Hibs ace Kieron Bowie has key quality identified as gaffer backs striker for Scotland World Cup stardom
Former Fulham forward’s throwback style ideal for 21st-Century international football
David Gray believes Kieron Bowie’s throwback style makes him an ideal threat in modern international football, as the Hibs boss backed the striker to impress on World Cup duty with Scotland. And Gray believes the 22-year-old definitely “deserves” to be called up by Steve Clarke.
Bowie is one of four strikers named by Clarke for next month’s opening World Cup qualifiers away to Denmark and Belarus, joining veteran forwards Che Adams and Lyndon Dykes, as well as Ipswich attacker George Hirst. Bowie’s performances for Hibs in their European campaign, in particular, have helped boost his case to add to the 12 minutes of game time he got on his first appearance in the summer stuffing of lowly Liechtenstein.
Asked if the thought Bowie’s physical approach to bouncing defenders around was a throwback, Gray pointed out: “It all goes full circle. What is modern day football? There’s all different ways in which teams try to get advantages in games.
“One thing Kieron certainly does is enjoy the physical side. It’s maybe something the game has come away from a little bit.
“Centre backs definitely know they’re in a game against him. Not just that but his work rate and energy.
“His appetite to really affect the game, even if he’s not playing well he’s certainly affecting his opponent. Which is a good place to be when we’re putting a team out there.
“Being on the international stage really helps him as well. Playing and training with Premier League players and a top coach who has managed the country for a very long time now.
“That level of knowledge and experience of players he will be training with and the structure and even the games you play in, it just adds to your experience and knowledge as a player. You are learning all the time, regardless of what age you are.
“Every time you go on the training pitch there’s always different ways to do it. Different ways to learn. But Kieron has the mind set where he always wants to improve. He’s a very humble, hard-working boy who is really enjoying his football at the moment.”
Bowie, who scored a wonder strike with Clarke watching from the main stand at Easter Road as Hibs got past Partizan Belgrade to reach the UEFA Conference League play-offs after extra time, will lead the line for his club again this week. Trailing 2-1 from the home leg against Legia Warsaw, the Edinburgh side travel to the Polish capital seeking a victory that would put them into European group/league stage football for the first time in club history.
Footballing intelligence of ex-Raith Rovers phenom gives him edge
Gray, insisting that Bowie’s appetite to keep learning will bring more rapid improvement over the coming years, is hoping to see the former Raith and Fulham man’s footballing IQ on show for club AND country over the coming weeks, saying: “He’s intelligent, understands exactly what you’re asking him to do and areas you’re asking him to improve on. It’s something the modern day player craves, there’s a lot of individual meetings and unit meetings.
“Because of the resources available to you, some of the tools you have to go over games, you can really paint a picture. Because everyone learns differently.
“Some players you can just tell them on a tactics board and the get it straight away. Some you need to act it in training and some need to get it wrong then be shown again.
“It’s really good we have all the tools and resources to do that. Kieron is someone who does analyse. That’s the modern day player, they constantly watch their game back, see their involvements in the game.
“There’s a lot more to come because off the back of two long term injuries, physically he is in a good place probably off the back of that. So his body shape and how he has looked after himself in the gym, the strength he has got in his game, it’s something that puts him in a really good position.
“Technically he has areas other than improve on, he will be the first to admit that. He is hungry to keep doing that.
"A lot's been made about Kieron and his performances of late. All he can do is keep doing what he's doing and I'm delighted for him for the recognition.
"I think he deserves it for what he's done and I think, as I've said a lot, there's still a lot more to come for Kieron as well. So this will do his confidence a lot of good as well.”
“And then when he comes to going away we wish him all the very best with that. But I think it's an extra wee bonus at this moment in time for him on a personal level. My job is obviously to try and get the best out of him, looking forward to Thursday.”