GULLAN IS FIRED UP TO GIVE HIBS A LIFT
FROM surplus to requirements to answering a goalscoring SOS, Jamie Gullan sees opportunity amid the current crisis at Hibs. If few would identify the 22-year-old as an obvious saviour for a struggling team, with even head coach Jack Ross describing Gullan as more of a wide player than out-and-out striker, the player himself believes things happen for a reason. So when his deadline-day move to Kilmarnock was called off only because the collapse of other deals had left Hibs desperately short of bodies, he didn’t take long to reset. Gullan, who has spent the majority of his career on loan to Raith Rovers, said of his Hibs career: ‘I thought it was over. But as soon as I knew it wasn’t, my head was fine. I knew it was a fresh start and I needed to show I can play in this team — because I know that I can. ‘It didn’t take long to get my head back. To play for this club means a lot and it gave me another chance to prove what I can do. ‘There were a lot of phone calls on deadline day and it was a bit mental. But the manager has told me that if I keep training the way I am, I will get games. ‘I feel I’ve shown what I can do on the training pitch and it’s now up to me to hopefully get more minutes and repay the gaffer with good performances. ‘It means everything being back amongst the team.’ Hibs desperately need someone, anyone, to give Kevin Nisbet a break, with the only fit out-andout front man in the first-team squad looking horribly out of sorts. Four straight defeats have seen Hibs drop from early-season title challengers to mid-table also-rans. They travelled north yesterday in order to prepare for today’s clash with a resurgent Ross County. ‘We’re not in the best form,’ said Gullan. ‘But it can change quickly. All it could take is a goal or a lucky bounce here and there.’ On County’s midweek demolition of Dundee, he added: ‘I don’t think many saw that coming and they’ll be full of confidence for this game but we’ll go there and be confident and, if I am called upon, I’ll give everything.’