Hibs on-form striker Kieron Bowie is hoping that some coaching tips from teammate Dwight Gayle will help him catch Scotland manager Steve Clarke’s eye.
Ironically, Gayle arrival at Easter Road was due to Bowie picking up a hamstring injury sustained on Scotland Under-21 duty last September, forcing him to miss four months of the season.
Many fans questioned whether the former Newcastle United striker who once cost £10m would still have the hunger to contribute but their fears proved unwarranted and his winning goal at Tynecastle on Boxing Day made him a huge fans favourite.
Speaking after scoring a double against Dundee in the final fixture before the split, Bowie said: “Gayley, being a striker as well, gives little pointers now and then.
“He’s not constantly trying to coach but he’s giving me, Rudi (Molotnikov) and the younger lads pointers of what we should do and what we can do in certain situations.
“For now, Just watching him in training, you can see he has a lot of quality.
“You can tell what he’s done in his career and take bits off his game and add it to yours.”
Hibs paid £600,000 to bring Bowie back to Scotland last summer and he is now desperate to help repay some of that fee by helping Hibs secure a European spot which would culminate an amazing turn round in fortunes for David Gray’s men who were stranded at the foot of the table in December.
He added: “Playing in Europe is an ambition. At the start of the season no one was thinking about that.
“Everyone was talking about us getting relegated so to have an opportunity of even being involved is brilliant.”
When asked about his international chances, Bowie added: “Yes definitely. There’s a wee chance there eventually but I’m just trying to get back to full fitness.
“I’m still not there yet and it’ll probably be next season before I’m fully myself – but I’m trying to do as best as I can. I’ve shown glimpses of what I can do but to actually do that I need to build full fitness – I’ll get there.
“It’s like playing catch-up, isn’t it? Everyone else has had a pre-season and I’ve not had that then I’m coming back, doing runs and stuff like that.”
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.
