If Mixu Paatelainen can transform a team to this extent after just two training sessions, who knows how good Hibs will be against Hearts on Saturday after a full week's preparation.
Dire, characterless and dispassionate against St Mirren last Saturday, the Edinburgh team attacked Inverness from the start with verve, spirit and hunger. "Mixu Paatelainen, what a f****** signin',"
rang out from the stands as supporters saw their team perform for the first time in about three months.
The Finn's first team selection was bold and adventurous, a 4-2-3-1 line-up with the flair of Merouane Zemmama, Filipe Morais and, most effectively, Dean Shiels supporting Abdessalam Benjelloun. Four talented but inconsistent attacking players, seemingly not totally trusted by the former manager, John Collins, with just 26 starts between them in all competitions beforehand this season. Shiels, with just three starts, had particular motivation to try to impress his new boss. A hat trick is a decent way to make a memorable first impression.
"I know Dean Shiels' ability," said Paatelainen. "I've seen him many times for the first team and I've seen him in reserve games and his attitude has been fantastic. He hasn't played much recently, so I thought I'd give him a chance, and he certainly used it."
The Northern Irishman, who admitted he would have probably left the club had Collins stayed, scored his first after just four minutes, gliding past right-back Ross Tokely and curling the ball in with his right foot. With Hibs' defence still creaking a little, Inverness were still in the game until eight minutes into the second half, when Shiels nutmegged Phil McGuire on the edge of the area and again finished calmly. His third was a late tap-in after a Morais shot bounced off a post and landed at his feet.
In between, Zemmama in particular tormented visiting defenders with his dribbling and though Paatelainen will not be entirely satisfied with Benjelloun, who usually tried to do too much, or Morais, who spoiled a decent display by being sent off with McGuire for a stupid clash late on, the new manager knows he has plenty of talent available.
Shiels' skill has never been in doubt, just his ability consistently to deliver. Collins clearly didn't think he could, while the former Arsenal youngster has also suffered by managers not being sure of his best position. "Dean's been desperate for his chance," said his team-mate, Brian Kerr, "and it just shows what a good player he is: when he gets the chance he produces the goods for the team.
"I think he found an area today that was perfect for him, not quite up front, not quite midfield, just in the hole, and he found a lot of space."
Kerr said the players had been hugely impressed by their brief acquaintance with the new manager: "He's worked as hard as he could and done as much as possible in two days. He's tried to cram a week into two days. He's selected the right players in the right areas and it worked perfectly.
"When a new manager comes in, I think everybody's out to impress and keep their places or get in the team and it was a fantastic performance and hopefully we can keep it up. It looks as if everybody's a new signing, everybody's got to prove themselves and the next month's vital."
That starts with the trip to Tynecastle to face a Hearts team still without a manager and in need of something like the Paatelainen effect. Unfortunately for them, this one's taken.
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