Nick Montgomery aims to forge a “new identity” for Hibernian after being appointed the club’s head coach.
The former Sheffield United midfielder arrives in Edinburgh after 11 years with Central Coast Mariners, who he led to the A-League title last season following a 6-1 Grand Final victory over Melbourne City with the help of a hat-trick from former Hibs striker Jason Cummings.
The 41-year-old initially moved to Mariners as a player after making almost 400 appearances for Sheffield United. He was captain, assistant coach, youth coach and head of football at the Australian club before taking over as head coach in August 2021.
He has now taken charge at Easter Road on a three-year deal, describing Hibs as the “perfect” club for him.
He said: “I will try to bring a new identity to the club, and that’s not easy to do, but with hard work on the training ground and the buy-in from the staff, the players, the fans and the community, I really want to push this club forward and just bring a real work ethic and a good style of play that people will enjoy watching.
“An identity is something the fans can come and enjoy, a team with a lot of energy that likes to score goals.”
The former Scotland Under-21 and Scotland B international added: “The squad is really good, I have done a lot of research on the squad. I know some of the players, I actually played with Davie Marshall a long time ago.”
Montgomery was keen to return to the United Kingdom and when asked why he had chosen Hibs, he said: “Number one, my grandma was born in Scotland, I played for the Under-21s and Futures squad. I have a lot of history with Scotland.
“I felt it was the perfect club to come to, a club that is not where it should be in terms of the start of the season but that’s now my responsibility to put belief in the players and create an environment where everyone comes in every day and enjoys training and buy into the long-term vision to make Hibs successful.
“I had quite a bit of interest previously and as soon as I spoke to Hibs, it just felt in my gut instinct it was the right opportunity.
“We talked in depth about football, the club and where it wanted to go and that matched my ambition.”
Montgomery earned a reputation for developing young players in Australia. The players he worked with include recent Aberdeen signing James McGarry, Hibs full-back Lewis Miller, Kye Rowles of Hearts and former Tynecastle loan striker Garang Kuol.
“I think it’s central to most clubs around the world,” he said. “A lot of clubs develop players that will hopefully earn money in transfers because that’s how you help the club become sustainable. That’s the narrative we had in Australia, we became a club known for developing our own players, but not only our own players.”
Hibs director of football Brian McDermott led the hunt for the replacement to Lee Johnson, who was sacked after opening the cinch Premiership season with three defeats and has now taken over at Fleetwood.
Montgomery said: “In terms of recruitment, I have spoken to Brian at length. It’s about finding the right players that fit the club, not what the player is but what the player can be. That’s important because you have to try and bring players though.
“There are plenty of young players in the academy that supported the club who dream of walking out at Easter Road. I had that myself as a young player and that’s really powerful.”
McDermott was not at the media conference because of pre-planned hip replacement surgery but the former Reading manager explained in a statement why Montgomery had emerged as the number one choice.
“I’ve followed Nick’s career for a number of years,” McDermott said. “As a player he was a leader and he’s brought that quality into his managerial and coaching career.
“What he’s done as a coach is really impressive. He helped rebuild what is now a successful academy and did a magnificent job of bringing through and developing young players. Alongside this, he has incredibly strong coaching credentials.
“He has a real strong, distinctive style of play, is a front-foot manager, and what he achieved at Central Coast Mariners last season was phenomenal.
“He created a strong relationship and camaraderie between the supporters, players and staff, and he’s an excellent man manager which has seen him get the best out of the players he’s worked with.”
Portugal 5-1 Poland: Ronaldo overhead kick caps five-star Selecao display
Cristiano Ronaldo scored two goals – including a stunning overhead kick – as Portugal crushed Poland 5-1 to clinch top spot in Nations League Group A1, with all six goals coming in the second half.
Ronaldo was joined on the scoresheet by Rafael Leao, Bruno Fernandes and Pedro Neto as Portugal improved massively following a first half in which they did not manage a single shot on target.
Having just shaded a quiet opening period, Poland found themselves behind when Leao stooped to nod Portugal ahead just before the hour mark, mere moments after Diogo Costa had denied Jakub Kaminski at the other end.
A Jakub Kiwior handball enabled Ronaldo to make it 2-0 from the penalty spot after 72 minutes, then Fernandes smashed a shot off the crossbar and in for 3-0 eight minutes later.
Chelsea winger Neto swiftly added a fourth by powering home on his weaker right foot, but the pick of Portugal's goals came via Ronaldo with three minutes of the 90 remaining.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner watched a dinked cross from the impressive Vitinha all the way before beating Marcin Bulka with an acrobatic overhead kick from close range.
Substitute Dominik Marczuk pulled one back for Poland at the death, but the heavy defeat – coupled with Scotland's 1-0 win over Croatia – puts them in severe danger of relegation.
Should Michal Probierz's team lose to the Tartan Army in Warsaw on Monday, they will drop to the second tier for the next edition of the Nations League in 2026-27. Portugal, meanwhile, are assured of a place in March's quarter-finals.
Data Debrief: Ronaldo remains the main man
After seeing Ronaldo go airborne to convert Vitinha's cross and put the icing on the Portugal cake, it was easy to forget that the legendary forward will enter his forties in just over two months.
He was well-marshalled by Poland in the first half, when Portugal only recorded nine touches in the visitors' area.
However, he ended the encounter with two goals from a game-high 2.06 xG, generated from five shots, also the most of any player on the pitch. He now has 135 senior international goals, 23 more than his great rival Lionel Messi.
Boyz coach McClaren, defender Lowe take heart from 0-1 first leg Nations League quarterfinal loss to United States; eye comeback in second leg
While the 0-1 loss to the United States in their Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal opener has left his Reggae Boyz with work to do in the second leg, Jamaica’s Head coach Steve McClaren remains optimistic about their chances to turn the tie around when they travel to St. Louis, Missouri, for the crucial clash on Monday.
McClaren’s wave of optimism that his team can secure a spot in the Nations League semifinals and, by extension, next year’s Concacaf Gold Cup, came as he expressed a mix of pride and frustration about Thursday’s outcome at the National Stadium.
A fifth minute by Ricardo Pepi gave reigning champions United States an early advantage, and despite Jamaica's strong press and numerous attacking opportunities, they were unable to find the elusive equaliser.
McClaren, however, was quick to praise the spirit and work ethic of his players throughout the match.
“What I really liked about the performance was the fight and the spirit. It was a great effort from the team in terms of pressing, but we were too open,” McClaren said in his post-match comments.
“In terms of creating chances, we had opportunities, we had the penalty, and we had moments when we won the ball back and could transition. But overall, the game felt too open. Credit to the team though; I’m proud of them. We were 1-0 down after just five minutes, and with the game being as open as it was, I thought the players showed real character to fight back. 12 shots at goal, and we felt aggrieved,” he added.
Jamaica’s attacking play was energetic, particularly in the second half of the encounter, where they enjoyed a decent passage of play and created a few key moments that could have leveled the score, including a penalty shout and a shot cleared off the line.
"I’m proud of the players for their performance. The way they worked, the way they defended, the way they pressed, and the way they created chances—I was very proud of all of them. Yes, we lost 1-0, but we showed that we can compete, and I know the USA will not take the game on Monday lightly," McClaren said.
“We know that we can give them a game. We know the first goal will be important. If we score the first goal, then the tie is on. So, as I said, proud. I'm really looking forward to Monday now to play them again,” he shared.
The over 20,000-strong Jamaican fans, who were vocal throughout the match, gave the players their support despite the early setback, and though there was a short burst of boos, McClaren believes the crowd's energy helped lift the Boyz for the most part.
"I was pleased with the crowd; they were great. I thought the fans were behind us all the way, and they got off their seats when we created those opportunities. I think you could see the attacking football and good performances, so we have to repeat that in the second leg.
“We just need to recover, get ourselves together, keep the spirit, keep the fight, and keep the belief that we can go there and score first and make a game,” the Englishman stated.
Meanwhile, defender Damion Lowe shared McClaren’s sentiments, acknowledging that the team gave their all despite the early setback.
“The guys really put it to the test. Conceding an early is never good, but we showed resilience. The Jamaican in us really fought, and we dug deep. We got the opportunity to win the game...we had two great chances, but that’s football—it’s cruel sometimes,” Lowe noted.
“But, it’s a two-legged tie, and we can’t beat ourselves up. It’s a quick turnaround, and we’ve been in this situation before. A year ago, we were in the same position (and turned it around against Canada), so we just have to do it again,” he ended.
Juventus and Pogba agree to terminate contract
Juventus and Paul Pogba have agreed to the mutual termination of the midfielder's contract after he was banned over a failed drugs test.
The 31-year-old will complete his suspension in March after testing positive for DHEA in September 2023, a banned substance that boosts testosterone levels.
He was initially banned for four years, only for his punishment to be reduced to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in October.
Despite that reduction, Juventus director Cristiano Giuntoli recently cast doubt on Pogba's chances of representing the Bianconeri again, and he has now been released by the club.
Pogba had a contract with Juventus to run until June 2026, but he will now train in Miami in the hope of finding a new club before his suspension ends.
"The club wishes Paul all the best for his professional future," Juventus said in a statement.
Pogba added in a statement of his own: "It has been a privilege to pull on the shirt of the Bianconeri and to share so many special moments together.
"I cherish the memories we made. They live on.
"Even in the most difficult moments over the past year, your support was crucial and I want to thank Juve fans around the world for their compassion.
"I am looking forward to the next chapter of my career and to stepping out on the pitch with my next club."
Injuries limited Pogba to just 162 minutes in five appearances across the 2022-23 season, his first campaign back in Turin after leaving Manchester United.
He then played a total of 51 minutes as a substitute before being suspended last season, reportedly agreeing to take a substantial pay cut while ineligible to represent the club.
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