Steve Kean's Hibs vision, Tommy Burns' influence and tackling Scottish football DNA to create a positive future path for kids at East Mains

Steve Kean doesn’t need to look far to be reminded of the responsibility he shoulders at Hibs.Appointed Academy Director back in November, the Scot has spoken about his desire to make the club’s player pathway the best in the country, well aware of the benefits associated with providing a conveyor belt of young talent.

“This club has always brought through a lot of their own players and what is interesting for me now is that several of those players now have sons coming through the academy. It’s not just Josh O’Connor.

“Fans love to have that connection. They love to see academy players coming through and, especially when is the son of a famous former favourite.”

Garry O’Connor is recognised as one of the youth system’s success stories, having worked his way through to the first team, where he netted 58 goals and helped them into Europe before agreeing a lucrative transfer to Lokomotiv Moscow. That transfer fee helped fund the construction of the club’s East Mains training centre.

There were others who broke into the first team and made their mark before moving on and there is the hope that history can repeat itself, as Steven Whittaker, Scott Brown and Kevin Thomson’s kids continue to progress through the age levels.

“Remember, I have spent a lot of time in England, 10 years coaching in the Championship, 10 years coaching at clubs in the Premier League, and when you have the resources they have you can go and buy a ready-made player, which it is usually easier than waiting for boys coming through but there are times when you have to budget - at the likes of Blackburn when we had to bring the wage bill rate down - and all of a sudden there were opportunities for those who were ready and they were given the chance to come