David Marshall insists the Hibs squad are still getting the message from boss Nick Montgomery – even if it was a shame the punters didn’t get to hear it too.

The Scotland hero reckons it was a chance missed as the SFA scuppered Sky Sports’ plans to mic up the Hibs manager in Wednesday’s dramatic derby defeat. Hibs keeper Marshall said: “Listen, it didn’t really affect us at all. But I think it would have been nice to see it. The fans like to get close to the experience. Some people were against it, some people were for it. But it would have been good to show the league and the derby in a good light, because it’s a good spectacle with the away fans being there, which is obviously different to the Old Firm. So it would have been interesting.”

Armchair fans didn’t get to listen in but Marsh insisted the manager is coming over loud and clear with the squad despite a recent bump in the road. Hibs have lost three of their last four games and only scored one in their last three. But Marshall said: “I think we’re creating chances in the majority of games, although we’ve had a few where that hasn’t happened.

“The games we’ve lost – Hearts, the semi-final against Aberdeen – you obviously can’t lose, can’t keep losing. But there is a way of losing games.

“And it will turn. We went on a fantastic run when the manager came in. We’ve had a couple of setbacks now, which was always going to happen over the course of the season. But if we keep believing in what we’re doing, I think we’ll hit that sort of form again.

“We have to look at the bigger picture. It’s hard just now because we’ve just lost a derby and it’s all very raw. But we have to look at where we were when the manager came in – and where we are now.

“We’re in a better place. I totally believe that. And it’s the halfway point of a season where we lost our first nine points, which left us chasing it. But I think everyone can see we’re heading in the right direction.

“This is the first time the manager has lost at home, since he came in. And I think everyone can see the steps we’ve taken. We’ve also dropped a couple of points from being 2-0 up in games, so there is lots of room for improvement.

“The manager came in mid-season, he’s not had a transfer window yet, so there are a lot of things we can look at. But there is still a lot in that dressing room. I still feel we can have a successful season. Obviously it’s a hard one to take when you lose the derby, especially when the goal comes so late. I don’t know how it looked but I felt we played relatively well.”

Hibs have a break this weekend before signing off for the winter shutdown against Motherwell – with Montgomery plotting several new signings. The Hibs No.1 said: “Looking at the transfer window, it will be surprising if there aren’t ins and outs.

“That’s probably the same as every other club – but we need to get back to winning ways. We’ve got a chance to do that against Motherwell and go into the break on a high.”

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