Hibs’ highly rated defender Ryan Porteous is frustrated about his reputation of robust style of play but insists that Head Coach Jack Ross has faith in him and has told him not to change.
The Scotland Under-21 international was criticised after receiving a red card against Rangers last year for a late challenge on Borna Barisic which sparked a furious reaction from the Rangers bench at the time and coaches from both sides had to be kept apart.
Since then that mistimed tackle has continually been brought up in the media and Rangers’ manager Steven Gerrard even mentioned it again in his post-match interview.
He was also booked for an off-the-ball incident with Alfredo Morelos during Sunday’s game at full time the Columbian refused to shake his hand as did captain James Tavernier.
After the final whistle Porteous told Hibernian TV: “It’s frustrating because a lot of people assume that people in the building think the same but if there was any problem the gaffer (Jack Ross) would have pulled me in and I probably wouldn’t have played today, it’s as simple as that.
“The gaffer’s got faith in me and he has told me not to change my game. I’ve always been an aggressive centre-half even when I train so I’ll keep doing what I’m doing, put a lid on a couple of things.
“I’m by no means the finished article yet and I’ve got to mature every game and take the lessons and learn from them hopefully.”
Porteous also praised the character of his team mates who fought back after going 2-1 down to Rangers but admitted that he was disappointed to lose two goals.
He added: “We are disappointed to concede two goals to anybody, especially at home regardless of who we are playing or the calibre they have in forward areas.
“I think the first goal we should deal with it a bit better, the second was good play but I think if we are higher up and a bit braver and believed in ourselves a bit more we don’t concede it.
“But listen, we have came back from being 2-1 down. A lot of teams would go under but we showed our quality in forward areas and the belief that we’ve got enough to hurt teams and at the end of the day it was a good point.”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
