Magennis delighted to finally make his mark at Easter Road
KYLE MAGENNIS is intent on ensuring he can be living proof that first impressions do not necessarily have to last.
The midfielder failed to make the expected impact when joining Hibernian — for a six-figure transfer fee — from St Mirren last October.
There were mitigating factors; shaking off the effects of a knee ligament injury that had sidelined him for nine months, the recurring hamstring problems that followed and not being afforded the game-time to ease himself into his new surroundings were all factors.
The 23-year-old blamed himself for failing to settle, though, and reckons the Hibs supporters would have been right to question his signing.
However, Magennis (right) is now one of the first names on
Jack Ross’s team sheet following a hugely impressive opening to the new campaign and, as they bid to extend their unbeaten domestic run at home to bogey team St Johnstone, the ever-present is hopeful the fans now appreciate what he can bring to the team.
‘I was injured when I first came, so it was a bit stop-start last season,’ he said. ‘It wasn’t the best. When I was getting my chances, I wasn’t really taking them and then I would get injured again.
‘You need a good run of games. I had joined a new team and I didn’t know how they played and stuff like that. It was difficult. ‘But it was my own fault, I wasn’t taking the chances I was getting when they came and wasn’t playing well enough. But I’ve benefited from getting a full pre-season under my belt and I’m starting to show what I’m all about. Hopefully, that can continue.’
Facing Magennis today will be another man with a similar story of frustration. Recent St Johnstone arrival Ali
Crawford scored his first goal since November 2020 in the midweek
Premier Sports Cup win at Dundee
— and the 28-year-old is beginning to show his true form again following a tough period in England.
Crawford (right) played down south for Doncaster and Bolton but spent last season on loan at Tranmere, and he recently revealed he had turned to a mindset coach to help him deal with the setbacks in his career.
Manager Callum Davidson is reaping the rewards of bringing him back across the Border and is delighted with how the attacking midfielder has performed in his three outings to date. Davidson said: ‘Ali has that knack of being in the right place at the right time, which is something you don’t always get and you can’t teach.
‘It’s something we didn’t have. On Wednesday, you saw he’s in to get up the pitch, create chances and score goals.
‘And he’s got unbelievable quality on the ball.
‘That was a really good finish. He drifts into areas, something we haven’t really had from midfield. We’ve had industrious work rate.
‘I’ve seen enough in training to say Ali will do more of that the more games he gets.
‘Sometimes players come back to Scotland and I see them start to enjoy themselves again, training and playing games. They’re back home.’