Jack Ross admitted his frustration at not being able to bring Jamie McGrath to Hibernian on deadline day.
The St Mirren midfielder was reportedly a target for the Easter Road club and it was also said that Scott Allan and Drey Wright were to move in the opposite direction to Paisley in the deal.
However, Hibs ran out of time and the window closed with all three players remaining at their respective clubs.
Boss Ross told Sky Sports Scotland: “I felt I was consistent about the areas of the squad we felt we needed to strengthen.
“The one area, middle to front, we weren’t able to do.
“I think when the window closes it is not appropriate to talk about other club’s players, it’s only fitting if they become part of my squad.
“From the football side we continually try and identify really good players, and try and bring them to the club.
“I think we tried very hard to do that, disappointing and a little bit of frustration in that respect but I’ve still got enormous faith in the group we have managed to put together.
“And I think they have shown why I have that trust in them, if you like by what they have produced over the last year and a half.”
Asked if Hibs could and should have done more to make the McGrath deal happen, Ross replied: “I think we tried very hard to do that.
“There is a little bit of frustration around it but what I would say to temper it is that we have been really patient in our recruitment.
“It is very easy to sign players for the sake of it and add numbers to the squad but we continually work to make sure when we bring players in it is to strengthen the group and I think we have recruited successfully in recent times.
“I think that is shown by the number of sellable assets within the group and that has changed markedly over the last season and a half.”
Ross insists there are no issues with Allan and Wright.
He said: “I can understand the perception from the outside but I deal with problems every single day as a manager.
“You deal with players’ issues, happiness, complaints, disagreements with your decision making.
“It’s OK in that respect, I’m used to dealing with it and as long as you offer them an insight to your thought processes and understand where they are at any given point, then I think you are in an OK place.”
