Hibs ace backed to bounce back from international disappointment after taking on challenge he never has before

He is taking on a challenge for the first time this season - and Hibs head coach David Gray has no doubt Kieron Bowie will rise to the occasion and return to Scotland contention.

The striker has been replaced in Steve Clarke’s November selection by Hearts talisman Lawrence Shankland, having scored four goals from nineteen games this term. Gray says there’s still plenty of room for development in the former Raith Rovers and Fulham forward, who is playing as an out and out number nine for the first time this campaign.

While the goals have not been free-flowing, the Hibs head coach has still been impressed with the way that Bowie has been impacting games. With the added hype around him, Gray acknowledges that comes with added pressure.

David Gray on Kieron Bowie

Gray said: “He's shown himself more as that focal point, a lot more often in games. He's started really well, scored a few big goals, but not just his goal contribution, what he does on the pitch and how he affects the game. Added to that, a lot of people are saying a lot of positive things around him and with that comes a little bit of expectation and a little bit of pressure on him. He is only 23 years old.

“When people first started talking about Kieron Bowie, the first thing I said was there's a lot more to come. He's got a lot of learning to do still, even just playing in that position. It's not something he's always done. He's never been an out-and-out nine until this season. He's often played off a side and things like that.

“There's a lot of development to come and he's certainly going in the right direction. He just needs to react in the right way, which he's already done in training. I've seen that already. He is a very hard-working, humble boy and he just needs to get his head down and keep doing what he does, which is affecting games of football.”

Will Kieron Bowie get back in the Scotland squad?

Gray has also addressed whether or not rising expectations were inevitable and how he will use the international break now there will be no competitive minutes. It will be a case of rest, preparation and improvement, Gray adding: “I think that's credit to him for his level of performance, what he's done and how he's affected games. He's very much someone that, even if he's not quite at it, the defender that's playing against him really knows he’s in a game. He's one of the players that really affects the game all the time. As I said, there's a lot more to come from Kieron.

“This setback, disappointment, because he'll feel disappointed, I think that's natural not to be involved, but you just can't let that affect you. He knows he's very close, he knows that he's got more to come and obviously to play at that level you need to be at the very top of your game. The best way for him to try and get back into the squad is to play at the highest level he can for himself and score goals again, which he's capable of doing - as he's already demonstrated.

“It's just a matter of having a bit of a break in terms of not having 90 minutes in their legs, but you're still ticking all the boxes. There are areas in which they can improve, so players that have played more minutes might do more position-specific individual work. Players who need the game, the focus will be on getting them in the game, but making sure they're prepared for it properly. Not putting them into a game situation off the back of doing too much the day before. You need to make it as realistic as possible for them so that they get the best outcome of it.”