THE TOP DOIG!
Hibs skipper backs young Josh to hit the heights
PACE, confidence, poise and, now, a first senior goal. Week by week, Josh Doig is showing he has all the attributes to go and add his name to Scotland’s extraordinary abundance of gifted left-backs.
There is still a bundle of work to do, of course. While 19 Premiership starts provide a hugely promising sample of his talent, the 18-year-old is still absorbing knowledge every time he plays. The path to progression for any teenage player is rarely entirely straightforward.
But make no mistake, Hibernian have a serious prospect on their hands. That’s obvious.
Chelsea and Arsenal are among the major English clubs to have already taken notice. As with fellow left-back Aaron Hickey at Hearts last year, you would be surprised if too many more of his birthday cakes were bought in the capital.
For now, though, Doig is in the right place to continue growing. Positive vibes abound at Easter Road. A fourth straight win — sealed by the youngster’s secondhalf header — maintained a grip on third place for Jack Ross’s side. These are happy times in Leith and Doig is benefiting.
Clearly, the ultimate aim for any young Scottish left-back is to one day reach the elite level of Andy Robertson and Kieran Tierney.
Only time will tell whether Doig can do so. Development and opportunity have to coincide.
But when it comes to owning the necessary raw materials for success, Hibs captain Paul Hanlon sees all Doig needs to build an excellent career.
‘Josh has a massive future in the game,’ insisted Hanlon. ‘You look at everything he has. His pace, his physicality and his size for his age is brilliant.
‘In terms of having the base to work from — and in terms of the physical attributes you really need in the modern-day game — he’s really got it all. Some of the speed he picks up in games is frightening.
‘That’s a great starting block for his career and he will just keep learning from games.
‘He is in a good place, working under good staff, a good manager and in a good squad. Hopefully he keeps progressing the way he is just now.
‘Josh is a hard worker. He is honest. He’s got the right attitude so it’s really just about keeping on at him and making sure he keeps his standards high.
‘There will be dips and that’s when boys like me need to look after him. But so far there haven’t been many of them.’
With Hibs again set out in a 3-4-1-2 shape, Doig operated as a wing-back as they saw off a spirited showing from ten-man Hamilton.
‘I like to help him out but it’s not as if I am nursing him through games — far from it,’ said Hanlon, who operated just infield as the left-sided centre-back.
‘There are wee tweaks here and there in terms of things I’d like him to do differently in certain situations but that’s just about learning from games. They are the mistakes I made every week as well.
‘It’s good that he has a squad of boys willing to help him as well as having all the confidence and attributes that are needed to be successful.’
Hanlon won his first Scotland cap against the Czech Republic last October after both Robertson and Tierney were ruled out of the squad. Asked about Doig and
Hickey being the new generation on an incredible production line of left-back talent, the 31-year-old laughed: ‘I don’t know how I managed to get on for Scotland at wing-back.
‘There seems to be plenty of left-backs coming through at the minute. Josh has been involved with the Scotland Under-19s and I’m sure he will progress from there if he keeps going the way he is going.
‘It helps that we are at the top end of the table trying to make this a successful season for the club. It stands him in good stead to be dealing with pressures like this as well.’
Finishing third is now certainly within Hibs’ grasp. They started sluggishly at the weekend but the match pivoted on a 12th minute red card for the other 18-year-old on show, Accies centre-back Jamie Hamilton. A rash challenge on
Martin Boyle earned a fourth dismissal of the youngster’s short career, but the visitors were aggrieved.
Accies boss Brian Rice claimed referee Craig Napier was going to show a yellow card before advice from the sideline, presumably assistant Graeme Stewart. Even Ross admitted being surprised by the colour of the card.
‘I felt he came in fast but I haven’t watched it back again,’ added Hanlon. ‘It was more the speed of the tackle that made it look like a sending-off to me.’
Accies had started brightly — with Scott McMann drawing a save from Ofir Marciano — but were punished further within a minute of being depleted. The free-kick eventually found its way to Boyle on the left side of the area and he delivered a lovely, curling finish that bounced beyond Ryan Fulton at his far post.
The Hamilton keeper then made a fine block from Doig before doing even better to repel Boyle’s 33rd-minute penalty.
It had been awarded for a foul on Christian Doidge by David Moyo — introduced after an injury to Marios Ogkmpoe added to the visitors’ woes.
Fulton made further good saves from Chris Cadden and Darren McGregor before Hibs finally made the game safe on 70 minutes. Boyle’s dinked cross took a little deflection and Doig had a simple task to head in his first goal for the Easter Road club.
‘He had a few shots in the first half and said at the break: “I don’t know when I am going to score”,’ smiled Hanlon.
‘Then he got his goal in the second half so I am very pleased for him. It’s no more than his performances deserve. He’s really been great since he has come into the team.’
HIBERNIAN (3-4-1-2): Marciano 7; McGinn 6, McGregor 7, Hanlon 6; Cadden 7, Irvine 7, Newell 6 (Gogic 84), Doig 8 (Stevenson 84); Murphy 6 (Nisbet 64); Boyle 8, Doidge 6 (Allan 75). Subs not used: Macey, Gray, Porteous, Wright, Hallberg. Booked: McGregor. HAMILTON (3-4-1-2): Fulton 8; Hamilton 3, Odoffin 7, Easton 6; Hodson 6, Martin 6 (Smith 78), Trafford 6 (Hughes 75), McMann 6; Callachan 6; Anderson 6 (Mimnaugh 75), Ogkmpoe 4 (Moyo 23). Subs not used: Gourlay, Stirling, Want, Winter, Munro. Booked: Easton. Sent off: Hamilton. Man of the match: Josh Doig. Referee: Craig Napier.