'Maybe we should just gag him!' - Hibs boss warns star ahead of Celtic clash

Socceroos defender must learn to curb argumentative streak

Lewis Miller leaves the field - and meets a stony-faced Nick Montgomery - after red card at Dens Park.

Hibs boss Nick Montgomery wants cheeky Socceroos star Lewis Miller to get through a full 90 minutes without talking himself into trouble at Celtic Park. And the Easter Road gaffer, pleased to have Miller available again after a one-match suspension, has even joked about putting a gag on the motormouth fullback.

Miller served a one-game ban at the weekend as a result of picking up two bookings in the 2-1 win against Dundee at Dens Park. If his second yellow card was considered harsh by the Hibs coaching staff, the fact that the 23-year-old’s first caution came after getting embroiled in argument with an opponent hasn’t been overlooked by Montgomery.

After confirming that Miller will replace 16-year-old Rory Whittaker after the youngster ran himself into the ground in Sunday’s 2-0 home win over Aberdeen, Montgomery said the Aussie had been “devastated” by the red card received on Tayside. But the gaffer doesn’t believe his right back’s love of sledging and noising up opponents is, as some suggest, an integral part of his approach to the game.

“That’s something that frustrates me about Lewis, because when he’s doing that, he’s not concentrating on the game,” said Monty, the former Central Coast boss – who has coached Miller since his academy days – adding: “I love his passion and mentality of wanting to win, but it’s something he needs to cut out, and he accepts that.

“Hopefully, that sending off will help him learning. Maybe we should just gag his mouth!

“Look, he’s still learning. At 23, he made his debut at 18 or 19 so he’s a late bloomer, and he’s still young enough to learn. Because you keep learning your own career.

“That can be if you’re 23 or 33. David Marshall is still learning. You saw how much improvement he’s made this year, with the way that we play, and he never stops learning.

“Lewis is a massive talent. But it’s about him concentrating for 90, 95 minutes. That’s the biggest task with Lewis. He’ll definitely learn from that sending off because that hurt him. He was devastated. But now he’s back in, it’s a good opportunity to play against Celtic again.”

Explaining his decision to rest Whittaker after only his second career start, Montgomery said: “I think it would be a massive ask for a 16-year-old to back up two games in the space of a few days; I think Rory has just about recharged his legs from the weekend.

“So Lewis will come back in nice and refreshed, off the back of scoring the winner (at Dens). He also got a really harsh second yellow card – but that’s part of the learning curve for Lewis, because the first yellow card is just for a silly altercation that wasn’t his fault. But I said to him after the game, that was the reason he got sent off.

“I did cut him some slack because he scored, and we won the game! But, as a manager sometimes, you can’t legislate for a second yellow like that. Possibly it was a free-kick, but the only intent was to get the ball, there was no lunge or anything.

“It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve looked at it, it was definitely harsh. But I’m not the referee. The ref decides it.

“But, again, if he doesn’t get the first yellow after arguing with an opposition player, that moment doesn’t happen. And he’s still on the pitch.

“That is something that Lewis needs to learn. He’s growing in confidence and he’s a powerful boy, so we’re looking forward to getting him back in the squad.

“Lewis was really good against Celtic last time (in a 0-0 draw at Easter Road in October). Against the big teams, in games where you really have to concentrate, I think as a player it’s strangely easier to do that.

“So, he was excellent against Celtic last time, and he definitely enjoys playing against them.  Hopefully he comes back in nice and fresh. With the amount of games coming in the next few weeks, it’s definitely a benefit to be able to freshen players up and still get results.

“On the weekend, we had to change the two fullbacks, which is definitely disruptive. But Lewis Stevenson came in and I thought he was outstanding. Rory, for a 16-year-old, to put in a performance like he did in a very, very tough game, that bodes well for him in the future, because he’s a massive talent.”