Former Hibs manager Lee Johnson is back in the dugout after a 19-month absence.
The Englishman spent just over a year with the Hibees and led them to 5th in the Premiership in his only full season in charge of the Easter Road side.
He was brought in to replace the sacked Shaun Maloney after David Gray – now the current permanent Hibs head coach – led the team on an interim basis.
Johnson described his stint at Hibs as a ‘rollercoaster’ ride. He won just 17 games out of 43 across the 2022/23 campaign before being sacked with the club bottom of the Premiership after three games the following season.
The former Hearts and Kilmarnock midfielder found a new role after Hibs pretty quickly as he was installed as Fleetwood Town’s new boss.
But that only lasted three months as he was given the boot just before Hogmanay after a 2-0 defeat to Bolton Wanderers.
Since then, he’s worked at Manchester City and FC Copenhagen before working as a scout in Nigeria. Now, he’s back in management and this time in Belgium.
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Lee Johnson appointed Lommel SK interim manager
Johnson has been appointed the new interim manager of Belgian second tier outfit Lommel SK on a contract until the end of the 2024/25 season.
Lommel SK haven’t enjoyed the best of campaigns and sit fourth from bottom in the Challenger Pro League.
Johnson has been tasked with turning the club’s short-term fortunes around. As quoted in Lommel SK’s official website, he said: “I am very happy to become interim head coach of this club and can’t wait to get started.
“This is a talented group of players and together with our technical staff I want to improve our performance as individuals and as a team.”
The club’s sporting director James McCarron commented: “Lee has a long career in both England and Scotland.
“He has worked at big clubs and knows the game. We are convinced that a coach of his caliber is exactly what we need right now.
“We are very grateful to Ryan Garry for temporarily taking responsibility as interim head coach and are happy to return to his role as assistant coach.
“We would also like to thank Kristof Van Hout for his commitment and passion in the role of assistant trainer. Kristof remains as an assistant coach with the first team.”
Johnson’s exit statement after leaving Hibs in 2023
Johnson was sacked by Hibs after a 3-2 home defeat to Livingston, which came after a 5-0 thumping from Premier League side Aston Villa in the Europa Conference League.
Hibs had previously negotiated their way past minnows Inter d’Escaldes and Swiss side FC Luzern in the earlier qualifying rounds, but the Aston Villa match-up was a step too far.
But ultimately, it was Johnson’s record in the league at the start of the 2023/24 season that was his downfall.
He blamed a busy fixture schedule as a reason for Hibs’ performance levels dipping. He said via the LMA in the September of that year: “The first three games of the domestic season didn’t go as planned.
“It was very disappointing given the work the players, coaching staff and I had put in to prepare the squad for an intense start to the season.
“However, there have been such small margins that have cost us and the congested fixture list left our performances a bit flat at times.
“I believe it is only matter of time before this team moves up the league and starts competing for European places. I have a lot of belief in this squad.”