Obita calls for performance regardless of the competition
Hibs defender frustrated at defeat to County despite dead rubber
JORDAN OBITA has insisted that whether Hibs are pushing for Europe or playing out dead rubbers in the bottom six, the performance levels have to be the same. The defender was speaking after the Easter Road side lost another late goal to fall to a 2-1 defeat in Dingwall at the hands of Ross County. Myziane Maolida struck his ninth goal in all competitions to give Hibs the lead but the Staggies levelled quickly through Simon Murray after Rocky Bushiri failed to deal with a cross and substitute Jordan White snatched the points for Don Cowie’s side after George Harmon latched onto Jojo Wollacott’s undercooked pass to feed
Murray who squared it for his strike partner. Speaking afterwards, Obita pointed to Hibs’ failure to take their chances, admitting that it has been a familiar refrain throughout the season.
“We’re obviously disappointed, especially coming off a win last week. I thought we played well in the first half, probably should have been three or four goals up but we didn’t take our chances. That’s something we’ve been saying all season.
“I thought physically we matched them but sometimes – and we’ve said this a lot all season – the other team gets a chance and they seem to take it.”
The result means Hibs stay seventh on 42 points, but have next weekend’s visitors Aberdeen breathing down their necks in eighth, a point behind.
Nick Montgomery suggested last week that some players are effectively playing for their futures but Obita
“Every single game you go into, no matter if it’s at the start, the middle, or the end of the season, you should be playing it like it’s your last, and giving everything,” he stated.
“This is a big club. You should always play with pride and always want do well and whether you’ve got nothing to play for and three games left, or you’re in the top six pushing for a European slot, you should play the game the exact same.”
Asked whether players need a steely mentality as well as ability to handle playing for Hibs, Obita
suggested it was the same throughout British football.
“You’ve got to give 100 per cent. It’s not always about ability. You see some players in lower leagues with lots of quality but they don’t run enough or they’re not physical enough and they don’t make it,” he explained. “But, especially in Scotland, I think you have to give everything. And I think that’s what’s most important.”
He dismissed the prospect of January signings not understanding the size of the club, and drew on his own experiences last summer as a new arrival.
“I probably didn’t realise just how big a club it was until I got here, and I realised straight away. It’s a massive club and the expectations are really high,” he added. “Some of the boys who came in in January came from big clubs in big leagues and I’m sure they’re aware of the expectation that you hit the ground running when you come here. And I think they have, it’s just unfortunate that we’re sometimes not getting the results we
deserve, but at full-time it’s the score that matters the most.”
Footage of the Hibs players and coaching staff with the travelling supporters circulated on social media at full-time but both Nick Montgomery and Obita played down the incident.
“Our fans are always behind us – sometimes you get grief, but that’s football. After the game we had a chat, and if you lose the game you deserve whatever is said to you,” he
said. “But next week we’re back at home and hopefully we can put some smiles back on the faces of our fans.”
Meanwhile, Staggies boss Don Cowie confirmed that Hearts-bound midfielder Yan Dhanda had alerted referee Don Robertson to a comment made by the away fans.
The incident occurred shortly before half-time at the Global Energy Stadium and while Cowie was unsure of the specifics, he was aware that something had been discussed.
“I believe it was a comment made from the away support,” he said, when asked about it afterwards.
“All I know at this moment in time, from speaking with Greg [Soutar] the fourth official, is that there was an alleged comment made that Yan heard. That was reported to the referee, and then back to the fourth official. Beyond that, I’m not sure.
“I don’t know the nature of the comment. The fact that he has highlighted it to the referee shows there’s something he wasn’t happy with, but I’m waiting to find out exactly the full details.”
You’ve got to give 100 per cent. It’s not always about ability. You see some players in lower leagues with lots of quality but they don’t run enough