Revealed: How Hibs playmaker met gaffer's demands as midfielder delivers 'only way is up' rallying cry
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Hibs should only be looking UP the Scottish Premiership table as they head into a ten-game run before the split, according to returning playmaker Dylan Levitt. And the Welsh midfielder, who started his first game since early August in yesterday’s 3-1 home thumping of Motherwell, says players always believed that their season could be salvaged after a horrific start.
Victory over the Steelmen saw David Gray’s team break into the top six for the first time this season, just four weeks on from appearing to be rooted to the foot of the table. They’re only two points off fifth-placed ‘Well - and at least within sight of the guaranteed European football on offer for places further up the ladder.
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Hide Ad“I think for us as a team, we only need to look up now,” said Levitt, the former Dundee United player adding: “I think the last few weeks have put us in good stead for the last half of the season to really push on.
“To be fair to the lads, we talked about it for a number of weeks, the fact that one result will turn into something special three weeks down the line. It'll become a turning point in the season.
“A I really think that week of Aberdeen here (a dramatic 3-3 draw) and Motherwell away really turned the boys and got everyone off their feet a little bit and decided to push on a lot more.
“I think our performance against Aberdeen that night just showed fight, passion, desire to get back into the game after being stung at the last couple of minutes and to bounce back from that. And then obviously go again on Saturday against Motherwell and win 3-0 away. I think that really put us in good stead for the weeks coming.”
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Hide AdStarting with that six-goal thriller against the Dons in late November, Hibs have won six, drawn one and lost just one of their past ten games. Their only defeat came at Celtic Park, in a game where the final score of 3-0 did NOT reflect the balance of play or chances created by the visitors.
Levitt, who said he was unaware of reported interest in him from Wrexham, has been a spectator during most of that run, accumulating just 30 minutes of football before yesterday’s outing. But Gray singled him out for praise as someone who has constantly been pushing himself in training – and refusing to give up on his hopes of getting back into the starting XI.
The 24-year-old, who certainly impressed more than a couple of other potential stand-ins for injured skipper Joe Newell, is adamant that he never even thought about easing up and giving up on game time, insisting: “As a professional footballer, if you don't put in your best in every session, I think you're only shooting yourself in the foot. As a professional footballer, you need to give 100 per cent every day. Like I say, when called upon, you need to perform how you would in training and work hard towards it.”
Admitting that it had been frustrating to sit on the bench while others put in the hard yards, Levitt added: “Yes, but to be fair, it was always about getting myself ready for when I'm called upon and hopefully taking that chance. Today, I think the result and the way the game went was perfect for me personally.
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Hide Ad“I’ve been wanting to play for a few weeks now and the results have been going well. But it's a good time to come in and play when the results have been going well and the team morale is high.
“The lads have all been buzzing around the place the last couple of weeks. Hopefully it continues.”
Explaining how Gray had managed him during his time out, the former Manchester United youth prospect said: “The manager lays out to you individually and as a group of what he wants from each position. You've just got to take everything on board in training and in the meetings. When you do get called upon, you need to show that you've been listening and training what you've been told to do.
“In terms of what he said to me, it was about getting up to the ball, playing forward when you can, controlling the game when things get a bit 100mph. Take your time to put the foot on the ball and try and take the sting out of the game and move the opponents. Because you can see today, we switched the ball really well and that's how you create openings in these types of games.
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Hide Ad“So yeah, it felt really good for the time I was on the pitch. Good to be back out there at Easter Road and finish it off with a win as well, which is always good when you come back into the team.
“I just felt it a little bit before coming off. That's obviously coming from maybe not playing as much and getting up to speed with the game. To be fair, I've been working hard on the training pitch and, like I said before, really good to get back out there.”
Showing his appreciation for midfield partner Nectar Triantis, who turned in a Man of the Match performance including a superb solo goal, Levitt pointed out: “I don't think I've played alongside him for a while. It’s enjoyable, he takes the ball in good spaces and knows when to switch the ball.
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Hide Ad“I think today we trusted each other on the ball, and I felt like it was a good balance. He's settled in really well because he was there last year. Obviously, when you're winning games and on a good run, your confidence is through the roof, and he's really bought into what we're doing.”