Hanlon has hunger for more caps after first taste of action
Paul Hanlon has finally got his foot in the door and, like several of his Hibs colleagues, he is hoping that performances over the next few weeks will see him safely over the threshold for upcoming Scotland squads.
S e nt on wit h 1 1 minutes r e maini n g a g a i n s t Cz e c h Republic on Wednesday night, the Hibs defender - who had been called into the squad at the last minute - helped Scotand hold on to their 1- 0 lead to go top of their Nations League group and extend the squad’s unbeaten run to eight games.
“I was delighted to get the call- up and join up with the boys, first and foremost, but to get on the pitch was amazing,” said Hanlon as Hibs prepared to return to league duty today with a trip to Ross County.
“It’s something I’ve worked hard towards for a long time - to get in a squad and win my first cap - so I’m delighted to finally do it. It was right up there with my career highlights. I played a number of games with the 19s and 21s over the years but just never managed to get that senior cap - until now. It’s something I have been desperate to do.”
A man who has been touted to make the step up at various intervals throughout his long career, at 30 time was running out but, like Andrew Considine, age proved no barrier to delivering the kind of solid performances Scotland have, in recent years, lacked at the back and now he is hungry for more.
“Before the game, I’d have taken just one minute on the pitch just to get my cap, but l o oki ng back I ' m del i g hted to have come on in such a big game and contributed to a great win,” explained Hanlon.
“It just gives you a taste for it. I want to do it again. I know there is a lot of competition for places but if I can keep my form going with Hibs then there’s no reason why not.
“The manager has shown trust in me to put me on at such a vital stage of a massive game. However, I know that I need to come back to Hibs and play very well.
"We have started the season off well and if we can keep that going then myself, Ryan [ Porteous], Paul Mcginn and even someone like Kevin Nisbet - who can’t be far away - have all got a much better chance.”
He says he had not allowed his self- belief to waiver and, al t hough he was r e al i s t i c enough to accept that it might take injuries and suspensions to offer him a way in, he had always hoped that his opportunity would come.
But when it did, it was thrust on him so quickly – there was no time for nerves to take hold.
“I pr o babl y di dn' t t hi nk about it enough to be honest," said Hanlon.
“I just thought about getting on but once I was on the pitch, it was ' oh right, I've really got a job to do now'. I'm just delighted to have been on the pitch and actually contributed.”
The boyhood dream will h ave i n c l u d e d a r a u c o u s Hampden and t he f aces of his friends and family as they cheered him on.
Instead, they had to watch on television as he ran out at an empty arena.
"A s p l a y e r s we ' v e b e e n used t o i t f or a number of
weeks now, so I hadn't really thought of that,” he added. “I'm delighted I got a cap but if there was a downside, it would be that no- one was there to see it."