Staying at Hibs will help me achieve my goals sooner
SAYS FLORIAN KAMBERI
TO make the deal happen, Hibernian had to push the boat out. Yet the capture of Florian Kamberi was not solely a question of money.
If it had been, the Swiss striker would have signed a contract with Sunderland instead, earning twice as much.
Yet the 23-year-old believes that his two major ambitions — to play in the English Premier League and represent Switzerland in a World Cup finals — will be realised more quickly if he plays first-team football in Scotland’s top tier rather than England’s third.
‘It was League One,’ said Kamberi of the Sunderland opportunity. ‘Even if it’s a big club I don’t want to play in a small league.
‘I want to play in the first league — and I had an opportunity to do that here with Hibs, so it was clear to me that Sunderland was not an option.
‘For me it’s not just about money. It’s important to play as much as I can, to win games and be at a good club with a good gaffer. At the moment it’s important to give a good performance in a high league to show myself — if I do that the big money comes later.’
Not everyone will think he’s made the best choice. In England, the standard of the Scottish Premiership is routinely derided as being no better than League One. And out-of-contract Hibs team-mate Dylan McGeouch has already spoken to Sunderland over a £4,000-a-week deal.
However, the Swiss frontman is confident that his decision to sign a three-year contract at Easter Road was the right one and he now wants to build on the promise of the nine goals he scored while on loan from Grasshopper of Zurich in the second half of last season.
‘My career plan is to start the season well, win as many games as possible and then, of course, longer term my dream is to play in the Premier League in England,’ he said.
‘I believe I have a better chance to achieve that dream by playing in the top league here in Scotland with Hibs — that’s a great window for me.
‘But I am not looking too far ahead. I just want to give my all for the club. If I do that the opportunities should follow. Many English clubs look to the Scottish Premiership, so it’s up to me to show my best. ‘Sunderland’s interest showed me I did some good things last season, but it’s not enough. I have to improve and give more if I want to go higher. ‘I have to work on many things but I have this confidence and mentality to work on my game and get better every day.’ A Swiss national of Albanian descent, Kamberi’s fine form for Hibs on loan raised forlorn hopes of a late call-up to the World Cup squad. Capped four times by his country’s Under-21s, he knows time is still on his side. ‘It was a dream for me to make the national team for the World Cup but I wasn’t called up and life goes on. I am not upset, I just know that I need to keep working hard to improve and hopefully when I score my goals and give good performances, one day I will be in the international team. That’s my dream.
‘That’s also a reason I didn’t want to go to Sunderland. If you are playing for a big club in a smaller league nobody cares about you for the national team.
‘They (Sunderland) are playing in England’s third league. Hibs is the perfect step for me to play in the first league, in a hard league and show myself.’
It was never a foregone conclusion that Kamberi would return to Easter Road. Already concerned by the possible loss of a raft of key players from last season such as John McGinn, McGeouch, Scott Allan and Jamie Maclaren, manager Neil Lennon impressed on the Hibs board the importance of going the extra mile to take up a £100,000 option they had on Kamberi.
The deal was touch and go at times, with the striker admitting: ‘It went down to the last few days but, for me, it was clear. I wanted to work with Neil Lennon because he makes me better every day.
‘To be around him and my team-mates and this club makes me happy. He was calling me while I was on holiday in Dubai. We spoke a lot. Hopefully now we will be successful together.’
Kamberi’s capture provided hope that Hibs can build upon last season’s impressive return to the Premiership and a fourthplaced finish amidst fears they might lose several of their key players and disappear into the chasing pack.
As the striker conceded, the loss of the club’s midfield talisman McGinn would be a huge blow in that respect.
‘John is a great player,’ he said of the Derby, Leeds and Celtic target. ‘He plays very strong balls, he is very strong physically and personally I hope he will stay here. I will be pleased and happy if he is here again another year.’
Kamberi would also love to see Australian striker Maclaren remain after the pair’s on-field bond was strengthened further by a holiday in Dubai.
‘He was with his wife and it was nice to see him. I like Jamie very much, we had a really great partnership. I scored nine, he scored eight and the partnership was good for us and the club.
‘But in the end he has to decide for himself. If you ask me if I am happy if he comes back, of course I would be.’
Despite signing for three years, superstition prevents the Swiss from trading in his No 22 shirt for the No 9.
‘I told them: “No, I want to keep my 22”. They were surprised, but the fact I scored a lot of goals last season doesn’t mean I’m a big star suddenly. It doesn’t mean anything yet.
‘I want to keep the 22 because I had a great season wearing it and it is the birthday of my father Pashk in March.
‘It was a great experience with this number. Hopefully it’s my lucky number.’