Exclusive:Hibs Euro qualification would let Boyle bow out on high - Gray talks legacy and addresses Suto start clamour
Socceroos veteran savouring Easter Road swansong - as Aussies consider call-up for new Hibs ace
David Gray is sufficiently close to – and fond of - Martin Boyle to poke a bit of fun at his old pal’s expense, whenever the opportunity arises. If there’s a joke to be cracked about the “last man standing” from his team’s hoodoo-shattering Scottish Cup victory, the Hibs boss isn’t going to hold back.
But Gray obviously harbours enormous affection and professional respect for Boyle, a former team-mate turned valuable on-field deputy. And he’s got some clear ideas about what the Socceroos striker, who will be signing off on his Easter Road career at the end of this season, deserves by way of a parting tribute.
Gray, who also addressed supporter clamour for Ante Suto to be rewarded with a first start after a series of goal-scoring substitute performances, told The Evening News that Boyle is motivated to secure European football as a fitting farewell gift. With a World Cup redemption arc also to be completed, the veteran goal scorer is unlikely to lack motivation.
Boyle a Scottish Cup winner in 2016
Easter Road gaffer Gray, told that fellow 2016 Cup winner Conrad Logan had described Boyle as last man standing from the squad who ended 114 years of hurt at Hampden, referenced the forward’s role as an unused sub on the big day as he pointed out: “Aye, he is. But he was sitting down in the cup final, remember!
“No, really, he has been fantastic. And he deserves to go out in style. I know that will be with hoping to try and secure European football by the end of the season, because that is a target for everybody.
“Martin Boyle fully deserves is to bow out on a high, because of what he has done for the football club. I think that goes without saying.
“He’s not far away from 400 games; he will get that between now and the end of the season, which is incredible for one football club. He has been here for a very long time, and he has been very successful in that time.
“I’ve spoken a lot about how effective he has been for the club. He has over 100 goals as well, which shows you what he has done for the football club.
“So he fully deserves to go out in the best way. And he wants to do that as well.
“He has got motivation for the World Cup, he needs to try and be in the best frame of mind for that, giving him the best opportunity to go to the World Cup, which he missed out on the last time.”
Gaffer reveals ‘future’ conversation with star man
It was always understood, when Boyle and Hibs triggered a one-year contract extension at the end of last season, that this would be a last dance at Easter Road for the livewire attacker. Now expecting to field offers from Australia and closer to home, he’ll leave behind a more than respectable legacy.
Gray revealed: “If I go back 12 months, we had a conversation about what the future looks like for Martin Boyle. My relationship with Martin is obviously very good, I have known him for a very long time
“I have enjoyed seeing him take on a leadership role, the benefits of that for me. But his full focus now is to make sure he finishes his season as strong as he can.
“To get to 400 games at the football club, something he’ll reach soon, is a really good achievement, played majority of his games in the Premiership as well.
“He has probably been the mainstay who has played the majority of the games in the Premiership, when you think we were in the Championship for a while. That shows you his level of consistency, what he has then gone on to do with his national team as well, off the back of playing well for Hibs.”
Croatian-born Aussie hopeful has been banging them in
At the other end of the experience scale for Hibs, meanwhile, new arrival Suto has blown the doors off in his first five appearances. Three goals in not much more than two hours of football, with not a single start under his belt, have prompted interest from Socceroos boss Tony Popovic ahead of this month’s World Cup warm-up matches.
Asked if he felt the Croatian-born forward, who qualifies for the Aussies via a dad from Melbourne, was ready for a leap into the international arena, Gray said: “He can’t do any more than he is at the moment, when you think about how he has adapted, how he has affected games of football. He’s not started the games yet, but in terms of having an impact coming on and doing his bit, he has settled in really well.
“He has been great around the place as well, and the fact he can play for Australia, I know there has been a bit of interest in that. That just goes back to what we always talk about, the opportunity, if you do play well at this level and for a football club like this, national team managers recognise that.
“He is certainly not doing himself any harm at the minute. He will still have a way to go between now and the end of the season, and he will be another one that just wants to keep making the impression and finish the season as strong as he can.
“It would be great for us to get another player at the World Cup. And that’s the carrot of playing for a club like this, with a World Cup coming around, getting the opportunity to make it into squads.
“I would tell younger players, especially, that there can be a lot of change between now and the end of the season. Teams will pick up injuries. There will be opportunities that come up.
“And it is the business end of the season when things are achieved. So I think this is when you need your form to be at the best it can be, at this stage of the season. If you have got a slight opportunity or even an outside chance to get into a World Cup, that should be all the motivation any player would need.”
Gray recognises supporter demand for striker
A lot of Hibs fans would, of course, throw Suto straight into the starting XI for this weekend’s visit of Livingston. And stick with him as a frontline forward for the rest of the season.
Gray, aware of the public demand, insisted: “As I’ve said, he can’t do more than he is at the moment, in terms of what I’m asking him to tod. Which is to come on and affect games.
“What everybody doesn’t see is the other things throughout the week. So he’s had the odd wee niggle at times.
“And he’s adapting to the Scottish game, as well. There is very much a collective of players who have played and done well as well, so I think you are always trying to find that balance depending on who you are playing against, what you want to see.
“But I understand why you would ask me the question, because of the goals he’s scored. He scored in the bounce game against Raith last week as well!
“So I think that was another good one, he started the bounce game and scored, which is great. That's what strikers need to be doing, scoring goals and being involved and making an impact when they can.”