Paul Heckingbottom not considering Hibernian future

Edinburgh derby win eases pressure on Hearts manager Craig Levein but piles it on Hibs counterpart

By Blake Welton

Paul Heckingbottom insists he is not considering his future as Hibernian boss, despite a 2-1 defeat at home to Hearts

Paul Heckingbottom insists he is not considering his future as Hibernian boss, despite a 2-1 defeat at home to Hearts piling the pressure on at Easter Road.

Aaron Hickey's 84th-minute strike gave Hearts bragging rights in the Edinburgh derby and saw the side leapfrog Hibs in the table.

The defeat now means Hibs are winless in the league since the opening day of the season and sit second bottom of the Scottish Premiership table.

And despite boos from the home support greeting the full-time whistle, as well as protests outside the ground, Heckingbottom says it is still a case of business as usual for him.

On being asked if he feared for his job, Heckingbottom told Sky Sports News: "You're asking the wrong man, I'm just going to carry on as normal and not even considering that.

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"If I start thinking about that and making decisions based on trying to save myself then I'm doing the wrong thing.

"I have to push the players and today they know I'm not happy with them - I should be stood here talking about a fantastic goal and some big performances from some players but I'm not."

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Last season the 42-year-old lifted the side from eighth to a fifth-place after replacing Neil Lennon as boss in February.

However, Hibs form tailed off, failing to win any of their final five matches with that run of poor results running into this campaign.

'Pressure was quite telling'

Hearts manager Craig Levein says he's optimistic about the future

In contrast, Sunday's win for Hearts relieves the pressure on their manager Craig Levein, who felt the significance of the occasion was telling for both sides.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Levein said: "I felt the pressure match was quite telling, I must compliment the players I thought we played well today.

"We didn't look nervous and I thought when we got the ball on the ground and passed it we looked the better side.

"If we hadn't come away with a victory I would have been bitterly disappointed.

"But all credit to the boys we kept battling away and they deserved the victory, and more importantly our supporters deserved the victory."

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