every support to continue shaping the squad to his satisfaction telling the shareholders the latest set of accounts, which ran to July 31, didn't quite tell the full story of the club's transfer dealings.

He said: "Over the last few years, the club has gradually increased the football budget and, since Mixu took over, has been able to support him but the 2007/08 figures don't quite tell the full story with the last few hours of the August transfer window producing real drama.

"Brian Kerr and Martin Canning left, Sol Bamba joined up and Derek Riordan came home, the bold move seen by some as a statement of intent. It is. We want to compete, to win and we will support Mixu as he strives for the success we all want."