DOIDGE I’m Hibee as Larry
Hat-trick hero dismisses talk of exit
CHRISTIAN DOIDGE insists he loves playing for Hibs and has no intention of leaving.
The big Welshman was linked with a move to join up with old boss Jack Ross at Dundee United earlier this summer.
It sparked talk the 29-year-old, despite having two years left on the contract he extended back in November, could be on his way out of Easter Road.
There were suggestions new boss Lee Johnson had told Doidge he wouldn’t be central to his plans and was free to move on.
But despite apparent interest from down south, Doidge is adamant a transfer is not in his thoughts.
He certainly seemed to have his mind on the job in hand on Saturday as he bagged a first-half hat-trick against Clyde for last season’s beaten finalists.
And he hopes the treble has helped show Johnson he is the right man to lead Hibs’ attack going into the new season.
Insisting he will not be following Italy-bound Josh Doig out the exit door, he said: “I’m really happy here. I love playing for this football club.
“I’m not aware of any speculation. I keep myself to myself and concentrate on my job for Hibs.
“I’ve got two years left on my contract, so I’m not going to go anywhere unless I really want to go there. I love playing for this club and I feel I’ve got something to show and prove.
“And I am going to continue to do that until someone tells me anything different.
“At the start of pre-season, (the manager) told me where he saw my role. We had a good honest conversation and it was nice to get some clarity.
“Now I’ve played the first game of the season hopefully that tells me I’ll be playing in the first league game of the season.
“But I have to keep working hard and see what happens. I haven’t spoken to him any further. I’m just concentrating on myself and getting fit and being in the best possible condition for this club.
“I’ve started a game of football for the first time in a long time [since March 5] and I’ve scored a hat-trick so I’m delighted.”
After netting 19 goals in his first season at Hibs and 13 in his second, Doidge suffered a nightmare campaign last term.
It kicked off with a positive Covid-19 test and its after-effects, followed by an Achilles tendon injury on the eve of Hibs’ Europa Conference League second leg against Rijeka.
Fitness problems dogged him all year and he ended up only scoring twice in 25 appearances.
The marksman, who insists he is not giving up on his dream of playing for World Cup-bound Wales, added: “It’s just nice to
be fully fit. I’ve not even missed a training session. It’s been a good preseason and it was great to get a start.
“We played some really good attacking stuff in that first half and I love being in the box and being a nuisance.
“When a new manager comes in you have to try to impress him. So it’s nice to be fit and available, hopefully throughout the year, and to show him I’m a goal threat.” Doidge bundled in his first with his chest and after Elias Melkersen had drilled in a second, scored twice within a minute before Josh Campbell put Hibs five up before half-time. There were debuts for signings David Marshall, Nohan Kenneh, Aiden McGeady, Kyle McClelland and Lewis Miller, and for last year’s recruit Dylan Tait. But there was no Doig as he prepared for talks with Hellas Verona after Hibs accepted a £3million bid from the Serie A club for the left-back.