Why star man Bowie was ALWAYS going to respond to transfer talk in 'professional' style for hard-working Hibs
‘I love having him here’ declaration from Easter Road team-mate as World Cup target set
Kieron Bowie’s goal-scoring response to fresh transfer speculation surprised no-one in the Hibs camp, according to team-mate Warren O’Hora. And the Scotland striker, linked with Rangers, Celtic and Premier League strugglers Wolves over the opening days of the January window, has been told he should be eyeing a place at the World Cup as a reward for his progress in a real breakthrough season.
Bowie bagged his ninth goal of the season with a well-taken equaliser in yesterday’s 1-1 draw with Motherwell at Easter Road. In his first start since succumbing to a sickness that saw him miss the home win over Aberdeen and play only a substitutes’ role in last weekend’s away victory over Kilmarnock, the former Raith Rovers and Fulham striker also put in a ferocious physical shift until replaced by club record signing Thibault Klidje for the closing 15 minutes.
“Whatever interest there is, he goes and shows what type of person he is, what type of professional he is,” said O’Hora, the Irishman adding: “He goes and puts the ball in the net. He puts on a good performance for us. You've seen how he is.
Goal a credit to striker’s attitude
“He's strong. He works his arse off for us. He's done that today for us. Everything that we asked from him.
“Obviously, you said whatever speculation is there, the transfer window. It happens at every club. We've got players that will have speculations. Other clubs will have players with speculations.
“It's the type of professional he is. It's a credit to him. He's come in today. He's come in every day. Works his arse off for us. Puts his head down. That's the type of person he is.
“If they're not performing well, they're not going to get speculation. It's a credit to him.
“Like you said, whatever speculation he's got, I didn't see that affect him today. He puts the ball in the back of the net. Professional. That's the way he is.”
January window crucial for David Gray’s ambitions
Asked if it was important that Bowie was still a Hibs player come the closing of the mid-season window, O’Hora said: “I don't think I'm going to be looking that far ahead. I don't think that's for me to comment on, to be honest.
“Obviously, I love having him here. As a centre-half, when I look up the pitch, there's a bit of pressure, I know he's up there.
“I know I can hit him. He's big. He's strong. He scores goals for us. Me as a player, speaking as a player, I love having him on the team. That's all I'll go as far as saying.”
Bowie has been in and out of Steve Clarke’s squad, but is very much in contention for a place in the USA next summer, O’Hora pointing out: “I think with Bowie, he just needs to focus on himself. Obviously, he would be right to have his eye on the World Cup. I think every player with a chance would be looking at that and making sure he's firing for that, which he is, like he has today.
“The thing with Bowie and the way he is as a person, as a professional, he won't get ahead of himself. He'll focus on where he's at at the moment, which is working hard, trying to improve all the time. That's just the type of character he is.
“That's why everybody in the squad and in the dressing room respect him so much. Obviously, he's been brilliant for us since he's come in. He has the talent to be that way. He works hard every day for us.
“He should have ambition to be on the plane for the World Cup. If you're not, why do you want to be a footballer? Obviously, you want to be at the highest stage and play at the biggest stage.
“In my eyes, he should be looking at that. He's focussing on the here and now, which is a credit to himself.”