Exclusive:Hibs striker Kieron Bowie getting vital guidance on mission to become ultimate No. 9 for club AND country
David Gray honing penalty box threat of former Fulham forward
Hibs boss David Gray believes Scotland striker Kieron Bowie is still developing as an out-and-out No. 9. And the coaching team at East Mains have identified exactly what the former Fulham forward needs to add to his game, if he’s to become a more consistent goal scorer for his club – strengthening his claim for continued inclusion in Steve Clarke’s national team squad.
Bowie has produced some hugely impressive and eye-catching performances in a hectic start to his second season at Easter Road. After fully recovering from the injury that hampered his first campaign with Hibs, the fit and firing striker has dominated defenders in domestic and European competition.
He’s also scored a number of big goals for his club, including an absolute screamer against Partizan Belgrade at Easter Road. But the 23-year-old has only found the net four times in 14 starts and one substitute appearance for Hibs this season.
Scotland striker needs to improve one area of game
Gray, who admits that Bowie himself is eager to chip in with more goals, believes the issue is more about geography than ability. Until the Scotland forward learns to make more runs into scoring positions, the manager explained, he won’t be giving himself chances to hit the target.
“He started the season really strongly on the goal front, first game of the season, a double at Dundee,” Gray pointed out. “He is what he is; he's a threat in terms of occupying defenders.
“He's a focal point within the team as well and defenders certainly know they're in a game when you're playing against them. His all-round games is getting better, his energy, his physicality.
“He is not scoring as many goals as he would like, but probably never had as many chances either recently to be honest. That is something we're working on as well.
“He needs to get in the box more. Once he does his job of holding it up and setting it wide, the next bit for him is can you go and think like a proper No. 9 and get in the middle of the box?
“It's probably something he's not done as much, but he's not always been an out-and-out centre forward at previous clubs. He's played a lot off one side, so there are areas in which we're still improving.
“He is only 23 years old, so he's still got loads of improvement to come. But with him not having always played as an out-and-out No. 9, there are little things that we're trying to keep improving on.”
Club form can take forward to World Cup
Bowie made his competitive Scotland debut at Hampden earlier this month, coming off the bench late in the 2-1 win over Belarus. Victory in that game completed a six-point international doubleheader for Clarke’s men, who now have a great chance of making it to next summer’s World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the USA.
Gray would love to see the striker leading the line for Scotland on the biggest stage. He sees no tension between that ambition and his constant drive to improve Bowie as a Hibs threat.
The former club captain, who sees players as works in progress, said: “We’re constantly looking at Kieron’s game, how he can always improve. And he’s really eager to learn.
Martin Boyle and Thibault Klidje options
“He gives you something different. If you look at Boyle and Thibault Klidje, for example, Kieron gave us more of the physical side to that, knowing that Thibault is going to run him behind.
“But there'll be times at this season when I know I can play Thibault and Martin Boyle together if you want a lot of pace in behind. I've done that a lot last season when you think back to playing Elie Youan and Boyle together.
“You don't always need that physical one. It's about different ways of playing. I think that's something that, as I mentioned in there, I don't have to change the shape necessarily to have a different way of playing.
“Just by making a sub, somebody giving me completely different in what their strengths are. It's a good variety we've got up there of different ways of playing.”