Star sets record straight on Hibs spell after Easter Road exit as he admits Scottish football struggles
The winger left Hibs for good earlier this summer after a difficult spell.
Jair Tavares has detailed how his Hibs spell went awry, after sealing his latest club.
The Portuguese winger is a product of the Benfica academy and signed on a permanent basis at Easter Road in 2022. He spent the last season of his time at Hibs on loan at Motherwell before exiting for good this summer with 41 appearances for the club, with just two goals and an assist in that time.
Tavares has now signed for Kauno Zalgiris, who play in the top division of Lithuanian football. He says the rapid nature of Scotland’s Premiership is something he never got used to in comparison to his days in Portugal.
Jair Tavares on time at Hibs
He said in his unveiling interview at Zalgiris: “It's not easy to play in Scotland. It's a very physical league there and I don't think it was the right place for me. Anyway, it was a very good experience. I learned a lot. I also grew as a player, as a person, especially psychologically.
“Portugal and Scotland were two different worlds. In Portugal, the pace is slower, and in Scotland, it's very, very fast. In Portugal, we believe that playing with the ball is much more important. It's a different culture. But, you know, these are life decisions. Sometimes you just have to learn, but football is still the most important thing in the end.”
Explaining the reasons behind his summer transfer to Lithuania, Tavares detailed: “I've never been to Lithuania before. From what I can see, it's a quiet place, a good city, the people seem nice. I need a place where I can rediscover myself. I need a place where I can be happy again, where I can feel football again.
Why Jair Tavares has moved to Lithuania
“I have a friend in Lithuania, Benny, he plays for Šiauliai and I talked to him. He gave me good advice. I believe that this team can help me, I believe that I can help the team, and I hope that we can achieve our goals.
“From what I saw, I got the impression that we are a team that really plays football. A team that wants to play with the ball and force other teams to defend. That's what I'm looking for - a team that dominates games and wins a lot of games. I want to win the first trophy of my career and I believe I can help the team do that. I've been on vacation, but at the same time I haven't stopped training every day. I've been working with a personal trainer, so I believe I'll be ready soon.”
There was also credit for the Benfica youth system that brought him up, Tavares adding: “I used to say that Benfica is a different club. It's a huge club. Benfica's academy is better than any other academy in Europe and you can see that in the results. Most of the players in the Portuguese national team are from Benfica. In terms of football, I think it's the best place to learn football in Portugal. I'm a big Benfica fan and I'm just grateful for all the years I spent there.”