JOHN HUGHES today revealed how new signing Patrick Cregg believes he's in for the long haul at Easter Road despite signing only a one-year contract.
The out-of-contract Falkirk midfielder became Hughes' first signing as he teamed up with his former manager again in Edinburgh, the Hibs boss predicting the Irish star will quickly win himself a new army of fans.
The former Arsenal kid was actuall
y offered a two-year deal by Hughes, a second season dependent on him making a certain number of appearances.
But Cregg turned it down, telling Hughes: "Come Christmas you'll be pulling me into your office wanting to tie me up again."
And that, Hughes insisted, was a measure of the "hunger and determination" burning within the former Bairns midfielder.
The Hibs boss said: "I like things to be incentive-based, I want to keep my players hungry as some get a contract and put the tools away.
"To be fair to Patrick, there was another year for him in terms of appearances made in his first season. But it was Patrick who said to give him a year because he believes that by Christmas I'll be wanting him to sign an extension, he has that hunger and determination in him."
Cregg himself was delighted to join forces with Hughes again and admitted that he can't wait to meet his new Hibs team-mates when they return for pre-season training later this week.
The player said: "I loved working with the gaffer at Falkirk, so to be joining him at a club the size of Hibernian is a great opportunity for me. I'm very excited about pre-season and can't wait to start work at the training centre this week with the rest of the boys."
And Hughes believes there's no better time for Cregg to be making the move to Easter Road, convinced the new challenge will inspire the 23-year-old to greater heights.
He said: "Look at his grounding, coming from Arsenal to Falkirk, an Irish Under-21 player. He's a fantastic football player, his ability isn't in doubt.
"He's a bundle of energy, someone with a great work ethic and a real will to win. He still has his flaws, he can head the ball better and sometimes he wants to go chasing but we just need to get him schooled the right way in terms of getting on the ball, playing his passes and dictating play.
"I'm in no doubt the stage at Easter Road will see him kick on again. I see him coming here as a natural progression.
"I also feel we are a bit short on the right side of the park. We are overloaded with 'lefties,' Paul Hanlon, Ian Murray, Lewis Stevenson, Derek Riordan, Callum Booth, Alan O'Brien and John Rankin can all play there."
Hughes made his move for Cregg even though the Dublin-born player was out of the Bairns side for a spell last season, the Hibs boss convinced the manner in which he dealt with that disappointment was telling. He said: "He picked up a wee knock and Scott Arfield got himself into right midfield and did really well. We had Kevin McBride, Arnau Riera and Patrick all seeking that sitting midfield role and he found himself out of the team.
"But I watched him very closely. I felt something of a father figure to him. He'd been away from home as a kid going to Arsenal and then Falkirk and he needed a little bit of guidance. I saw him maturing. I watched to see how he'd handle being out of the side, if he'd do it the way I wanted. He always trained very well, he sometimes overstepped the mark and there would be a little bit of fisticuffs.
"However, that was only because he wanted to do so well. We just had to pull him back in and tell him his time would come again. But that's what I want, if players are not playing I want them to be angry and feel they have something to prove. I knew Patrick was available and I was delighted to get him. The fans will see he has that fire in his belly, that determination. He won't let anyone down, he lives his life right.
"The fans will take to him because they like a guy who is up for the cause. If his only fault is that we have to pull the reins in a bit at times then what a fault to have."
The full article contains 767 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
