HELLO & DUBAI
HIBS FALSE SOCCEROOS START I paid a fortune to fly my family out for Oz games and came home crocked before they got there says Hibs star Martin
MARTIN BOYLE was at the Corn Exchange to promote Caledonian Heating & Plumbing’s sponsorship of Hibs’ Player of the Year.
The awards night is at the Edinburgh venue on Sunday, April 28.
Tickets cost £99 from www.eticketing.co.uk/ hibernianfc or call 0844 844 1875/0131 656 7077. MARTIN BOYLE has revealed his heartbreak over flying his family to Dubai to watch him play for Australia – only to end up travelling back in the other direction because of injury.
Disaster struck for the Hibs winger, 25, during preparations for the Asian Cup in January.
Boyle – who scored twice on his first start in a 3-0 win over Lebanon – suffered an injury to his knee during a 5-0 warm-up win over Oman.
He had to withdraw from the tournament and endure a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
And as Boyle was heading home to start his rehabilitation in Edinburgh, his family were flying to the Middle East.
Boyle admits he shared an emotional phone call with his father Graeme – who was born in Sydney – as he broke the devastating news.
And he said: “I had booked for seven of my family members to BY ANTHONY HAGGERTY go to Dubai and paid for it all, there was a hole in my pocket!
“As I was flying home injured my family were flying over to Dubai as they couldn’t cancel.
“I was lying on the physio’s table and was forced to pull out of the squad because they couldn’t risk doing more damage. It was really upsetting.
“I had to phone my dad to tell him and he got very upset and didn’t want to go.
“It was weird how it all happened – I turned quickly and heard a little crunch.
“I could run in a straight line but twisting and turning was the problem and it felt awkward.
“We got the knee scanned and didn’t realise it was so serious. I then had to see a specialist because it was getting worse.
“It was a lonely flight home although I got upgraded to first class because people were feeling sorry for me. While I was lying on an operating table my family were in Dubai watching Australia when I wasn’t even playing.
“I reassured them it was not often they would get to see such a nice place and I told them there was no point in wasting such a good trip.
“They were there for 10 days and sent all sorts of photos back which was kind of them!”
Despite having only featured in friendlies for Australia, Boyle won’t be tempted turn his back on Graham Arnold’s men to pull on the dark blue of Scotland.
He said: “I’m 100 per cent committed to Australia, given the faith they have shown in me.
“With everything that has happened and the games I’ve played I’ve been accepted into the Socceroo family!
“I’ll be keeping an eye out for Scotland’s results but I’m a Socceroo now and that’s the way it will stay.”
Boyle is now on the mend although he hasn’t pencilled in a date for his return.
He can’t wait to force his way back into Paul Heckingbottom’s first team and play alongside Hibs hitman Marc McNulty.
Boyle is thrilled for McNulty after Alex McLeish named him in the Scotland squad to face Kazakhstan and San Marino in the Euro 2020 qualifiers later this month.
And Boyle hopes family ties can help Hibs hang on to the on-loan Reading striker and nail him down on a permanent deal – especially if his weekly ticket requests are anything to go by.
He said: “Marc has done brilliantly and I’m delighted for him. He found out about Scotland on Tuesday when he came off the training ground and he was buzzing.
“Marc has a high pedigree of scoring goals. He has come here to get game time and has done that. He is someone I would love to play alongside. Hopefully the clubs can speak if they’re interested in keeping him longer. His family are in Edinburgh, he asks for about 400 tickets for every game!
“I’m sure his family will be trying to convince him to stay. They are always here supporting him and that’s part of the reason he was so keen to come to Hibs in the first place.
“He was surprised with the Scotland call-up but we all told him it wasn’t a surprise because he was flying. Hopefully the call-up won’t change him!”
MARTIN BOYLE