After an impressive third-place finish last season, Hibs looked ready to kick on this season under Jack Ross.
But things haven't worked out this term despite with the club slipping into the bottom half of the Premiership.
With the Premier Sports Cup Final just days away, chief executive Ben Kensell looks to be moving quickly to appoint a new boss before the Hampden showpiece.
The club are on the brink of completing a sensational move to appoint Belgium assistant boss Shaun Maloney.
Easter Road chiefs are in advanced talks and are pushing to make the appointment ahead of Sunday's clash with Celtic.
Record Sport runs the rule over the former Wigan, Celtic and Aston Villa forward as he looks to take on his first top job.
His record
From his playing days, Maloney brings a wealth of experience of the Scottish game having lifted eight trophies during his time at Celtic.
The Scotland cap can also has an FA Cup winner’s medal in his cabinet from his days at Wigan.
While stepping into his first managerial role, Maloney has plenty of experience at the top level of the game that was shaped by his spell at The Latics.
The former winger is currently coaching with Belgium under Roberto Martinez, the number one FIFA ranked team in the world with Belgium.
After coaching the development side at Parkhead for a year, he left to work under former Wigan boss Martinez in 2018. Since then he has played a key role in leading giant names such as Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard to the latter stages of the World Cup and Euro 2020.
While taking on his duties with the national side, fans will have spotted Maloney working as regular pundit on BBC and Sky.
He has left punters impressed with his tactical insight, and it's a certainty he will have a few things to say on how Hibs have been performing this season.
Style of play
Belgium boss Martinez is known for his possession style of play with a mind for attack, and assistant boss Maloney shares the same vision.
More specifically, Maloney has previously lauded a "position play" style of football Easter Road fans can expect to see brought in by the new boss.
Martinez implemented the style during his time in the dugout at Wigan, and Maloney has told the BBC that he immediately fell in love with it.
"When I worked with Roberto as a player, it was like a light coming on," he said.
"I knew there was a way of playing that other teams had. Now I had a manager who wanted to play that way."
Martinez has talked up the role Maloney has played in his coaching staff, claiming he has an "elite brain" for football.
The Spaniard said: “He had incredibly high standards and was someone who was ready to mature.
“Moving to Aston Villa opened up his mentality and from that point on you could see he had an elite brain.
“He’s a very important coach who can help any young player because he has real dedication. He’s someone I really admire in terms of his intelligence and the way he goes about it."
Preferred formation
With the national side, Maloney and Martinez usually opt for a formation that floods the midfield area with talent.
The 3-5-2 is commonly used by the elite group of players with Kevin Du Bruyne taking up a free role as a secondary striker.
Hibs fans have become used to Jack Ross leading an attacking trio weaving causing Premiership defenders problems, with two players anchoring the midfield.
That system allowed the full-backs Paul McGinn and Josh Doig to join the attack.
Maloney may modify the current system by using a back three with a focus on retaining possession and moving the opposition around, rather than using the wings to unlock a defence.
The right fit?
With all the attacking talent at his disposal, it seems like Maloney will be the right man to make the changes necessary to help Hibs climb the table.
There is no doubt the Belgium assistant is an ambitious and progressive appointment, and expect his style of play to match that.
Having worked closely with Martinez fans will expect a tactically aware coach with some big ideas and a clear vision of how he believes teams should play.
Maloney will aim to implement a style of play to excite the Hibs fans and that has been missing so far this season.
