Kevin Nisbet can do better than Birmingham City and staying at Hibs has boosted his Euro 2020 hopes

When one is young, it’s very common to view mild setbacks as awful, spirit-crushing dramas that can feel as if the world is about to end.
Hibs striker Kevin Nisbet in action during Tuesday's 2-1 win against St Mirren. He came on as a second-half substitute. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)Hibs striker Kevin Nisbet in action during Tuesday's 2-1 win against St Mirren. He came on as a second-half substitute. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)
Hibs striker Kevin Nisbet in action during Tuesday's 2-1 win against St Mirren. He came on as a second-half substitute. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

Kevin Nisbet might not be a teenager any longer – he turns 24 next month. However, it’s understandable if he treats the collapse of a major move to England as if it will never come around again.

In football terms, Nisbet is still very much making his way in the game. It’s not as if the striker has been an Easter Road regular for years since breaking through from the youth ranks. He only joined last summer after a few seasons scratching around the lower leagues (having been released as a teenager by Hibs). A breakthrough campaign in League One at Raith Rovers led to another goal-laden one at Dunfermline in the division above.

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He is still in the midst of his first top-flight season – his return to date of 11 goals in 24 league appearances indicates that he’s dealing with this latest step-up remarkably well. It is no surprise he has attracted bids, decent-sized ones too. He’s a lively player with a nose for goal. In the midst of a pandemic, Hibs pushed the boat out to sign him.

He is not the finished article, however. Not yet at least. Jack Ross wants him to continue developing for a few months more at least at Hibs. After all, it was only a matter of months ago that he signed a contract until 2024.

It’s natural if the pound signs flashing in his eyes means Nisbet is currently struggling to see his manager’s viewpoint. There are reports he was in line to increase his salary ten-fold if Hibs had accepted Birmingham City’s transfer deadline day bid for the striker.

Awkward timing accepted, there’s a school of thought that Hibs should have grabbed whatever Birmingham City were offering – a reputed £3m, adds ons included – and not looked back. Perhaps Nisbet will thank them later for not doing so. It’s been an emotional, unsettling time for the player, who bravely insisted on playing in a Scottish Cup semi-final against Hearts shortly after his father, Thomas, had passed away from cancer. He has dedicated the rest of his career to his dad.

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Birmingham City are in severe trouble in the intense environment of the Championship. They are currently lying in 21st place, just two points above the relegation zone having played more games than the three teams below them.

Who knows where they will be next season? In any case, look at the case of Scott McKenna. He endured similar frustration to Nisbet after having what was perceived as a dream move snatched away from him – on a couple of occasions in fact.

On the last day of the 2018 summer transfer window Aston Villa submitted an £8m bid to Aberdeen. It was turned down. When Aberdeen rejected another bid, from Queens Park Rangers this time, in August 2019, it prompted action from McKenna.

Like Nisbet, he was frustrated enough to hand in a transfer request. He feared the chance might not come round again. Like Nisbet, he was in his early twenties and had recent knowledge of lower league football, in his case at Ayr United and Alloa Athletic. He wanted it all, now. Only a couple of transfer windows later he got the move he craved, with Nottingham Forest offering what Aberdeen considered was a satisfactory amount for someone they knew they were, by this stage, morally obligated to let leave.

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McKenna conceded that the repeated speculation did affect him. “At the end of the day it’s your career and your life, you want to know what’s going on,” he said just over a year ago, prior to the move to Forest. “I got a bit too involved, a bit too distracted. But I always did my best for Aberdeen. I did not down tools, it’s not in my nature.”

Nisbet had plenty of time to assess his own options while sitting on the bench staring at the rain falling down in Paisley on Tuesday night. His teammate and pal Ryan Porteous – the recent subject of a £1m bid from Millwall, one which was also rejected by Hibs – was given a similar opportunity for reflection.

They both saw action in the second half. Porteous got Hibs’ win underway with a good header, with Nisbet involved in the build-up. It was precisely the kind of reaction their manager will have wanted.

Afterwards, Porteous made some sensible comments about being flattered by the size of fee Millwall were prepared to pay and how he needs to now knuckle down and continue to prove himself. If he does this, he felt he might have hope of a possible Scotland call-up ahead of this summer’s European Championship finals.

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Nisbet is perhaps in a better place to take advantage of this opportunity. Scotland are always in need of a goalscorer. There is already talk of him having caught Steve Clarke’s eye. He has a better chance of ensuring that remains the case by being involved in a race for Europe with Hibs than a relegation dogfight in England – his first task would simply have been to get in the team, with Birmingham City having also spent £2m on Aberdeen striker Sam Cosgrove.

Lawrence Shankland is currently struggling to re-engage with his old goalscoring prowess while Leigh Griffiths is beset by seemingly persistent fitness problems. Oli McBurnie, meanwhile, is always going to divide opinion among the Scotland support. Helping Hibs secure third place in the league – at least – could well open the door to a Scotland place for Nisbet. The door to riches can always open later.

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