Hibs kid Rudi tipped for top as veteran star urges: 'Keep making mistakes!'

Heading in the right direction - Molotnikov, left, and Boyle at training yesterday. | SNS Group

Hibs kid Rudi Molotnikov has received a ringing endorsement from veteran star Martin Boyle. And the experienced wide man says he’s encouraged the teenager to keep taking chances – even if it means making mistakes.

Socceroos star Boyle has been hugely impressed with Molotnikov’s performances in the opening two games of the season, with the 18-year-old – an attacking midfielder deployed on the wing – catching the eye in thumping wins over Elgin and then Queen’s Park. Boyle hopes AND expects the youngster to keep on improving.

“He’s come in, the gaffer has given him the opportunity and he’s grabbed it,” said the 31-year-old. “He’s look sharp in training and has that finishing instinct. He loves to get at players, gets people off their seats and obviously we have to keep encouraging that.

“He’s a young boy and will make mistakes. But he’s brave and at that age it’s great. Hopefully he can have a fantastic career.

“I would tell him to just listen to what the manager has to say, listen to the staff, keep your head down and work hard. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.

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“When I was young and coming through, I probably gave the ball away 90 times in a game. Neil Lennon said just keep doing what you’re doing, getting on the ball and being as positive as you can - and everything will fall into place. He’s broken through way younger than I was and it’s fantastic to see the younger generation coming through; hopefully there’s more to follow.”

Listing Molotnikov’s advantages over the competition all scrapping for game time under new manager David Gray, Boyle said: “His build. He’s a raw talent, has pace and can use both feet. You saw his finishing ability against Queen’s Park (with his first Hibs goal) and his range of passing. He has ability in abundance and it’s up to him to strive for more.

“He has taken a lot of information on which is good. He is working hard and has made the shirt his own at the moment.

“He’s quite quiet around the place, but the lads have taken a shine to him. He’s hard working and lives and breathes the club. He mostly mixes with the youth team at the moment but, as the season goes on, he will be integrated more into the first team dressing room and hopefully he shines for us.

“Speaking to Rudi, he's young and learning his trade. He's such a talent. The more confident he can get, the more he can progress. I'll put a little arm around him and give him more encouragement. He's flying at the moment.”

Boyle has also reached a decent cruising altitude at the start of the new campaign, including scoring twice – one an acrobatic overhead kick – against Queen’s Park on Tuesday night. Not bad for a man hampered by a stookie on his right wrist, a necessary precaution after injuring ligaments in the pre-season friendly win over PAOK in the Netherlands.

Pointing at the newly-drawn smiley face and outing sporting director Malky Mackay as the club’s own answer to Banksy, Boyle – the father of two young daughters - said: “He just took me aside. I'm pretty gutted about it, I had it in good nick!

“I told my girls last week that they could spoil it with a bit of rainbows. He's ruined it - but I'm not in a position to say anything; he scares me!”

Laughing as he was asked about his bicycle kick goal against Queen’s Park, and specifically whether he’d been practising the skill, Boyle put tongue firmly in cheek as he declared: “Yeah at home with the girls I set up the gymnastic mat, just practice bicycle kicks; I just do that in my spare time.

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“My daughter’s just started gymnastics. I told her the other morning when she woke up that I did a backflip and she never believed me. She’s hard to please, a five-year old. She found it funny. It was just one of those instinct moments in football that I can add to what I’ve achieved so far.”

Pressed on whether the wrist injury hadn’t actually been incurred in some sort of mad living-room tumble session with the kids, a laughing Boyle declared: “No! I hope not, the manager would kill me.

“It was a slight fall in the game against PAOK, nothing disastrous and it’s not stopped me from playing. I’ve got this cast on for a little bit long, that’s all.”