Hibs don’t miss the Italy-bound Doig in five-star display
HIBS 5
Doidge (16, 28, 29), Melkersen (23), Campbell (42)
CLYDE 0
Lee Johnson has backed Josh Doig to flourish in Italy after confirming Hibernian have accepted a bid from Hellas Verona for the defender.
The 20-year-old was left out of the Hibs squad as they hammered Clyde in Johnson’s competitive debut as manager.
A hat-trick from Christian Doidge was supplemented by goals from Elias Melkersen and Josh Campbell to ensure Johnson made a great first impression as he made his bow at Easter Road.
There were debuts on the pitch for new signings David Marshall, who was handed the captain’s armband, and Nohan Kenneh from the start, plus Lewis Miller, Kyle Mcclelland and Aiden Mcgeady as second-half subs.
But much of the chatter in the Leith sunshine was about Doig’s £3 million-plus switch to Serie A.
“It was probably too big a risk for him to play with the transfer so close,” said Johnson. “It is at a point where we have accepted a bid and the player has to go to Italy and discuss personal terms.
“It could easily fall down and if it does we will welcome him back with open arms. If not, we need to make sure that we utilise any available funds well and also congratulate him.
“He is a good young player. He has a lot of things to work on but who hasn’t at 20? He is a bionic athlete, physically a real powerhouse – that is what stands out more than anything.
“He is a good guy with a good growth mindset. A good student and I think it will be great for him.
“The Italian game is very defensive, very organised, a lot of drilling and I think that is the sort of thing that can take him to a new level, in a good league, too.”
Despite the unavailability of summer recruits Elie Youan and Jair Tavares because of work permit issues and with just Marshall and Kenneh starting the Premier Sports Cup opener, there were plenty of evidence of Johnson’s stamp on the new-look team.
And they made the breakthrough after just 15 minutes.
Melkersen’s deflected cross was fortuitous and the way Doidge chested the ball over the line was not the most graceful way to kick off Johnson’s reign, but it broke the Bully Wee’s resistance.
Seven minutes later, Campbell fed Melkersen in the box and the Norwegian engineered enough space to slide in a shot from 14 yards out.
Then came two goals inside a minute.
First, Jake Doyle-hayes hustled his way forward before slipping a superb through ball into the path of Doidge, who lifted a deft shot over Neil Parry in the Clyde goal.
Then, Hibs’ high press won the ball back instantly and Chris Cadden found Doidge and the striker completed his treble at the second attempt.
Three minutes from the break, Campbell strode on to Ewan Henderson’s pass and hit the net with the aid of a deflection.
“It was a good game, to start with that relentless tempo was pleasing,” said Johnson.
“We kept trying to pepper the opposition’s back line and the lads were good.
“Our tempo ran out secondhalf, no doubt about that.
“Maybe we got a little bit bored of doing the right things but a 5-0 win against sticky opposition is good.”