Glass: Hibs an unknown quantity following Maloney appointment

Stephen Glass has noted the contrast in emotions at Hibernian in recent days but is focused only on continuing Aberdeen’s good run of form.

Shaun Maloney was appointed as successor to Jack Ross on Monday, the day after Hibs lost the Premier Sports Cup final to Celtic at Hampden Park with caretaker manager David Gray in charge.

The former Celtic and Scotland attacker joined the Leith club from the Belgium national team, where he was assistant to Roberto Martinez, and his first job will be trying to prevent the Dons making it four successive cinch Premiership wins which would take then above Dundee United and into fifth place.

Ahead of the trip to Easter Road, Dons boss Glass said: “We knew that Hibs would be coming off the back of a big win in a cup final or a disappointment.

“It is the disappointment they have faced, but they have got a new manager in.

“I know that he was a tremendous player, a very good career, an international footballer and I know he has been working with one of the best recently, that is far as it goes.

“I also know that it is a different kettle of fish when you stand in front of a team and it is your team and you are responsible, but that is the challenge that he has taken on at a very good club.

“The one thing is it will be slightly less predictable, the fact that Shaun and Gary (Caldwell, assistant), you don’t know how they are going to tackle it.

“What I do know is they have had limited time to put any idea into the players.

“They have a choice, do they stay with what they have got and try to tweak it a touch or go all out and change things and hope that they get the understanding correct.

“That’s why I think it is important that we concentrate on us.

“I think we have been particularly good at that at tough away venues and, if we can do what we do well, I think we will dictate how the game goes but again performance level on the night dictates that.

“It is always a big game when Aberdeen play Hibs and we are looking forward to and we are looking of course to keep the momentum going.”