Exclusive:Hibs eager to reap World Cup benefit as international hopefuls make final push for selection
Ante Suto going all-out to join Martin Boyle as Bushiri and Hanley look to lock down places
Hibs boss David Gray expects to reap a World Cup bonus from a handful of Easter Road players bursting a gut to get to this summer’s finals. And Gray says the fact that his team are involved in five huge games over the closing stretch of the Scottish Premiership run-in gives the international hopefuls an ideal chance to book their places in Canada, Mexico and the USA.
Ante Suto is the latest Hibs star to make a late dash for involvement in the biggest tournament in football, with the Croatian-born forward just back from his first Australia call-up. With Martin Boyle a shoo-in for the Socceroos, Rocky Bushiri embedded in the Democratic Republic of Congo squad and Grant Hanley highly regarded by Scotland boss Steve Clarke, there are a handful of first-teamers pushing for inclusion.
Gray, asked about Suto’s motivation to finish the campaign with a flourish in order to nail down that spot in Tony Popovic’s 26-man group, said: “Yeah, especially because of the games that he’s going to be playing as well. So I put even players like Martin Boyle as well in that situation, players that have got a possibility.
‘Huge games’ provide opening for stars
“Plus, with these games to go, international teams will pick up of injuries of players that are playing across the board.
“These are all huge games now. They're on the TV, they're games of real importance where people notice. And I think that's the big thing.
“If you can go and finish the season really, really strong, it happens quite regularly. The team that finishes the season really strong, you almost forget about the start at times.
“Because the league is 38 games for a reason and by the time you get to the end, that's when you're reflecting on where you should end up. So we've got everything to play for.
“The added incentive of these players that have got the opportunity to potentially, no matter how big or small the opportunity is to get to a World Cup, will be doing everything they possibly can on the chance to get there because of the experience that might never happen again. It doesn't always happen.
“So I think that's a massive carrot for any player. And I think everybody involved would benefit from that situation as well.”