Lee Johnson hopes a Scotland call-up will prove to Ryan Porteous his ambitions can be met at Hibernian.
The Easter Road manager has reported holding ‘positive’ discussions with Porteous this week over his future at the club and plans to meet with the defender's representatives over the coming days.
Porteous is out of contract at the end of the season and Hibs are determined to do all they can to hang on to one of their prize assets and ensure he does not leave for nothing next summer.
The centre-half has attracted criticism for his actions both on and off the pitch but was included in Steve Clarke’s international squad for the forthcoming encounters with Ukraine and Republic of Ireland.
Johnson believes the accolade is evidence the former Scotland under-21 cap does not have to leave his boyhood club to further his career.
Ahead of the visit of Aberdeen this weekend, Johnson said: “I’m delighted for him. I know he’s been called up before but he’s very keen to make sure he gets minutes as well. He’s probably been a little but frustrated, like anyone, to have had call-ups but no minutes. That’s something he’s got to prove. He’s got to prove to the manager and earn his trust, and he can do that.
“He’s a very, very solid player, with an extreme will to win, and sometimes that boils over in his decision-making, which we’ve seen in the past. But it’s something he’s actively working on and we’re actively working on with him.
“I think you can start to see more composure in those moments and a little bit more maturity this season. That’s why the call-up has come, and now he’s got to get to the point where he gets minutes and impresses and he gains the trust of the national manager.
“We’re delighted for him. Obviously, we’re keen to keep him and those discussions are still in play. I had a good chat with him on Wednesday and we’re due to talk to his agent over the next couple of weeks.
“So, that’s still bubbling in the background, but positive talks are good and the timing of that was obviously important as well.
“The fact we’ve signed his best mate in Martin Boyle and the Scotland call-up shows you can achieve your ambitions at Hibs. That’s important, that message is key. And games like Saturday become very important because players like Porto want to be at the top end of the league, competing for things on a consistent basis.”
Johnson was speaking publicly for the first time since emergency gallbladder surgery a fortnight ago that laid him low just as the transfer deadline was approaching.
The former Bristol City and Sunderland manager eventually gave into the searing pain he was suffering when he was admitted to hospital in Edinburgh for an operation that meant he missed the recent 1-0 victory over Kilmarnock.
He said: “It was a four hour op - normally that’s a one hour op. I had a perforated and infected gallbladder and there were gallstones in there too. I had inflammatory levels of 103 and the maximum should be five.
“I should have been in A&E on the Monday or Tuesday. But through the good surgery and good people there I’m in a much better place than I was before I went in, in terms of long-term health.
“I was literally in my office curled up in a ball because I was in agony; someone would knock on the door and I’d act like I was all right and as soon as they’d gone I’d go back to curling up in a ball in agony again.
“But you just do it. It’s so important to me and to everyone else. You just keep trying to do your job.
“I couldn’t have timed it any worse with that week though - I was taking calls as the anaesthetist was about to put me under and I’m making decisions on [signing] Harry McKirdy.
“In one sense you want to say, ‘f*** off, I’m in agony here’ but in another sense you know it’s important. But the funniest thing was that, when I came round after the four-hour operation, I made three phone calls to find out what had gone on, and then I made the same three phone calls because I completely forgot I’d made them!
“Will Fish was a good example. I couldn’t remember if I did or didn’t sign him. Apparently I did, but I couldn’t remember because I’d just come out of theatre.
“Those were the type of things that went on that were a bit crazy, but obviously very much needed - and it shows you that the club must run, the show must go on, no matter what happens.”
