Exclusive:Hibs ace in Liverpool Champions League inspiration revelation amid 'competition for places' admission
Irish striker ready for UEFA Conference League clash in Kosovo
Raised on tales of European domination, lucky enough to be just the right age to have enjoyed the latest Champions League success at a formative stage of his development, lifelong Liverpool fan Owen Elding will always get a special kick out of European football. And that’s just from watching games.
The prospect of making his debut in UEFA competition this week? Well, that certainly has the young Irishman fired up and raring to go.
“Yeah, buzzing, I can’t wait to get going,” admitted Elding, who made an instant impression on Hibs fans following his arrival from Sligo Rovers last January, the 20-year-old adding: “Obviously playing in Europe is something I’ve dreamed about since I was a young boy, watching all those great Champions League nights on TV.
“Like every player, I think you grow up wanting to be involved in those European nights. And it all starts for us on Thursday. I can’t wait.
“I grew up as a Liverpool fan, yeah. Big Liverpool fan. So I grew up watching all those games on TV.”
Andy Robertson trophy lift inspiration
Elding would have been 13 when Andy Robertson, Mo Salah and the rest beat Tottenham 2-0 in the 2019 Champions League Final. His childhood obsession with the Anfield club reached new peaks as they conquered all of Europe for the sixth time.
“Yeah, obviously watching those nights on the telly is something special, something that you want to experience for yourself,” he said. “This is my first chance at any European football, so I really hope we can get through these qualifying rounds – and bring some really special nights to Easter Road for all our fans.”
Everyone in this Hibs squad will have their own reasons for craving progress against little-known Kosovan opposition Malisheva, of course. Having made a little piece of club history by securing European qualification in back-to-back seasons for the first time in half a century, David Gray’s men are eager to reach group stage/league stage football for the first time.
They’ll face a tough task in the sweltering heat of Pristina on Thursday afternoon, with Malisheva having changed venue and kick-off time in search of an advantage. Having pushed Midtjylland all the way in the Europea League, knocked Partizan Belgrade out of the Conference League and come up just short against Legia in extra time in Warsaw last season, there’s a collective desire to prove themselves worthy of involvement at an elite level in Europe.
‘One kick of ball’ away from qualification
“Yeah, the boys have definitely told me all about last season’s experience,” said Elding, who signed a thumping four-and-a-half-year contract on his arrival in the middle of last season, the youngster adding: “Obviously, as you said, they were so close - just one kick of the ball away from group stage football, really,
“So there's definitely potential there to go where we want to go, get to the group stage. We need to build on the experience of the players who were here last year.
“I’ll be looking to learn from those lads, how that campaign went. And we’re all determined to go one better this year.
“We know the opposition scored five in their last game. So it'll be a tough game, there'll be no easy games in the qualifiers, but we know we've got an unbelievable squad here, we can go over and get the job done - and then bring back what we need to Easter Road next week.
“I’m feeling good myself. And I think we’re in a good place as a squad. Obviously we had our last pre-season game on Saturday, we beat Brondby, and that should hopefully give us good momentum going into the European game.”
Fight for starting places up front
Elding was given just a 30-minute run-out in Saturday’s 2-1 win, the future Ireland international – once that passport arrives, he’ll be straight into the national squad – having watched new No. 9 Nathan Lowe bag a double in his first 45 minutes for Hibs. The prospect of that pair being unleashed in some sort of reshaped front line already has fans excited.
With Martin Boyle, Thibault Klidje and Ante Suto also in the mix, though, Elding insists he’s taking nothing for grant.
“Yeah, he’s very good,” he said of potential new strike partner Lowe. “He obviously started really strong. And the two goals will do his confidence the world of good.
“There’s good, healthy competition for places up there now. That makes you train better every day, knowing you have to push to get into the squad.
“Then obviously when it comes to the games, you've just got to perform. Otherwise there's someone right behind you coming to take the spot.
“I think the squad's in a really good place. We’ve got strength in depth. And all the boys are looking forward to getting going.”