Toby Sibbick explains his rising confidence, key tackle in victory over Hibs and Hearts team-mate's continued support

As Toby Sibbick made his way into the media room to talk to the press ahead of this weekend’s game with St Mirren his club posted an update on their Instagram account which coincidentally underlined the change in his demeanour over recent weeks.

There were four pictures in total of the Hearts first-team squad being put through their paces at the Oriam, two of which showed Sibbick with a huge smile across his face beaming from ear to ear after helping the Tynecastle side to defeat rivals Hibs 3-0 on Monday.

Even when he entered the room there was a noticeable difference in his body language and attitude from the downcast figure he sometimes cut earlier in the campaign. That was at a time when the 23-year-old defender was toiling for confidence. Unsteady performances in the opening months of the season saw him cast out of the starting XI even when Hearts were down to the bare bones at centre-back, while there was the unsavoury incident when disgruntled members of the Tynecastle faithful booed his introduction as a substitute during one match.

A lot has changed in the three months since. Sibbick is not only back in the starting XI, he’s enjoying his football and putting in performances on a consistent basis. One of the stand-outs in the 3-2 win over St Johnstone in midweek after coming back into the side following Craig Halkett’s season-ending knee injury, he was named as one of the two man-of-the-match recipients following the Edinburgh derby victory.

Toby Sibbick is all smiles in training after helping Hearts to defeat Hibs in Monday's Edinburgh derby. Picture: SNS

“I think any player when you get a run of games it gives you that confidence, that match sharpness,” answered Sibbick when asked if it was the most assured he’d felt as a Hearts player to date. “It's hard when you come in for one game and then you're out for two and then you're back in because you don't really get that match fitness or match sharpness so maybe you're a bit off the pace. Now that I'm starting to play a run of games I'm feeling more sharp, I'm making better decisions so I just need to keep going that way.

"I’m still buzzing. The win was great. The atmosphere was great. It's always nice to beat them. The manner that we did it as well – 3-0, clean sheet, first game of the new year – I don't think it gets much better than that.

"It was an amazing feeling for us but now our full focus is on Saturday, the next game. We always take it one game at a time.”

St Mirren represent a tricky hurdle. They’ve not lost at home since the opening day of the season, a sequence which now stretches nine matches and includes a game each against the Old Firm. If Hearts are going to buck that trend they may need some of the heroics Sibbick pulled against Hibs when he raced back just before half-time to deny Elie Youan a clear goalscoring opportunity was a perfectly-timed, last-second tackle, preserving the 2-0 lead at a crucial juncture.

Toby Sibbick makes a last-ditch tackle to deny Elie Youan a free shot at goal during Hearts' 3-0 win over Hibs in the Edinburgh derby. Picture: SNS

“Yes I think so,” when asked if it was almost as good as scoring a goal at the other end. “If I don't make that challenge – obviously we've still got full faith in Zander to make a save – but he's got a lot of time to pick his spot. Just as I made the tackle he shot so luckily I got the block in at just the right time. Of course that's what you want to do as a defender. You want to win games and keep clean sheets.

"I think it's only just a defender's job, really. If I was to make a mistake, for example, then I'm sure one of the boys would dig you out as well. We all try to do that. It's a team game. It's about doing your job and trying to keep the opposition away from your goal.”

There’s a bittersweet edge to Sibbick’s return to the side after it was confirmed the knee injury suffered by Halkett was, in fact, an ACL tear which will see the defender ruled out for the rest of the campaign. When Sibbick was at his lowest ebb earlier in the season Halkett was someone who was there to offer support and advice. In fact, it’s something the experienced defender continues to do even when he’s hobbling around Tynecastle on crutches.

“You never want to see your colleagues injured, whether here or in another team. It is not a nice feeling and you wouldn't wish that on anyone,” said Sibbick. “We have full faith in the staff to get him back and we will all be supporting him and fully behind him hoping that he can get back as quickly as possible but he is out for an extended period of time.

Toby Sibbick sticks the ball in the back of the net against Hibs but the Hearts defender's goal was disallowed for offside. Picture: SNS

"He was in before the game and was giving me advice. He said Youan would try to run me all the time and I think within the first five or ten minutes he tried to run me down the line but I won that battle and after that it was more of a mental game. But I knew what he wanted to do and as a defender you do need to be a step ahead.

"Even at half-time, Halks came in and was giving me feedback and telling me what he could see from the sidelines so he is a massive character and a help when he is playing and when he is not playing.

“He is a massive character and a miss but, at the same time, he will always be there and bring something to the team.”

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