Hibs boss has no plans to lose head of recruitment to Rangers

Hibs head coach Paul Heckingbottom admits the Leith outfit have no intention of losing Graeme Mathie after the club’s head of recruitment was linked with Rangers.

Ross Wilson’s appointment as sporting director at Ibrox has led to suggestions that Mathie could be prised away to take on a similar role in Govan.

Heckingbottom confirmed that Kilmarnock had also recently approached the 37-year-old regarding their vacancy at Rugby Park.

However, Mathie, is thought to be in line for promotion at the Easter Road outfit after it was recently announced that head of football operations George Craig will retire at the end of the campaign.

Heckingbottom insists former Motherwell and Bournemouth player Mathie remains an integral part of the club.

Heckingbottom, whose side travel to Hamilton tomorrow, said: “Graeme has been great while I have been here. 

“I don’t pay attention to it, I’m not saying there isn truth in it.  

“There is certainly some truth in the Kilmarnock thing. Whether there is in the Rangers one, I don’t know. 

“Until things happen or there are decisions to be made, it is pointless worrying about it. 

“It’s like all the speculation you get with players. A lot of it is just talk. We will have to wait and see. 

“But Graeme loves the club and he has never once being trying to angle for a move away or anything like that. 

“If people think he is doing a good job and they approach the club. That’s a different matter.  

“But it’s not being drummed up in any shape or form for Graeme to get a benefit out of it. He loves it here. He wants to work here.”

Celtic have also been busy bolstering their backroom staff after unveiling Nick Hammond as their new head of football operations.

Heckingbottom acknowledges investment in the scouting department is vital if teams are to flourish on the pitch.

He added: “It is a bigger factor now in being successful; data, video, how accessible the world is makes the job even bigger. 

“Every club has their own approach, whether it’s data-led or video, still old scouting or a mixture of everything. 

“The best clubs, the clubs who are the most successful at it, will be the ones who have got the strategy right and their alignment right. 

“Recruiting the style of player who fits with how that club wants to play. 

“And also making good business decisions, getting control of who they sign and when. 

“Then being able to sell at the right time, which is just, if not more, important than who you sign.”