Collins confirmed as Hibs manager

Hibs chairman Rod Petrie said Collins had "drive and ambition"

Former Scotland midfielder John Collins has been named Hibernian manager with Tommy Craig his Easter Road assistant.

Collins, 38, has signed a three-year deal for his first management job since his retirement as a player in 2003.

He said of Craig: "Tommy was my first coach at Hibs when I was a kid and guided me in the right direction before I followed him to Celtic."

Mark Proctor, who took over temporarily after Tony Mowbray's move to West Brom, retains a place in the backroom team.

Collins delighted to be back at Hibernian

Collins has vowed to continue the work carried out by former Celtic team-mate Mowbray and has been impressed with the progress shown by Hibs in recent seasons.

He added: "It is a great pleasure to be here. It is where it all started for me as a player and I look forward to starting my management career here.

"We have a good group of young players, a good stadium and the supporters have come back in their numbers in the last few years.

"I am following a good manager, who has done a terrific job, and, hopefully, I can take the club forward."

Hibs is where it all started for me as a player and I look forward to starting my managerial career here John Collins

Hibs chairman Rod Petrie told the Edinburgh club's official website: "John is a man with talent, ambition, drive and determination."

Petrie said Collins was the perfect role model for the Hibs players and revealed that he had turned down a number of opportunities to become an assistant boss.

"John has spent three years preparing for today. He has all the technical qualifications, including a Uefa Pro Licence, which means he could be considered for any job in Europe."

Petrie added: "John decided that he wanted to be a manager in his own right and turned down a number of opportunities to become a coaching assistant.

"He has the ambition and character to be a top manager. We have a talented group of players and a tremendous infrastructure at the club. John joins us at an exciting time."