Hibs boss delivers World Cup verdict on Scotland hopeful Bowie - and hails 'professional' win over Dundee
Do goal and assist put former Fulham and Raith forward back on Steve Clarke’s radar?
Hibs boss David Gray believes the “carrot” of a place in Scotland’s World Cup squad is already driving Kieron Bowie to rediscover his early-season scoring touch. And the Easter Road gaffer insists there is still plenty more to come from a striker who broke a nine-game scoring drought in today’s “professional” home win over Dundee.
Bowie bagged a goal and assist as Hibs ran out 2-0 winners to reinforce their hold on third place in the Scottish Premiership. The 23-year-old was left out of Steve Clarke’s squad for the clinching qualifiers against Greece and Denmark – but has been in the Scotland squad as recently as last month.
With Scotland now guaranteed a place in next summer’s finals in Canada, Mexico and the USA, the incentive is clear. And Gray revealed that he didn’t need to say much about the international scene after the former Scotland Under-21 star’s exclusion.
“That was a really easy conversation for me and Kieron,” said the Hibs gaffer. “Kieron knows that himself. Because I've been quite consistently saying that there's a lot more to come for Kieron.
“He burst onto the scene this season and people said a lot of positive things about him because of his level of performance. And rightly so. Because he was playing to a very high level.
“He is still young. He's 23 years old. There's a lot of improvement still to come from him. And performances like today is what he needs to put in as regularly as he can. Scoring goals, affecting the game.
“And for all the young players in Scotland, there is the carrot now of what could potentially be at the end of the season if you're doing well for your clubs – international football and the World Cup coming up.
“So, he'll certainly benefit from that. But he’s also a really hard-working, humble boy who knows he's got a long way to go and a long journey ahead to try and even think about that next step for him.”
Wonder goal in front of watching Scotland boss
Bowie bounced back from an injury-affected first season at Hibs to start the current campaign in a blaze of glory, scoring goals – including a wonder strike against Partizan in front of a watching Clarke – and dominating defences. But he hadn’t scored since September 13 before opening his team’s account yesterday,
Gray revealed that he’d reassured the former Raith and Fulham forward during that goalless run, saying: “Strikers get confidence from scoring goals, clearly. But I've had a lot of conversations with Kieran recently about what he actually does for the team.
“So, it's not just the scoring goals side. I know that's what they get judged on, strikers, a lot of the time. But the unselfish work he does for the team that I certainly see the players certainly benefit from.
“But that will definitely do his confidence a world of good as well. Especially, the chance he actually takes is a really difficult one. He creates it himself, a great touch and finish.
“Off the back of a disappointing chance that he missed, the real positive for me is that he's putting himself in positions again. That's the most important thing.
“If you miss one, it doesn't matter. You keep putting yourself there again; chances will keep coming. So, delighted for him and he can hopefully now kick on from there.”
Hibs maintain place in table
Reflecting on a win that kept Hibs sitting third in the table after completing the first leg of a three-game week, Gray said: “I think it was a very professional performance - 2-0, clean sheet at home, three points. Job done from that point of view. Especially when you consider the week that some players have had.
“When you look at, and I never use this as an excuse, but players travel all over the world. Some of the highs that some players have experienced this week, to try and then go again …I think that was a real professional performance.
“I think when you look at the game on the whole, if we took a couple of chances a wee bit earlier, maybe we would have had a bit more of a comfortable ending towards the game. But while it was 2-0, the opposition have always got a chance.
“We've been in that position before this season. And the next goal, if it does come, is really important. Thankfully, Rafa (Sallinger) makes a huge save at a big time as well.
“That allows us to get over the line probably a lot more comfortably. If that had gone in, the momentum might have shifted. So, big moments in the game.
“But I do think we were well on top and deserved to win the game. So, I'm delighted for the players because they fully deserve it.”