Harry McKirdy has been carpeted by Hibs bosses over his Gareth Bale-style social media post with the striker’s Easter Road future again up in the air.
Boss Lee Johnson says the 26-year-old has been spoken to with talks ongoing over his discipline. Misfiring McKirdy, who has yet to score in 19 appearances since signing from Swindon last summer, vented on Instagram last Saturday night after failing to get off the bench against St Mirren.
Next to a picture of a park bench the Chelsea fan wrote: “Chels. Nina. Golf. Hibs” in reference to his football team, partner, hobby and club - similar to Bale’s “Wales. Golf. Madrid” post as he fell out of the reckoning at Real Madrid four years ago. It’s the second time McKirdy has found himself at the centre of a social media storm after he responded to a Swindon fan telling him it was time to go back south with a “not wrong” reply last October.
Johnson said: “It looked like it was an equivalent of the Bale scenario. My mentality is always to protect the team. That's my sole motivation, my sole agenda. What I want is players to respect their team-mates. So yes, conversations have been had and are being had at the moment with Harry.
"Do I think he's a bad lad? Absolutely not. Do I think he’s emotive, particularly at those times on a Saturday night? Yes. We'll decide what the best course of action with him is, not only for the good of the team but also to support players like that.
“There's a lot of stick that flies about on the back of social media comments like that and these lads are desperate to play, they're desperate to perform and there's a lot of pressure on them.
"There are two sides to it. We've got systems in place to protect our players, but also to reprimand if we feel that's required.
"It's a dynamic now isn't it? Whether it's emotional, or a hacking, or purposeful. It is a dynamic in the modern world and we have specialist teams within the club to deal with that type of thing. A lot of this we've set up for these reasons.
"I talked a lot about discipline at the start of the year and we've put these processes in place now because when I speak to Harry McKirdy, I want to have a football conversation.
“I don't want to speak about any misdemeanours, or potential misdemeanours. I want to drive the footballer and help them become the best version of themselves.
"At the same time I can only pick 11 players plus subs and in a squad that's big you're never going to have everybody happy, which I don't mind - as long as they're focused and professional."
Johnson insists the Englishman can still have a future. Whether it’s at Hibs remains to be seen.
He added: "I don't see any reason why he can't. Every day is an opportunity to impress in football.
“We went down to Newcastle the other day - we had young lads playing in that game on a brilliant surface, against a good team, an experienced Premier League development squad, managers on the sidelines watching.
"You're always being watched in football, whether that's walking down the corridor or playing in a bounce game you are always being assessed on your attitude, your qualities, your behaviour, and players have got to understand that because you can dine for a long time on good attitudes and good behaviours."
Meanwhile Johnson believes “the only way is up” for Elie Youan after revealing the club shelled out a “very high six figure but not quite seven figures” fee to make his loan move from St Gallen permanent on a three-year deal yesterday.
He said: ““I think the only way is up for Elie. As we get better players around him, more consistency and the emotional stability of a long-term contract is important too for a manager and player. You are making decisions based on that long run and you’re more invested in the team. That’s why stability is important.
“We want to keep our best players here. We’ve already lost good players and that will happen to some extent. But if it does it’s because it’s to go onto life-changing things for them.
“Elie’s physical attributes are outstanding; Elie can repeatedly sprint, consistently puts in the highest time intensity running on the pitch, understands tactically what we’re after so he’s trusted. It’s okay being a threat going forward but if you switch off going back the way.. the last game is a good example how many times he worked back and stole the ball off the full-back that was starting a promising attack.
“Then they have to produce the numbers as an attacking player. I think he has to produce more numbers. If his final ball was world class we wouldn’t have him.
“That’s one of the areas we need to work on. He gets in so many good areas but not quite often enough does that final action come off. It has in terms of the last three or four months.
“The main strength of Elie is the way he stretches the opposition. If you’ve got footballers like we have in Joe Newell, Jake Doyle-Hayes, Liam Henderson, they need space between the lines.
“If you have nobody making penetrative runs then you don’t stretch the back line. It’s really important you have that speed to stretch teams and the quality in behind it.”
Meanwhile Johnson has paid tribute to Lewis Stevenson after the 35-year-old signed a new one-year deal to remain for a 19th year at Easter Road. He said: “Lewis is one of those characters who, when he speaks, people listen. He doesn’t speak that much but he has considered opinions. And he’s also genuine in that his heart’s in the right place for the club and team.
“Which is why he has stayed at the club for as long as he has, not only for his performances but his personality.
“If he wasn’t right for the culture I would have certainly moved him on and other managers before me would have as well. So what you’re seeing is a good footballer moving towards the end of his career, but I actually think still progressing.
“If there’s a physical issue it’s a different story but he hasn’t lost legs. Therefore he can still offer on and off the pitch.
“That’s important. If you re-sign someone in the twilight of their career they need to add value to the playing squad or to the development squad or everywhere in between.
“And I think that’s something this club has been brilliant at. You look at David Gray who is a really talented coach, I have been delighted to work with him this year.
“You look at Darren McGregor, I’m sure Paul Hanlon will go down a similar route. These are players who should be integrated into the football club and should be club men for a long time for their personalities as well as their performance.”
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