The SFA probably did Nick Montgomery a favour unplugging the microphone at Easter Road the other night.

The Hibs boss might have had a few choice words to say when Lawrence Shankland struck in stoppage time. It was a stunning finish at the end of a poor spectacle and it was a bit of a shame the punters didn’t get to hear some of the manager’s thoughts during the game. It would have been really interesting – even if I was a bit surprised Montgomery went along with it. I know Steven Naismith in the other dugout wasn’t so keen and most managers would probably have felt the same.

Good on him. He’d obviously experienced similar during his time in Australia and felt comfortable doing it here. I’m sure they will go back to the drawing board and try again but it might be a different story later in the season when the pressure is on. I shudder to think how it might have gone if some of my old Hibs gaffers were mic’d up on the touchline.

Can you imagine Bobby Williamson going out live back in the day? You’d barely hear anything apart from bleeps – mainly aimed at me! The old school managers could turn the air blue but it’s changed days now I think. But if Hibs and Sky had been successful in getting the idea up and running the other night, I can’t help but feel it would have backfired on Montgomery.

Weather forecast Scotland – The outlook for Friday and the weekend from the Met Office
It would have been fine if Hibs had won. But after a defeat he would have been wide open to all sorts of criticism from armchair fans. It would have been branded a distraction, there would have been questions about his tactics, his motivation, the lot.

Fair play for him to being willing to give it a go, but it’s probably for the best it didn’t happen. Montgomery will still get some flak after the defeat and the results have not been great of late.

But I still think the time to judge him is at the end of the season – and after he’s had at least one transfer window. There’s no doubt he needs new signings. This is still Lee Johnston’s squad and it’s well short.

I think he needs four or five quality players to get up to scratch.

There wasn’t actually much between Hibs and Hearts the other night. Shankland was the difference – and he’s the main difference between the teams right now in general.

Hibs are now eight points behind Hearts but take Shanks out of that team and they would be below my old team in the table. He’s carrying the Jambos but he’s a natural goal scorer and that is what Hibs are probably lacking right now.

Hearts’ Lawrence Shankland misses a penalty

They’ve only managed one goal in their last three games and the worrying thing for me is they have barely tested the goalkeepers in those matches. This is supposed to be an attacking side – so where is all the attacking?

Hibs get in to some decent positions but too often the final ball is lacking or the finishing is not quite right. In the second half the other night they had a couple of attempts over the bar and a shot from Dylan Vente that Zander Clark should be saving anyway.

The penalty was a huge chance but there had to be more. Listen, Hibs didn’t deserve to lose and you could argue they shaded the play. Shankland’s goal was special but the defending was poor again. Rocky Bushiri made a complete mess of a simple enough long ball and he has to do better in those situations.

It’s one of the areas Hibs will need to be looking at in the transfer window. For me, Montgomery needs a centre back, a right back, a midfielder who can tackle and dominate the ball and maybe another option in the forward areas.

And they need to be guys who can come in and hit the ground running because there is bit of a gap now in the race for third. Wednesday night was a real six pointer. Hibs could have been sitting just two behind Hearts but now they are eight back.

That’s a sizeable lead and you’d have to make them favourites to stay there for the rest of the season, even though Kilmarnock are flying right now. Montgomery should have a few of the inured boys back after the winter break but he is also going to be losing big players like Martin Boyle, Bushiri and Lewis Miller for the Asian and African Cup tournaments.

It’s going to leave them short at a vital time and that’s why recruitment is going to be so key. I’ve got no doubt Montgomery will be backed by the board. They banked £1.2m for the sale of Elias Melkersen and there could be investment on the way as well, so there will be money to spend.

The important thing is what the manager does with it. We all know he likes to play a certain way and he got a response when he first came through the door. It will be interesting to see how he gets on with his own players in the building but he needs to start picking up results and get in the fight for Europe. We might not get to hear him but Montgomery’s team need to do their talking on the pitch.

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