Hibs’ striker Kevin Nisbet is ‘buzzing’ to be called up to the Scotland squad for the start of Scotland’s World Cup qualification campaign and fulfilling a promise to his late father.
The Scots will face Austria, Ofir Marciano’s Israel and Faroe Islands later this month, and Nisbet is determined to make a good impression and stake a claim to be involved in this summer’s European Championships.
He spent yesterday waiting on the news breaking and revealed that he got a huge evasion from his team mates who were delighted with the call up.
The striker told Hibs TV: “I’m buzzing. It’s been a long season and I’ve been there or there abouts a few times, but just not made the cut.
“I’ve had a stop start first half of the year so for me to score on Saturday and get called up today, I’m just delighted to have made my family very proud.
“I think it was one of the last conversations we had together and he told me to go and get myself in the Scotland squad and I am very happy to fulfil that promise I made to him.
“I was hiding in the dressing room because I knew it was coming so when I went into the canteen Martin Boyle started banging on the table and all the boys went mental. They are obviously delighted for me because they know I’ve had a very tough year.
“A lot of people counted me out but I’ve come back from that in the last few seasons and I’ve went from strength to strength and I got a call up and I think it’s the pinnacle of anyone career to get recognition from the national team.
“I’ve done that but that’s the easy part. The hard part is to stay in the squad and get to the Euros.
“It was a bit of a relief seeing my name next to a lot of guys who have played at the top level, but a bit of a shock as well.
“I think it’s down to me now to go and prove myself and try and get into contention to play.
“I know a few of the boys from my time at (Partick) Thistle, Jack Hendry and Stephen O’Donnell and I grew up with KT (Kieran Tierney) in the Celtic Youth system so I know a few faces so it should make the transition easy.
“I set myself goals at the start of the season and I’m hitting them. I don’t think many people expected me to do that but I have confidence in my ability and have confidence to go and hit these targets and I am well on my way to hit them.
“I think this is a big stage for me to go and prove myself for the EUROs. It’s a massive stage and I am just delighted to be called up.”
Scotland manager Steve Clarke added: “He’s got an eye for a goal. “I like his movement, I like the way he gets free in the box.
“It is an area of the pitch where I have to keep looking because we need to score more goals. It would be nice if we could get more from the forward players.”
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.
