Sauzee's brief tenure saw a long winless run in the SPL and domestic cup defeats by Rangers and Ayr United.
[3] Kilmarnock manager Bobby Williamson was hired as Sauzee's replacement, and a brief winning run averted any danger of relegation.
Earlier in the season, Hibs had been knocked out of the UEFA Cup in the first round by AEK Athens, but only after a dramatic second leg at Easter Road that went to extra time.
Hibs began the 2001–02 league season in reasonable form, winning convincingly against Dunfermline Athletic and St Johnstone on successive Sundays in September.
A poor run of one win in nine followed their elimination from the UEFA Cup, however, leaving Hibs in eighth place in the 12 team SPL.
[4] Nonetheless, manager Alex McLeish, who had guided Hibs to promotion back to the top flight in 1998–99, third place in 2000–01 and the 2001 Scottish Cup Final, was linked with the Rangers job when it was indicated that the incumbent, Dick Advocaat, would be moved to another role within that club.
[9] The match reporter writing in The Observer reckoned that this was a sarcastic criticism of the Hibs board's decisions in hiring and then so quickly firing Sauzee.
Having finished third in the previous season's Scottish Premier League, Hibs entered the UEFA Cup at the first round stage.
[13] The match reporter for The Scotsman observed that:[13] the minute’s silence before kick-off in memory of those murdered in the recent terrorist atrocities was sabotaged by those wild incumbents of the notorious skepasti - "the covered ones" - end of the stadium, who whistled and jeered throughout, and then burnt the stars and stripes for good measure.Hibs appeared to miss the "calming influence" of Franck Sauzee, who had been injured in the preceding league match.
[14] Hibs then had a great chance to win the tie in the last minute of normal time, but Luna headed wide from a de la Cruz cross.
Hibs broke their transfer record during the 2001 close season with the purchase of Ecuadorian international player Ulises de la Cruz, paying £700,000 for his services.