Crocked £600,000 Hibs star may need op on long road back to fitness

Kieron Bowie is out until January at the earliest.

Kieron Bowie may need to go under the knife to fix the hamstring injury that will keep him out of action for at least four months. The Hibs striker won’t be back in training until 2025 after pulling up late in the first half of Scotland’s 5-0 hammering of Malta in Tuesday night’s European Under-21 Championships clash.

Bowie had fully recovered from the hamstring injury that saw him miss the closing weeks of last season, which he spent on loan to EFL League One side Northampton Town. But Hibs were going very cautiously with their £600,000 signing from Fulham, with rookie boss David Gray restricting the 21-year-old to substitute appearances over the opening weeks of the current campaign.

CHECK OUT THE LATEST FITBAW TALK HERE

Gray, who doesn’t blame Scotland Under-21 boss Scott Gemmill for starting Bowie in back-to-back qualifiers against Spain and then Malta, refused to rule out the need for surgery when asked about the player’s course of treatment earlier today. Asked if an operation might be required, the gaffer said: “We’ll need to get some more advice on that one because he’s injured his hamstring before. We’ll always do what we think is the best thing for him. And we’ll do everything we possibly can to get the right advice, the right treatment – and get him back as safely and quickly as possible.

“It will be months rather than weeks, that’s for sure. He’s gutted, disappointed for obvious reasons.

“He’s worked so hard to get fit from last season, missing a bit of pre-season at the start. We were very conscious of that in managing his minutes.

“The temptation to play him more has certainly been there. Everyone who supports the club has seen how well he’s done coming on, affecting games.

“This will make it even harder for him, because he’s got that attitude where he just wants to play and press, work every day to be the best he can. It’s really important for us all to rally round him and make sure that he comes back feeling as good and strong as he can, as soon as he can.”

Admitting that the timing of the injury, just as he was beginning to hit his stride, would make it all the more frustrating for Bowie, Gray added: “As a player, it’s the last thing you want. I’ve been there when you’re working hard in the gym, trying to get yourself back from a long-term injury, it breaks down or you have a set-back.

“All these players want to do is play football. They work hard to play games. So it makes it even more frustrating.

“But the one conversation I did have with Kieron yesterday, which he was positive about, as much as he can be, was about only worrying about the things you can affect. He knows you can’t worry about the things you can’t affect, so there’s no point trying to second guess it.

“Hindsight is a wonderful thing. But we need to move his focus forward and get him back as quickly as we can. Do everything we possibly can, make sure he sees the right people, gets the right advice.

“I’m certain we’ll give him all the treatment all he needs her to come back stronger. And I’m sure he will come back stronger because of his attitude.

“I think the fact he’s done it himself already, experienced it and got back,  he’s seen the reaction he’s had on the pitch. He is playing at a really good level and come up here to impress so there is absolutely no doubt he will work as hard as he can to get back as quickly as he can. He is the type that you would have to slow him down.”

Taking in the wider picture, Gray – who signed veteran striker Dwight Gayle as a free agent striker this week - insisted: “I do feel the squad is strong enough to cope. You don’t want to lose any player but if everyone is fully fit I’ve got a lot of decisions to make, and difficult ones. There is certainly competition for places across everywhere in the squad now, which is great.”

GET THE LATEST HIBS NEWS DIRECTLY TO YOUR EMAIL INBOX DAILY WITH OUR FREE NEWSLETTER SERVICE

Gayle isn’t a direct replacement for Bowie, with Gray seeing the 34-year-old as more of a penalty box player, saying: “When you look at the whole squad, competition for places is everywhere, and they’re all different for different reasons. So you look at the qualities Dwight’s got – a penalty box striker who’s scored goals at the very highest level, and his experience too.

“You’ve got Kieron and Myko (Kuharevich) in that No. 9 position who are younger, and naturally sometimes being younger there’s a little bit if inconsistency. They can learn off guys like Dwight and him pushing for a start in the team. Again, it adds really healthy competition and a variation in the way we can play, which I’ve touched on loads of times, needing to be flexible and having different ways of working. You need to have a plan A and plan B.”

Junior Hoilett and Elie Youan are both available for selection after coming through a bounce game during the international break. For Youan, getting back on the pitch will feel like a major step in the right direction after a tumultuous summer.

Having seen his hopes of a big-money transfer dashed by injury, Youan was also subjected to racist abuse on social media. In the circumstances, Gray admits, he’s had to reassure the French attacker that he’s being supported by everyone at the club.

The head coach said: “Dealing with things off the pitch, the club have made it very clear and aware that it’s unacceptable and we’re always there to support all our players. Elie, especially, going through that difficult period.

“I’ve numerous chats with him about it, and just life in general because there’s always been that speculation about him maybe moving as well, which he’s had to deal with. From how he played last season, he had a little bit of an injury at the end, trying to focus on what he wants to do and how he wants to get there.

“But he also just loves playing football, so that’s something that I can’t fault. I can’t his effort and desire to be the best he can be. You see that during his rehab, he was back earlier than expected because of how good he is professionally.

“He’s in a good place at the moment, he’s feeling good about himself. He’s enjoying training and is desperate to get back on the pitch. We just need to make sure we’re doing that at the right time.”