Hibs boss Jack Ross explains why Ryan Porteous and Kevin Nisbet were benched amid Millwall and Birmingham bids

Hibs manager Jack Ross has not written off the club’s chances of holding onto both Kevin Nisbet and Ryan Porteous despite ongoing interest from clubs south of the border.

Hibs' Ryan Porteous (L) and Kevin Nisbet (R) were left on the bench against Dundee United after being linked with moves away from the club. Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group

Millwall’s bid for Porteous and Birmingham’s offer for Nisbet – believed to be in the region of £1million and £2million respectively – have been rejected and while the pair were left on the bench at Tannadice, where Hibs ran out 2-0 winners, Ross claimed that shouldn’t serve as an indication that he expects to lose them before the transfer window shuts on Monday night.

“I would expect them to be with me on Monday. That’s where I think it’s at,” said Ross. “As I said, things can change very quickly. I just felt they are both young footballers but also young men. It’s been an unusual couple of days for them to be the subject of concrete interest and also the amount of attention that goes with that.

“It was a judgement call in terms of taking them out. If they are still with me on Monday, which I think they will be, then it becomes business as normal from there.

“The club has its valuation and is conscious of where we’re trying to get to this season and how that affects it, particularly so late on in a window.”

With a European place one of their stated targets, the team got back to winning ways against the Tayside team and boosting those ambitions, especially with results elsewhere going their way. But, Ross says it has always been about focusing on their own performances and results.

“We’ve been talking about controlling our own destiny. Because we’re setting such high expectations, we’ve had disappointments and they maybe get magnified a little bit more. For us, in the league, it’s about accumulating points. Our points total is good, defence is good and scoring goals is good. It’s just we’ve had this sticky patch over the last month that has maybe clouded it.

“Our away record has been excellent this season and to continue that is pleasing. Both goals were good. Different goals from different sources but in terms of having that bit of quality to win matches, we had that.”

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