OFF THE LEASH
Irvine’s Hibs deal is his reward for dogged determination
FROM dodging dogs in the public parks of Hull to tangling with the midfield terriers of Scotland’s famously barking elite division, Jackson Irvine definitely considers his new footballing environment to be a step up in class.
And the Australian international certainly covered plenty of the Easter Road pitch in Saturday’s handsome 2-0 home win for Hibernian. Which is only to be expected of a man looking to make up almost a year’s worth of lost ground.
In ten frustrating months between competitive fixtures, Irvine had endured a steady diet of drudgery interspersed by disappointments.
The inability to find a new club following his summer release by Hull City, the grim solo training sessions occasionally enlivened by a surprise canine ambush, even his fruitless attempt to escape lockdown by flying home at precisely the wrong moment… it all reads like a particularly bleak sort of black comedy.
The 27-year-old (right), looking to make the most of a short-term contract at Hibs, can at least laugh at his own tales of mishap and misfortune.
Grinning from ear to ear, Irvine explained just how homespun his daily routine had become once he no longer had access to a state-of-theart training centre.
‘I was training in parks in Hull; Labradors coming and taking your ball away when you’re trying to do a drill,’ he revealed.
‘Honestly, there were times when I was thinking: “Two years ago I was playing in a World Cup. Now I’m in a public park, on my own, doing running…”. ‘I had some great support from the national team on the strength and conditioning and sports science side of things. They were giving me programmes and things to do on my own. ‘In December I went in to train with Oldham, where Harry Kewell is manager. So a huge thank you to the staff and players there. But there was a lot of training in parks on my own. It was incredibly frustrating. ‘Now that I am signed and playing again, I can reflect on it as probably the most challenging time I will face in my career — especially not being able to see family and friends at a time you’re out of the game. It emphasises how much I’m hoping to make up for lost time. ‘It’s been a complicated time for the whole world and football’s no different. It was frustrating and difficult for me. ‘But, in the grand scheme of things, people are facing a lot worse situations than not being able to find a football club.
‘Football is funny, how things can turn for you. I’m so grateful to be back at a great club, competing at the top end of the table, looking to win trophies and get into Europe.’
Early on in his life as a free agent, Irvine actually did fly back to Australia. Well, when he set off, the country had managed to become Covid-free. Eight days into his two-week quarantine at an airport hotel, though, the Aussies detected some new cases — and immediately locked down.
‘So I basically flew to Australia to spend four weeks in my mum’s house,’ said Irvine, shaking his head at his own misfortune.
‘I couldn’t even go out and see anybody. She was happy to have me to herself — for a little while.
‘Listen, it’s been difficult for me but it’s not even remotely close to how difficult this time has been for other people. You’ve got to keep that perspective.’
That hasn’t been a problem for Irvine, whose partner Jemilla — a firefighter here in the UK — provided him with both a reason to return from Oz and to avoid moaning too much about not being able to play football.
‘I’m like, yeah, I’ve had a hard day running in the dog park,’ he said. ‘She’s coming home from doing what she does — and there’s no question about the perspective there, it’s definitely an eye opener.’
Still, the ex-Celtic prospect was grateful for Kewell providing him with training facilities, revealing: ‘The last time I’d met Harry, I think I was about 11. I was a fan at a game wanting his autograph. I was a bit starstruck when I went into training with him. Harry’s like our Beckham, isn’t he?
‘He’s been fantastic, letting me get those sessions in. It definitely put me in a better position as it would have taken three weeks of training here before I could play.’
Irvine didn’t stand out in Saturday’s game with Kilmarnock, a club where he’d previous spent a season on loan. All things considered, the fact that he went mostly unnoticed after so long out of the game is probably a very good sign.
Speaking after a match where an Alan Power own goal and a sumptuous Alex Gogic strike — no, really — had given the home side all three points, the former Ross County player joked: ‘I was saying to the guys: “What minute do you think I first looked at the clock?”. I think it was about six!’ Irvine will spend this week trying to recover sufficiently to feature in Saturday’s Betfred Cup semi-final against St Johnstone at Hampden.
He was, of course, part of the County side who beat Hibs in the 2016 League Cup final. A subject he’s not likely to raise with the few survivors of that encounter.
With typically quick Aussie wit, though, he quipped: ‘Maybe winning that game gave Hibs the spark to go and win the Scottish Cup that season. I don’t know if you can justify it that way…’
If the football doesn’t work out, a career in the Australian Diplomatic Service awaits.