Hibs skipper won over by loan stars’ commitment to cause
Hibs captain Joe Newell admits he was worried about some of the big-name loan signings arriving in a hectic January window. But he’s been completely won over by the dedication of the short-timers brought into help the team – and points to the insatiable scoring appetite of Myziane Maolida as an ideal example of their commitment.
Newell, who said he’s joked that Maolida will have to start fasting again if he doesn’t keep up the scoring streak he put together during the holy month of Ramadan, knows that every player on the books is being judged by a Hibs hierarchy anticipating a step change in recruitment once the full effects of billionaire Bill Foley’s influence is brought to bear in the summer market. More upheaval is on the cards for a squad that began the season under the leadership of Lee Johnson, replaced by Nick Montgomery in September.
Speaking before today’s potentially make-or-break clash with Motherwell at Fir Park, with Hibernian’s top-six hopes hanging in the balance, the midfielder confessed that seeing some of the elite players recruited by Monty during the January window prompted obvious concerns. Could a former 10 million Euro man like
Maolida or Bournemouth playmaker Emi Marcondes really be expected to sweat blood for the cause?
Newell said: "That's a good point – it was one of my initial worries because there were a few signings coming in, a couple of loan lads who weren't marquee signings but big names. That's all the worry: how committed are they to what we want do as a club? But honestly, they've been brilliant. Their workrate off the ball, discipline and commitment has been brilliant, as well as the quality.
"Myziane? He's been incredible. I've thoroughly enjoyed working with him. His performances have been very, very good. His workrate has been good; it's not just on the ball, I appreciate his stuff off the ball as well. He's fitted into the squad really well. He's a great guy.
“And it's all been through Ramadan – he's not even been having a drink or food and he's been playing like that. I said to him this week: ‘If you're rubbish in training, you're just going to have to go back to fasting, mate!’ He's been brilliant.
"All the lads that have come in January, to be honest, have fitted in. They've enjoyed and we've definitely enjoyed having them.”
Addressing the need for everyone at Hibs to impress ahead of a busy close season, Newell admitted they’d all be getting judged by fresh sets of eyes, saying: "I'd imagine so. I think whoever the guys are coming in, the guys upstairs,
at this stage it's the business end of the season.
“But it's not like lads go into different games going: 'I'm going to try harder this week.’ We've got a good group here and everyone does always try their hardest.
“It's a massive one [at Fir Park] and I'm personally not looking forward to anything more than [that]. It's a huge game, one that you have to look forward to because these are the games you should enjoy playing.
“We have just got to try and win the game, it’s as simple as that. We do that and great, we will hopefully be in a position to not just make up the numbers but get in the European spaces and climb up the league. If not, so be it. All we can do is try our hardest.”
In other Hibs news, boss Nick Montgomery says Dundee gained an ‘obvious advantage’ in the top-six battle by calling off their midweek game against Rangers. And he believes clubs should face consequences for repeated postponements undermining the ‘integrity of the competition.’
The Hibees gaffer, who said he backed Ibrox boss
Philippe Clement and Motherwell counterpart Stuart Kettlewell’s complaints about the Dens Park fiasco, said: “It’s given them (Dundee) the obvious advantage of not having a midweek game!
"I think everyone else has had them; we went to Ross County in midweek [and] a lot of teams have had to travel and play games.
"It’s the advantage of not playing in midweek on a heavy pitch. I think it’s pretty obvious really!
“There could be a lot of different consequences, but I think rules need to be put in place at the start of the season so there’s no doubt: if this happens, these are the consequences. While there’s no consequence, it can be an advantage or disadvantage.
“But perhaps it’s something the league can learn from so that in future there’s a real clarity… because it’s definitely taken the integrity of the competition into question, and probably created a lot of noise around a big week for a lot of clubs. You want people focusing on the positive things around the league and not on cancelled games in April.”