Lee Johnson blasted the rule that saw him serve a one match ban for an offence he never committed as his side slumped to a 3-1 defeat to Motherwell.
The Hibs boss had to watch on from the stands and was unable to address his side in the dressing room after a booking at Celtic Park last week took him over the threshold. Johnson was cautioned after a member of his staff threw a ball on at Parkhead to break up play and with nobody holding their hand up the manager has to take responsibility.
But the Easter Road chief - who also pleaded innocence over the “easy” comments that angered Ange Postecoglou this week - said: “I couldn’t get into the dressing room. I don’t like it, it’s a stupid rule. If I’ve done something book me. If my staff do something book them. You can’t murder somebody then someone else gets done for murder. It doesn’t make sense.
“But we were really poor today. I didn't see it coming. We didn't start well at all; technically or physically. We didn't look like us, we didn't turn the opposition at all. Balls that went into centre-forwards were lost quickly and allowed Motherwell to build up a head of steam and it's a really, really frustrating one. I did all I could in terms of personnel and shape changes in a bid to get us a foothold but you've got to give Motherwell credit for their performance but I really did feel that there was an opportunity there and it's a massive opportunity missed given the other results - even though we can't expect other results to look after us.
"We have to look after our own performances and build our performances. It's just an inept technical and tactical performance. We finished eighth last year and we need to improve on that. Seventh would be an improvement but we need to make sure, pre-split, that we're in the top six, and then we need to make sure we compete for Europe.
"There are enough games left that it's not just about results. We've got to perform well and build the performance. Watching that today, I didn't see our identity. I was up there, with the fans, getting a bird's eye view and frustrated I can't influence it from down below.
"But I just didn't see enough from us, from individuals or as a team. I don't want to put it on the players because I still believe in them but it makes it difficult to pick an XI for the next game."
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