Martin Boyle brings Hibs kids out of their shells as Lee Johnson hails 'jack in the box' for generating buzz in camp

It was described as a Roy of the Rovers moment, but the instant impact made by Martin Boyle at Easter Road last Sunday has extended to the Hibs dressing room and the training ground this week.

Boyler is back. The vibe has changed. The mood is good. There’s a buzz about the place.

Lee Johnson hasn’t worked with him before but has enjoyed having Boyle around at HTC this week. Getting to know his “jack-in-the-box” personality has been anything but dull.

The Australian international’s return is about so much more than the undoubted quality he brings to the team on the pitch. Johnson feels that Boyle’s infectious, bubbly personality can bring the best out in everyone.

Martin Boyle has generated a buzz at training this week, bringing some younger players out of their shells. Picture: Rob Casey / SNS

“He’s just bouncing around,” explains Johnson. “He is just funny. He has these quick one liners. Bojang had sat at his table, but then saw Lewis Miller sat on his own so Bojang went to sit with Lewis Miller and all I could hear was Boyler shouting: ‘That’s not good enough, you don’t want to sit with me then?’

“That’s a very small incident, it is those type of things, then all of a sudden it’s part of the conversation – then he is over there talking about a Croatian, an Australian and a Gambian sat at the same table then he is making jokes, ‘A Gambian, blah blah’, that sounds like an Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman. It’s like going to the Fringe and seeing someone like him interact with the crowd, a comedian. I’m always shaking my head or laughing.

“It’s like when you put one of your old sofas in the garage and then you miss it so much that you have to bring it in the house. He has just fitted in seamlessly. He’s part of the furniture here anyway.”

Johnson continued: “In and around the place he’s like a jack in the box and brings that vibe, that buzz and he brings other people out of themselves. That’s what I like. It can’t always be down to the staff to do that.

“We’ve got a lot of young, talented players and we don’t want them to suppress their personality. Quite the opposite. So anybody that aids bringing out the best parts of their personality is an addition of good value.

“We don’t want to suppress people, we want to bring their best out. If you’re brilliant at one-on-one chats and have that leadership quality, bring it. I had a chat with one player who I didn’t feel was bringing his personality.

“Whether you are playing or not does not define you. Young players think that. On a human level, bring what you’ve got and on a football level that will only come out more.

“We want to create a nice, comfortable vibe. You can say those words but you need the people to be active in enhancing that culture.”

Boyle has helped with that. The buzz started before he had even arrived. The players were training at Easter Road the day before the derby last week when Johnson announced to the squad that he was signing.

“Everyone was buzzing,” added the manager. “Obviously the new players don't know him, but they are interested to see the quality that he brings. They then lift their game. You can feel the fan buzz behind it.

“But it's a new regime for him, he's got to learn a new philosophy. Although he is part of the furniture he has to earn his stripes and I think he knows that as I pick the team based on merit.”

Boyle will take a few weeks to get up to speed after missing pre-season. He hadn’t kicked a ball since June before his heroic introduction from the bench to snatch an injury-time equaliser against arch rivals Hearts. But Johnson is ready to use Boyle in the coming weeks and build up his fitness.

“Make no mistake, Boyle is a ready-made player, ready to go,” he explained. “Yes, there will be a little bit of understanding of the partnerships. But he knows the league, he knows the level, he knows the players he’s playing against.”

Johnson is weighing up whether to start with Boyle against Livingston and take him off, or use him as an impact sub again. After Boyle’s magic derby moment, and incredible high which has energised the whole club, Johnson is well aware that a trip to the Tony Macaroni Arena is a completely different challenge and requires a different approach.

“Livingston do exceptionally well and the astro is an important factor in that, but we’re fresh and ready to go after a good week both in terms of enthusiasm and also rest.

“They've got a hard-working team. They’ve got threats from midfield and big Joel Nouble up front causes problems. He’s very good with his back to goal. They work their socks off.

“I’ve been in teams like that and you always punch above your weight when you have that commitment and drive to look after each other.

“So any game in this league is going to be tough. We know that, so we have to turn up. The psychology behind it is that, in one sense, the Hearts game is easy and one to turn up and be at it. This one we have to show up and put in a good performance for the travelling fans.

He added: “It comes back down to work and the improvement points that we need to deliver. We’re a very new team and we have to be better, more often.

“I think there are real signs of potential within the team and the squad. Going into this next game, we’ve got to be able to deal with all the different levels of expectation, game by game, and excel.”