Hibs player shares illness woe that impacted Easter Road transfer decision after 'bad sickness'
The ace left Hibs for a Premiership rival in the summer transfer window.
Josh Campbell insists he’s now ready to kickstart his loan spell away from Hibs after recovering from illness.
The midfielder scored a second half stoppage time leveller for St Johnstone during Wednesday’s 2-2 draw against Motherwell in the Premiership. Campbell left Easter Road in the summer transfer window for Perth with minutes looking limited under head coach David Gray, who has since been replaced by Marink Reedijk.
Saints boss Simo Valakari was aware of Campbell’s situation upon bringing him to McDiarmid Park for the season, but ahead of a clash with Kilmarnock this weekend, the Hibs loanee insists it’s now a case of adapting to the Finn’s methods. Campbell said: “It’s been a slow start from me. Trying to adapt to the way the gaffer plays. I’m a natural ‘10’ so I’ve got to try and adapt to his formation.
Josh Campbell on loan stint at St Johnstone from Hibs
“On Wednesday night, I came on out on the left but tried to just float inside and support the strikers, which he asked me to do. I’m learning and it’s getting there slowly. It’s healthy competition that we’ve got here – that’s what every manager wants.
“Obviously it’s hard for him to pick the team and who’s going to be on the bench every week. But you need to be giving him headaches like Wednesday. Look, I’m not making any excuses. Before I signed, I was very ill. At Hibs, I missed the last two games with bad sickness and a bug. So, I came here still not 100%.
“The gaffer was aware of that, and he asked me to play in the games. I said I would always be available and that’s what you want – to be playing every week. I said that to him: ‘I’m not right there yet but if you need me, I’m here.’ Probably, I shouldn’t have because I wasn’t 100%. I’m still getting up to speed with everything and feel I am getting there.”
“I feel like the game was lacking that a bit and Motherwell started taking a bit of control. The message from the gaffer was to get up the pitch, press them a bit higher and get a bit more authority. I think we did that. And get in the box and score, because I know I’ve got goals in me. I’ve shown that. That point could be massive for the club come the end of the season.”