Football” Mariners coach Nick Montgomery set for move to Hibs
A-League championship-winning coach Nick Montgomery has reportedly agreed to terms to take charge of Scottish Premiership club Hibernian.
The news comes as another A-League title-winning mentor, former Melbourne Victory boss Kevin Muscat, has been linked to the Rangers manager’s job occupied by Michael Beale.
However, unlike the Rangers gig, the Hibs job is vacant following the sacking of Lee Johnson.
Socceroos coach Graham Arnold last week revealed he turned down the chance to replace Johnson, with Central Coast Mariners boss Montgomery now seemingly set to take over at the Edinburgh-based club.
The Daily Record has reported that Hibs will pay the Mariners $100,000 to activate the release clause in Montgomery’s contract, and the former Scotland under-21 international, who defied the odds to guide the unfancied Mariners to last season’s A-League title, has agreed to become the club’ new manager.
It was also reported that Montgomery will take his current Mariners assistant coach, Sergio Raimundo, with him to Hibs, whose squad includes Socceroos pair Martin Boyle and Jimmy Jeggo and Australian under-23 representative and former Central Coast defender Lewis Miller.
“You obviously hear the whispers around and you see social media,” Boyle said from Socceroos camp in America ahead of Sunday’ clash against Mexico in Dallas.
“Whoever is appointed to the job, I’m sure they’ll do a great job and they’ll take it very seriously.”
A Mariners spokesman said there was “nothing at the moment” when asked if Montgomery was leaving the club.
Socceroos great Robbie Slater said moving to Hibs would be “fantastic” for Montgomery.
“He’s done an unbelievable job at the Mariners and this is the next step for him, to coach professionally in Europe,” Slater said.
While the Montgomery move seems all but certain to happen, Muscat is reported to be on a shortlist of contenders – who include Jesse Marsch, Marcelo Bielsa and Ralph Hassenhuttl – to replace Rangers manager Beale, who is under mounting pressure to retain his job after his side’s 1-0 weekend home loss to Scottish champions Celtic.
A former Socceroos and Rangers defender, Muscat guided Yokohama F. Marinos to last year’s Japanese top-flight championship.
Marinos, who were previously coached by Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, are also in strong contention to defend their title as they trail first-placed Vissel Kobe by just two points despite back-to-back losses.
“‘Musky’ would be a perfect fit for Rangers,” Slater said.
