HIBERNIAN manager Lee Johnson has offered his full support to Marijan Cabraja following the death of Croatian left back’s father.
Cabraja, who moved to Easter Road from Dinamo Zagreb in the summer, has been given compassionate leave and is a doubtful starter for the cinch Premiership match against Rangers in Leith tomorrow.
Johnson stressed he will make a decision on whether the 25-year-old is capable of playing in the match against the Ibrox club when the defender returns to Scotland.
“Bless him, Marijan Cabraja's father passed away so obviously our well wishes go out to the whole family,” he said.
“We're looking forward to inviting him back into the Hibs family to give him a little bit love and care. That's been a difficult moment for us. “He hasn't trained this week, but he wants to play. That's massive credit to him, but that decision will be down to me. “It's a difficult one. Everybody's different in terms of the grieving time they need. Some cultures are different as well.
“Potentially, he could be on a flight tomorrow morning and back, but you've got to see what state he's in both mentally and emotionally, as well as physically in terms of the time he's missed training.
“It's a tough one as a manager. No-one teaches you those types of things on the pro licence. You've just got to be human about it and try and read the individual and see how he is, try and provide that bit of love, care and support that anybody would need in that situation.” Johnson attended the first leg of the Champions League play-off between Rangers and PSV Eindhoven in Govan on Tuesday night – but he does not believe being in the middle of the double header will have a detrimental impact on the visitors at Easter Road tomorrow.
“It's a difficult one,” he said. “You'd think if there's £30 to £50 million riding on the midweek game that that probably becomes a big focus.
“But that's disrespectful in a sense to the players they've got in the squad, the depth of the squad. I think any Rangers side is going to be a good side.”
Johnson added: “We were disappointed with the Livingston game (Hibs lost 2-1 at Almondvale). We did do enough to at least draw that game. A few home truths were told at the end of the game because the standards weren't high enough.
“But we've had a really good training week. The team selection on Saturday will be really, really positive to go and take the game to Rangers.”
