Mcgeady and Johnson appear the perfect fit to revive Hibees’ fortunes
Lee Johnson helped rescue Aiden Mcgeady from the Sunderland scrap heap.
Now the former Celtic winger is setting his sights on helping restore Hibernian to their former glories.
Mcgeady penned a 12-month deal with the Easter Road club on Friday night to return to Scottish football for the first time in 12 years.
Now 36, the 93-timescapped Republic of Ireland internationalist will add experience and know-how to Hibs’ youthful squad.
And the ex-spartak Moscow and Everton player admits he also has an affinity and understanding with Hibs’ new boss, Johnson, following their time together at Sunderland.
Mcgeady was out in the cold and forced to train with the youth squad when Johnson took over from Phil Parkinson in December, 2020.
“I’ve got a lot to thank the manager for,” said Mcgeady.
“When he took over at Sunderland, I was kind of an exile, because the previous manager had me training with the Under-23s.
“We didn’t have a falling out, but I was kind of in no-man’sland. I hadn’t played for six months, and the first thing Lee did when he got the job was phone me to ask: ‘Do you want to start tomorrow?’.
“We were playing Wigan, I said ‘yes’ – and then I played every single game.
“So I’ve got a lot of trust and loyalty towards the manager, and that season he probably got the best out of me
“So I think he probably knows what he’s going to get from me when he wants me to play.”
Mcgeady has also revealed he encouraged Johnson to take the Easter Road job.
“When Shaun Maloney got the sack, I said to him he should go for it because it’s a great club, a big club.
“I said: ‘If you do as well as you think you can, you’ll go down as a legend’.
“So, coming back to Scotland, I don’t think there could be a better fit for me.”
Mcgeady won four Premier League titles, two Scottish Cups and a League Cup with Celtic, and is fully aware Hibs underperformed last season.
He said: “It was a difficult season for the club – two managers and now a new one.
“So the aim needs to be to finish as high as possible in the league, and hopefully win a cup. That’s my ambition, to win trophies and win things.
“Split the Old Firm? It’s easier said than done, of course. We need to improve on last season, and then take it from there.”
Hibs have also signed former France Under-20 striker, Élie Youan, on a season-long loan.
The 23-year-old came through the ranks at hometown team, Nantes, before moving to St Gallen last year.
The pacy marksman netted six times in 18 appearances for the Swiss Super League side before seeing out the campaign on loan at Mechelen.
Hibs’ agreement with St Gallen includes an option to buy.
Youan joins David Marshall, Nohan Kenneh, Rocky Bushiri, Lewis Miller, Momodou Bojang, Jair Tavares and Mcgeady in Lee Johnson’s revamped squad.