Martin Boyle praises Mark Milligan and Jamie Maclaren's Hibs influence

Martin Boyle is delighted with the affect Jamie Maclaren and Mark Milligan have had with Hibs. Picture: SNS/Alan Harvey

The speedy winger linked up with the Australia national team for the first time this week for a training camp ahead of the friendly with Kuwait on Tuesday.

Speaking to the Socceroos’ official website, Boyle explained that the experienced Milligan has already developed into a fans’ favourite, while he described Maclaren as “one of a kind”.

Hibernian's Jamie MacLaren and Mark Milligan. Picture: SNS/Alan Harvey

“Mark’s done well, he’s got the experience, he’s got the ability to slow the game down, control it and not many people have that,” he said. “He can play in the defensive mid role, he can drop back, he’s been strolling it so far.

“He’s a standout fan favourite at the moment. Just his composure on the ball and the reading of the game.”

On Maclaren he said: “He’s vital to our team, he’s an out-an-out goalscorer, he’s one of a kind.

“He can have a quiet game but he’ll always get on the end of balls into the box, he’s a right predator in there. And that helps me, if I’m going down the wings I can just put the ball in the box and know he can be on the end of it.”

Boyle will fly back to Edinburgh ahead of Australia’s friendly since he is still awaiting clearance to play. Although he will be trying to watch the game any way he can.

“It’s [the camp] been brilliant. The experience is once in a lifetime really,” he said.

“The opportunity to represent your country, it’s a great honour. I have been welcomed in by the squad and they’ve been great with me.

“The standard is really high, the expectations of the squad is high, the manager demands a lot from the squad which is good, training has been really good, the tempo has been high.”

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