Will Hibs be stronger next season.

Pat Fenlon is beginning to show his hand on how he is planning to re-shape the Hibs side for next season.

He has already signing up defenders James McPake, this time on a full time contract rather than on loan fromCoventry, and Time Clancy from Motherwell. In midfield he has snapped up Paul Cairney from Partick Thistle.

This morning he his reported to be giving trials to Mark Kerr who spent part of last season on loan at Dunfermline and Alan Maybury formerly of Hearts, amongst others.

While the re-signing of McPake looks an astute signing, I am not sure if any of the rest are any improvement on what he had last season. Clancy ended up playing regularly for Motherwell by chance thanks to injury and suspension. While he gave 100% every game there were always doubts about his temperament.

Kerr has struggled to find the form he showed early in his career withAberdeenand Dundee Utd. He made a moved toGreecebefore returning toEast EndParkfor the second half of last season, but he failed to make a real impression as the Pars finished bottom.

Maybury is similar to Kerr, making a real impression at Hearts and winning a move toLeicesterbut has struggled to reach the same heights since leaving the Foxes. He spent the last two years at St. Johnstone, but rejected their latest offer and is on the look out for a new club.

If I was a Hibs fan I would already be concerned if this is the type of player Fenlon is looking at, as they don’t appear to be any better than the side that struggled last season. It may be this is all they can afford in these trouble times but they wouldn’t have my pulse racing.

He still has to sort out his goalkeeping problems, not having any experience keeper signed up as yet. Mark Brown is still swithering over a return with Fenlon still looking for another keeper.

There could still be trouble ahead for Hibs this season….