D-DAY TALK WAS JUST NONSENSE
NEIL LENNON rates him at £5million but John McGinn wouldn’t give tuppence for the tosh he heard on transfer deadline day.
The shrewdest piece of business Hibs may have done all summer is put a valuation on the Scotland midfielder’s head interested clubs have yet to meet.
McGinn was hugely influential in the 1-1 draw at McDiarmid Park as only sloppy striking cost Lennon’s side the chance to end the unbeaten start to the season for Saints.
And he later revealed he’s happy where he is after being told on tour with Scotland he was heading out the Easter Road door – to Ibrox or even Tynecastle.
McGinn said: “I was travelling in the morning on deadline day and people were telling me all sorts. Someone had me signing for Rangers, others had me at Hearts for a medical.
“There was all manner of nonsense going on. I was the butt of jokes from the Scotland boys but they are all used to it and they know what goes on.
“I was pretty relaxed. I knew Hibs had a valuation of me and I fully respect that. No club met it and I’m still a Hibs player – and delighted still to be a Hibs player.
“I get stronger and better with every game I play for this club and I want that to continue.
“There has always been a lot of talk about my future but it is out of my hands and I dealt with it fine. I just concentrated on training.
“I knew I was still going to be a Hibs player going into the last day. I’m settled, happy at Hibs. It’s a quality football club and I’m getting better all the time.
“It was nice to hear the manager put that valuation on my head but I just want to focus on improving, playing with good players and learning from good coaches. Long may that continue.”
McGinn, 22, is adapting well to the top flight of the Scottish game he first got to know as a teenager at St Mirren but he’s a marked man these days.
His powerful runs from midfield are a menace to opposition defences – three St Johnstone players were booked for hauling him to the ground at McDiarmid.
He added: “I struggled a bit in the last couple of games with the close attention. But if you want to get better that is what you need to get used to.
“St Johnstone are very good but I felt strong, fit and fast. I’ll be prepared if anything like that comes my way again.”
Hibs haven’t won since their thrilling and controversial victory at Ibrox last month but McGinn isn’t panicked after draws against Saints and Dundee and a home defeat by Hamilton.
He said: “We just need to start putting the ball in the net. Our final ball has been lacking a little bit. Against Dundee we had a few clearcut chances but against Saints we made the wrong decisions at times in the final third.
“The gaffer was disappointed with the front four. They caused St Johnstone problems but it’s an end product we need and we know they are capable.
“Martin Boyle is one of the quickest players in the division and Brandon Barker has a lot of skill. We just need to feed them the ball and let them make things happen.
“But we’d rather that was happening than playing poorly and losing. We were thoroughly disappointed not to win. Hopefully we can put that right against Motherwell on Saturday.”