'It has felt like Israel for us' - Hibs keeper Ofir Marciano reveals love for club and city after spending lockdown in Edinburgh

Hibernian’s Ofir Marciano chose to stay in Edinburgh rather than returning to Israel after the football season was suspended due to coronavirus. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

Hibs goalkeeper Ofir Marciano has spoken of his love for the club and city after opting to stay in Edinburgh during the coronavirus shutdown.

After four years at Easter Road, the big stopper is now firmly settled in the Scottish capital with his wife Shelly and two-year-old boy, Sun, who was born in the city's Royal Infirmary in October 2017.

He admits that remaining isolated from his relatives in Israel during a global pandemic has been difficult, but the sense of belonging he has found in his adopted homeland has helped him deal with the current situation.

"Israel was already in lockdown when things got bad in the UK so we couldn't find good flights to go back home, and we would have had to be in quarantine, so eventually we decided to stay in Edinburgh because we feel like home here," Marciano said.

"We've spent a lot of years here – we feel safe here – and we know if we need anything we have people that can help us here. Thank God that everything worked out good, especially in the last few days when the sun popped out. It has felt like Israel for us."

Spending more time with his family has been a blessing for the current Israel number one, however, the curtailment of the Scottish football season and the postponement of two big Hampden dates for both club and country has left the 30-year-old feeling somewhat unfulfilled.

"I found it really strange, and a bit sad (when the season stopped)," said Marciano, who had been looking forward to playing in Hibs' Scottish Cup semi-final against Hearts, as well his country’s Euro 2020 play-off against Scotland.

"We wanted to finish the season as normal, we had games still to play in the league and cup, so it was a bit frustrating not to do so, but obviously there are bigger things than football.

"Together we have to accept that and try to make the best of it, such as spending more time with family. I've had way more time with them than usual and I really like that.

"It's been a privilege to see things that I usually don't have a chance to see, and watch my son grow in front of me."

How long Marciano remains in his beloved Edinburgh will depend on the next 12 months as he heads into the final year of his contract at Easter Road, but for now, any decision on his future is on the backburner.

"After all this situation that we've been through I'm not thinking about that," he stressed. "The only thing I'm thinking is to get back to shape, and to play football again.

"I'm in a place that I really like. I feel at home at Hibs and in Edinburgh. My family and I are really happy here, and I'm not thinking about the future.

"I'm just thinking about the present and I want to play here, enjoy being at Hibs and have some success and win some trophies if I can.

"The most important thing is just to go back and play football again, and who knows what will happen in future. The only thing I know for sure is that I'm at Hibs and I really like it here."

An important factor in his affection for the club is his relationship with the Hibs supporters, who have come to expect big saves and heroic performances throughout his 115 appearances at Easter Road.

"Since I came in on loan, from the first minute of the first game, I really felt the love of the fans for me," he said. "You can't be the best every game but even on bad days they always support me.

"I think I've given them some good moments as well since I've been here, but I always give 100 per cent every game, and I think when fans see that they appreciate it and have better relationships with players like that.

"That's something I alway try to do and make our fans happy because that's why you play football, and you can see it even more now with the games that don't have fans in the stands. You can see that football without fans is sad football."

Like his Hibs teammates, Marciano has been using lockdown to focus on his fitness, while he has had to come up with his own unique training regimes in order to work his goalkeeping reflexes.

"I've tried to take the positives from the situation, whether it's to lose a few kilos, or go on a diet I can't usually do during the season. I've also been working on fitness and stuff that usually I can't," he revealed.

"On the goalkeeper side it's a bit more challenging but I found a wall that I can practice with by myself, and also do some goalkeeper movements and exercises.

“But obviously it's not like the real thing and I'm happy that soon we will go back to training. I'm counting the days for that."