Hibs talisman at centre of summer transfer storm has message for fans

Away? No chance, insists international winger.Away? No chance, insists international winger.
Away? No chance, insists international winger. | SNS Group
'I'll be at Hibs until they tell me enough is enough'

Martin Boyle says he’ll only leave Hibs when the club decide they no longer want him – and says he never meant to give fans the impression that he was trying to “jump ship” for a new life in Australia. The Socceroos star was speaking in the hope of addressing weeks of speculation, fuelled in part by him telling Aussie TV that he saw a move to the A-League as a future ambition.

Not helped by Perth Glory director of football Stan Lazaridis responding, on the same broadcast, by revealing that he planned to “continue the conversation,” Boyle found himself at the centre of a summer transfer storm. But he’s made it clear that, with a year left on his contract at Easter Road, he’s going nowhere. And he’s vowed to bounce back from a brutal campaign last season – by embracing a leadership role under new boss David Gray.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Answering the question about his future directly, Boyle said: “I’m still contracted here. And that’s how it will be for the remainder of my contract. I just want to get that straight.

“A lot of fans probably took it like I was wanting to jump ship, wanting out, but I want to get the story straight. That’s not the case.

“I love nothing more than being at this club and representing this club. I think it was just, at the age I am, the idea of giving something back to Australia was the point I was trying to get across.

“I know I’m not going to be a Hibernian player forever. You know, the time will come – which will be sad.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I know last season doesn’t speak on behalf of me. But 100 per cent I have a lot more to give.

“Coming back from a serious injury, dipping in and out of injury … I’ve got my foot in the door really early this year, getting prepared. I’ve got a lot more to give. Hopefully, I can go on to have a great season, like I did a couple of years ago.”

Explaining how difficult it had been to see words spoken in Western Australia take flight and land with a thud back in Edinburgh, the 31-year-old said: “In my head, I knew what it was meaning. But other people maybe took it out of context.

“Obviously looking back on it, it doesn’t look great. But there was no way I wanted to disrespect the club at all.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It was me talking about future plans, if that makes sense. Speculation is speculation, I’ve said that before.

“But I’m a Hibernian player. And I will be until they say it’s enough. That’s how I want it to be.

“There is nothing I love more than representing this club. My family are embedded in the club, my kids love this club.

“It’s got to the point where I’m living and breathing Hibs. I always want it to be like that.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“This is near enough my tenth season if you take away that six-month stint when I was away. The fans here took to me, and I think they know that I give 100 per cent every time I’m on the pitch.

“I know last season my performances weren’t acceptable. And I can take criticism. I’m a big boy now.

“Of course, those fans pay their hard-earned money to come and watch. We know we never hit the levels we’re capable of. It’s as simple as that.

“I’ve got a lot more to give. I feel like I’m bigger and stronger now. I feel like this leadership role will give me a lot more confidence going forward, knowing the manager has that belief in me.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I definitely have belief in the manager and all the other backroom staff the club have brought in. That can only be a good thing.”

Being named captain of the starting XI in yesterday’s 1-0 win over MSV Duisburg underlined Gray’s faith in Boyle as a leader within the group. The fan favourite has embraced the challenge.

“It’s only been since Dave came in,” he said. “And obviously we’ve lost two senior players in Paul Hanlon and Lewis Stevenson.

“I’m now the longest serving player here. I know the expectation levels; I understand how big a club we are and what the fans expect.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I know everything about the place. The new players coming in, as well as the returning players who were never really given a chance, I can give them that advice.

“The manager called me when I was on my way back (from World Cup duty). I’ve known the manager a long time know, played with him, and worked with him.

“I think he’s got that trust in me, that belief in me that I can go on and have that leadership role. I believe I can do that.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I think I know this club inside out. I’m probably not the most vocal, in terms of that aspect, but my performances on the pitch and standards in training can probably be where my leadership comes through.

“In terms of off the field, getting people together, that is a big strength of mine. Hopefully, I can step into that role that he’s given me, and not let him down.

“There is no better feeling than winning games as a Hibernian player when we’ve got that full support behind us. If I can embed that in the squad, instil what it means to play for a club of this stature, I feel that will go a long way.

“We’re all representing the shirt. And we all believe in what we’re doing.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Boyle actually reported back earlier than expected from the international break, not taking up the full allocation of leave afforded to players involved in World Cup games, the winger explaining: “I’m not one for enjoying a break off. I kind of get bored around the house, get agitated, so I like to stay on the move and keep active as much as I can.

“So I came back a bit earlier than the date given to me by the club. I wanted to bed myself in and get going again.”

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

News you can trust since 1873
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice