Scott has shown us pathway to success

Hibs kid Porteous is using rise of Dons stopper McKenna as inspiration for both club and country

RYAN PORTEOUS admits he’s using Scot McKenna’s route to the top with club and country.

The Scotland Under-21 defender believes the Dons centre-back is the perfect example of a rags to riches footballer after being frozen out at Ayr then becoming a £7million target for Aston Villa.

Porteous had a spell on loan with League Two side Edinburgh City but has established himself with Hibs this season.

And the 19-year-old is hoping to join international defensive sidekick David Bates in being the next kids to hit the big time.

He said: “Scott has shown he has come from a couple of years ago struggling to get a game at Ayr to being one of the best centre-backs in the league and up there as one of the best in the country.

“He has shown there’s a massive chance to take there. It’s looking up at players like him and Jack Hendry.

“I look up to them and there’s no reason why there isn’t a chance for myself and David too.

“When I was younger I liked Ian Murray, James McPake.

“Then when you have been a Hibs fan a long time, you’re looking at Paul Hanlon and Lewis Stevenson who are model pros.

“They’re players who have been through the system doing exactly what I’m doing. You look at the out-and-out defenders like Nemanja Vidic and John Terry who were brilliant to watch.

“People who put their body on their line to win.”

Porteous is fast earning a reputation as a young talent with an ability to read the game but who also plays with brawn.

And he insists winning a meaty challenge is just as good as bursting the net.

He said: “It’s like a goalscoring opportunity. For defenders you don’t get the chance to score goals as much so it has always been that way for me.

“Anyone who has watched me over the last few years would say it’s definitely one of my strong points. It’s the part of the game I enjoy most and defending.

“When I did my first ever interview a couple of years ago I said that and I got sent off in the next match.

“So it’s something me and the coaching staff at Hibs have worked on quite closely.

“It’s about experience, playing games and knowing when to tackle and when to pull out of it.

“So it’s something I’ve learned, I’ve done a lot of work on it and I’m benefiting.

“Tackling is all about the timing and the parts of the pitch you do it. It’s a part of my game I don’t want to remove completely.

“That side is a good asset to have, it can lift the team and sometimes lift the crowd. A big tackle, interception or block can do that.”

The Easter Road kid will play in front of a home Edinburgh crowd against England tonight.

And although the game is being hosted at Tynecastle with our Euro qualifying hopes already ended, Porteous is convinced it’ll be a derby with the hardest of edge. He said: “Scotland games against England are quite a new thing for my generation who have only seen two or three in my lifetime. To be a part of it is a new challenge.

“It’s one I look forward to. In Toulon I enjoyed playing them but we didn’t get the win. Hopefully we can get the victory this time.

“It doesn’t matter what the competition is or if it is a friendly.

“If it’s against England we will do everything we can to win it. It’s not going to be a friendly match.

“It will be a heated game, it’s definitely not a dead rubber and we want to win it.

“There were only a couple I can remember watching as a kid.

“I was on holiday when Leigh Griffiths scored two but I did watch it. You always wanted to watch those games and to be a part of it at 21s level is just as special. It’s just like a derby.

“It’s like playing Hearts and you want to win it no matter if there’s a chance of qualifying or not. That’s what we’re setting targets on.

“It should be good. Hopefully we can get a good few thousand at the game and they cheer us on.”

Scott has shown there is a massive chance to take there for us guys RYAN PORTEOUS