Hibs boss Hughes backs Kevin McCann after latest setback

The young defender has been restricted to just two first-team starts over the past couple of years as the promising start he made to his career was brought to a shuddering halt by a serious knee injury.

Two painful courses of injections failed to cure the tendinosis afflicting his right knee, the 22-year-old finally having to undergo the surgeon's knife.

The operation, followed by months of gruelling rehabilitation work, much of it alone in the gym at Hibs' East Mains training centre, appeared to have paid off as McCann lined up for the opening match of the season against St Mirren.

But since then he's suffered a series of niggling injuries, the closest to further top-flight action since having a seat on the bench for the 2-1 win over Celtic in Glasgow at the end of January.

Today, Hughes admitted he was desperate to see McCann back on first-team duty, dismissing those who whisper that the youngster may never return as being "miles off the mark."

And, although McCann suffered a toe injury during a reserve match

with Newcastle United on Tyneside in midweek, Hughes revealed he still harbours hopes of seeing him pull on a green-and-white shirt before the season comes to an end.

He said: "I really do feel for Kevin, it's been one thing after another for him, the knee, then a hamstring and now his toe. He just needs to show great resolve to dig in and get over it."

While he accepts it is perhaps only natural that some may put a question mark over McCann's long-term future, the Hibs boss added: "Such talk is miles off the mark. Anyone saying that doesn't know what Kevin is all about.

"If it was his knee continuing to give him problems then you might worry but it's been a series of different wee things. It isn't unusual in someone coming back from a long-term injury, a hamstring, a calf and so on."

Hughes also disclosed that the wintry weather of the past two or three months hadn't helped McCann's cause, leaving him unable to arrange appropriate games to allow the player to increase his match fitness.

He said: "We went down to Newcastle looking for Kevin to give us a right good performance, unluckily he then picked up an injury to the knuckle of his toe.

"Kevin still has another year of his contract to run but this season is far from over and that window of opportunity may still arise for him to force his way into the side."