I’ll find out the Hibs team – Ross County boss John Hughes jokes with Jack Ross

Ross County boss John Hughes jokingly teased Jack Ross by saying he will know the Hibernian starting XI in advance of Saturday’s meeting in Dingwall.

The Staggies manager was brought up in Leith and has both played for and managed Hibs.

Hughes reminded Easter Road manager Ross that he has previously tapped into local connections.

He said: “I have played there, I am local boy, I know everything about the club, inside out.

“I will know Jack’s team by the time the game comes and the reason I am laughing is that when Jack played for me at Falkirk, every time we played Hibs I had their team on a Friday spot on because of the connections.

“So throw that in, that will bring a smile to Jack’s face.

“We are short of one. I don’t know if it will be (Christian) Doidge or (Kevin) Nisbet as centre forward. He might try to mix his shape up a bit.

“I am only having a laugh here, I don’t try to second guess. It is all about what my team do.”

Hughes’ side are 10th in the table with 29 points, three ahead of Hamilton and four ahead of bottom side Kilmarnock with a game in hand over the struggling Ayrshire outfit.

By contrast, Hibs are third, three points ahead of Aberdeen with a game in hand over the Dons.

But they will travel to the Highlands on the back of two defeats.

Hughes said: “They have that objective of trying to get that third spot in the league so they will be hurting, they will be dangerous.

“They have a lot of good players. We are going to be right up against it but it is one we look forward to.

“We don’t fear it, we embrace it and we are basically saying, ‘bring it on’.

“I have seen a shift of where we are in term of the mindset. There is a belief amongst the squad and all credit to them.

“It doesn’t guarantee you are going to win a football match but I can just see that shift and I am seeing the improvements.”