Newell enjoying his new- found freedom in exciting Hibs team
A year ago, Joe Newell was being l umped i n with the other Paul Heckingbottom signings who had been all but written off f oll owing their failure to set the heather alight.
B u t wh i l e o t h e r s h a v e sloped off to pastures new, the former Rotherham and Peterb orough midfielder has shown greater longevity and resolve, and, having convinced Hibs of his worth, has become a key performer at Easter Road.
Moved to a more central berth by current boss Jack Ross, 27- year- old Newell has linked up well with Alex Gogic in the heart of the side, and given his gaffer cause to hail his potential to prove himself one of the best midfielders in the league this term.
With Gogic willing to do a lot of the dirty work, breaking up play and mopping up in front of the defence, the Englishman says he has been given more scope to advance, adding to the multifaceted Hibs attack and weighing in with assists, set- piece deliveries and a goal in the recent victory over St Mirren.
“There’s been a lot of noise about Gogic this year and how he’s steadied the ship defensively and he’s been brilliant. I thought he was outstanding against Rangers, breaking up the play and setting us up for our attacks,” says Newell.
“Him coming in has complemented the way I want to play and our attacking play
ers in giving us more freedom. We can’t just walk back but having him there you know what he’s going to give you and it gives you more confidence knowing that you have that element of safety behind you.”
It leaves them less open to a counter- attack and feeds the f or ward momentum, and Newell is one of those who has taken full advantage.
“I’m really enjoying it,” he says, although he adds that he is content to feature anywhere he is asked to, provided he is given game time. “I’ve always been quite versatile and tried to do a job wherever the manager would want to play me.
“But to get a run of games in there is good and it is going well at the minute and I’m enjoying it. I grew up playing there and although, throughout my professional career I’ve moved around, that is my preferred position.”
Having s at down i n t he summer to discuss his faith in the player, Ross also offered Newell some pointers.
“You get little tips and stuff and as a player you’re never satisfied, you always want to keep the ball better, or make more t ackles, score more goals, set more up, there was nothing specific really, it was j ust general tips here and there,” explained Newell.
“I t ’s j ust a case of being consistent and staying injury free – I had a few kind of niggly injuries last year that kind of killed my momentum a bit when I was getting in the team so I’m just staying focused on trying to stay injury free and then it’s down to me to keep performing.”
Like his Hibs team- mates there is a growing belief in their own ability to maintain a presence at the top end of the league table.
At the moment they trail both Rangers and Celtic but could leapfrog their hosts if they overcome Neil Lennon’s men at Celtic Park tomorrow and after their performance against Rangers last weekend, becoming the first team to score against the Ibrox side this term and bounce back when trailing to claim a share of the spoils, they are in a positive frame of mind.
“The main thing I took from it, personally, was how we came from a goal down in the second half,” said Newell.
“I think many people watchi ng would have expected Rangers having come in at half- time having got their goal to score again and go on to get another one or two.
“The way we stuck to our gameplan and came back into it was probably the main positive for me.
“It’s probably never a good t i me t o be playing Celtic, they’re a good team and they got a good result on Thursday night in Europe and they’re doing well in the league.
“But I think it’s a good time for us to be playing anyone, because we’re playing well at the minute. We won’t go there with any fear. We’ll go full of confidence.”