Lewis Miller has been forced to wait for the chance to shine at Hibs, but having nailed down the position in the closing weeks of the season, he has vowed he will be the best right-back in the league this season.
Miller arrived with a big reputation on his shoulders, joining from Central Coast Mariners last summer as one of Lee Johnson’s first signings at Easter Road, but he was shut out until March while be battled with injuries. However after impressing against Celtic twice and Hearts in the closing stages of the campaign, he finally feels ready to make the green shirt his own and show exactly why Hibs brought him halfway round the world.
With Chris Cadden facing an extended spell on the sidelines with the Achilles injury picked up in the Edinburgh derby, Miller is expected to get the nod when the Europa Conference League qualifiers get underway later this month. And he told the Record: "The first year was more of an adaption year for me, trying to get used to the league, the players and how the football is, it is obviously very different to Australia.
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"I played a few games here and there coming off the bench, the gaffer eased me into it. And then I played some big games towards the end, Celtic and Hearts and I came on against Rangers.
“I think it was good for me mentally to face the best in the league. And that’s where I need to be for the upcoming season, I need to be mentally strong and ready to take on challenges and hopefully be the best right back in the league.
“Last year I was out for some time and I had never really been injured before. So it was tough, having so much time off because I like to go, go, go, be 100 miles and hour, especially at my age, all I want to to is play and get the best out of my body.
"But everything is looking upwards at the moment, it’s just a matter of proving what I can do to the fans, the gaffer and myself. I know what I can do.
“I’m glad they didn’t throw me in to the deep end, they gave me time to adjust. The club profits off its youth, we have a lot of young players coming through from the academy.
"So there’s going to be a challenge. I’ll need to fight for my spot, which I love, to compete and earn it. And at 22 I think it’s a good time to flourish in this league, I’m looking forward to it.
“Chris is obviously a big part of the team and he played a really big part throughout the season. But hopefully I can fill his boots. The plan is to win and hopefully I can help the team do that.
“We’ve really grown closer as a team. There were a lot of ups and downs last season but we got into our stride towards the end of the season. We looked like a unit and played some fantastic football.
"We were unlucky with some results but at the back end of the season we played really well and if we can continue that I think we have a chance.”
Miller and the Hibs squad arrived in Marbella yesterday to step up their pre-season preparations in the searing heat of southern Spain, with Martin Boyle in camp continuing his injury recovery. Dylan Levitt became the latest signing this week but it’s another new arrival that Miller reckons can fire Hibs up another level.
Adam Le Fondre was a thorn in the Aussie’s flesh when they went head to head with Central Coast Mariners and Sydney FC. The veteran striker smashed a hat trick past Miller’s Mariners in a 5-0 routing two seasons ago. And he said: “Le Fondre’s one of those players who is always in the right position at the right time.
“He always manages to get a goal, his off ball movement creates so much space for the number 10 or the wingers to come inside and beyond. He’s box to box and he works his butt off, you can tell that by his career, he has flourished everywhere he has been.
“He’s been in England, Australia, India, there has been no dull season for him. It’s a great signing, especially with so much experience. I think he can help lead the younger players like myself.
“He’ll make unselfish runs for his team-mates or pinch a goal that will change the whole game. We’re very fortunate to have him and I can’t wait to see what he does next season.”
Miller might be 10,000 miles from his family but the influx of Aussies has made Scottish football a home from home. He said: “There’s something about this league, they love Australians! It’s a great move, they know the SPFL has a lot to offer and the quality is an upgrade from Australia.
“There’s fierce competition, bigger names, bigger clubs, so it’s a good transition. And if you do well in this league the world is at your feet, it’s a well-watched league, a physical league.”
