John Hughes wants to force Hearts supporters into hiding for a fortnight as he prepares for his first Edinburgh derby as Hibernian manager.

As a lifelong Hibs fan, as well as a former player at Easter Road, Hughes knows just how important bragging rights are in the Scottish capital.

And with a two-week international break following Saturday's Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash, Hughes has vowed to do everything he can to ensure it is his own club's supporters who arrive at work on Monday with their heads held high.

He said: "You want to walk about for the next couple of weeks in Edinburgh with a smile on your face, being proud to wear your Hibs jersey or your t-shirt, going into your work beside one or two Hearts supporters and making sure that they're hiding from you.

"That's what it's all about; that's what makes it special; that's what makes it more than just three points.

"I'll say this to the Hibs supporters: my dressing room know that."

While playing for the Leith club, Hughes famously adopted a fire-and-brimstone approach to derby games.

But Hughes the manager is a very different animal, it would seem.

He said: "I'm quite cool, calm and collected, to tell you the truth.

"I think the game will take care of itself; it's up to us to make sure that we're training properly and not get too excited."

Indeed, Hughes believes his players' best hopes of hurting Hearts is with their superior football.

He said: "The most important thing come Saturday is we have to make sure we've got our football head on, we're cool, calm, collected, our emotions are in check, we're disciplined, but make sure we get stuck in as well."

He added: "I'll not be asking my players to go and rip the door down and getting in there, I'll be asking them to do the hardest thing in a hostile environment which is to go and control the ball and pass it to each other."

Hughes, who quit Falkirk in the summer, has managed teams at Tynecastle before and has enjoyed plenty of banter with the home fans.

But he does not believe that would be appropriate in the heat of a derby which could see second-placed Hibs open up a 14-point lead over their struggling arch-rivals.

"I think I really have to make sure my focus is on my 11 on the park and what we have to do to win the game," said Hughes.

"I think Hearts are in a false position, I think that they will be there or thereabouts where they want to be come the end of the season.

"I don't know if we have to go there and go gung-ho.

"They're at home, they have to win the football match, they maybe have to change their system to make sure that they try to score goals, which they have not done."

Hughes expects playmaker Merouane Zemmama to shake off a groin injury in time to ensure he is able to field an unchanged line-up for the fifth straight match.

He said: "He did a bit of light training today and hopefully he'll train tomorrow.

"We've no injury problems whatsoever."