Why Harry McKirdy has been backed to start firing for Hibs after finding love and professionalism

Lee Johnson hopes Harry McKirdy can show between now and the end of the season why Hibs signed him, after the Easter Road manager admitted the 26-year-old had endured a tough time adapting to ‘better players’ and a ‘higher level’ of football.

The forward has made 18 appearances for Hibs since arriving on transfer deadline day in the summer but has started just four of them and is yet to complete a full 90 minutes. The former Swindon Town attacker has struggled with injury and adapting to a new league and city and is yet to provide a goal or assist in green and white.

But his manager is hopeful that he can contribute in the final few games of the campaign, with Hibs not out of the race for third and chasing European qualification but needing a big shift from all players as they bid to improve on last season’s disappointing eighth-placed finish.

McKirdy hit the headlines for the wrong reasons earlier in the campaign when a seemingly innocuous comment on social media resulted in a talking-to from Johnson and a reminder of the standards expected at the Easter Road side. But with the former Aston Villa youngster now fully fit and raring to go, Johnson has challenged him to do his talking on the pitch, with fleeing glimpses of his talent all he has to show so far.

Lee Johnson is backing Harry McKirdy to show what he's all about between now and the end of the season

He came on as a substitute during the 3-1 defeat by Motherwell but earlier this season put in one of his better performances during a 45-minute appearance at Tannadice during a 1-0 defeat back in October.

“I don’t think Harry’s had any flow. I’ve said to him openly that I thought the first ten or 12 weeks it took him a while to get into the levels of professionalism we require at the football club. That set him back a little bit, and he then got injured – I think on the back of two or three acts of unprofessionalism,” Johnson explained.

"Every club holds themselves to different standards and Harry hadn’t played a lot of football outside of League One and League Two, and this is a higher level than that. You’re playing with better players – international players – and you’re playing against better players, and you need a flow, you need a consistent run and you need to settle.”

Johnson hopes McKirdy’s luck on the pitch will change after finding love in the Capital, with his partner helping him to settle. The manager wouldn’t be drawn on whether the attacker might start in the City of Discovery but wants all his players to find their A-game, if you like, for the remaining games.

"He’s got himself a girlfriend now, which I believe is all part of the holistic ability to settle. She’s a Scottish girl, which is important, she knows the area and they know the right places to go. I feel he’s settled now, so I’m hoping that certainly from the start of next season, but hopefully between now and the end of the season, that starts to come out in his performances.

"Obviously, the team selection isn’t an easy one after Saturday’s game, but I do trust the squad and I just want them to bring the best version of themselves more often."