Callum Booth's focus only fixed on staying in Hibs team

The 19-year-old has taken the SPL by storm since returning from a loan spell with Second Division Brechin City, capping an impressive February with a stunning first goal against Inverness Caley and clinching the Young Player of the Month Award.

His performances have been such that they've even prompted talk of rapid promotion to Craig Levein's Scotland squad but today the left back insisted the only target he has at the moment is simply to retain his place in a rejuvenated Hibs side, all too aware of how many promising young stars have crashed and burned.

He said: "I have been delighted to get my chance and I feel I have done okay. Long may that continue. I'm happy the manager put me in, we lost the first few games but I managed to keep my place in the team.

"Everything has happened really quickly for me. Sometimes I need to pinch myself and remember where I am. It was only a few weeks ago I was training on a Thursday night at Brechin and now I have won a Young Player of the Month."

Recalling that not too long ago he was cleaning former Hibs player Darren McCormack's boots, he went on: "A lot has changed but I have just tried to keep my feet on the ground. I don't really feel the pressure too much. Once I go out on the pitch I just focus on that.

"A lot of youngsters have played eight, nine, ten or even 20 games for the first team and then you look at them a few years later and they are playing in the lower divisions.

"The first few games the adrenalin kicks in but then the hard bit is trying to keep my place in the team and also my standards high."

While pleased to hear team-mate Graham Stack's assertion that both he and Paul Hanlon could well be Scotland stars in the near future, the Haddington youngster took an equally grounded stance.

He said: "It was a nice comment to hear but I still have a long way to go. I haven't even played a competitive match for Scotland Under-21s. My Scotland aim is just to get into that squad as much as I can.

"We have a friendly at the end of this month and that is my aim. I am still a long way off playing for the national team at the moment."

Few would disagree with Stack's claim that Hanlon and Booth, should they continue to progress as they have, can force their way into Craig Levein's plans, but the youngster insisted his over-riding concern remains establishing himself at Easter Road and trying to push Hibs towards a top six finish.

Such a prospect seemed remote in the extreme as Booth was given his chance by Calderwood but, along with new signings Victor Palsson, Akpo Sodje, Matt Thornhill, Martin Scott and Richie Towell, he's helped revive that hope.

Delighted with his own personal reward, Booth said: "I was a little surprised but we had a good February with four wins in a row (the victory over Hamilton came on March 1] and we only conceded one goal, a penalty.

"I've played a few games and feel it has been all right. Hopefully I can keep my place and we can keep winning as well. We always felt that if we could win one game then we could go on a wee run after such a bad spell.

"That is how it has turned out. After we beat Kilmarnock and made it two wins in a row we looked at the fixtures and felt we could go on a wee run. Five is a great run."

While sights are now firmly fixed on top six, Booth admitted Hibs weren't in pole position, lying ninth at the moment but only three points adrift of sixth-placed Dundee United. The Tannadice club, however, have three games in hand.

He said: "There are still a lot of teams who are in a far better position than us. We've got some hard games coming up, two away (today at St Johnstone and then Celtic] in a row but we are taking it one at a time.

"We are just looking to get as many points as we can. Maybe our run has come a little too late but we definitely have a chance. Dundee United have a lot of games and will be in a good position while we are six points behind Motherwell.

"There are still five matches to go before the split, we've got St Johnstone and Aberdeen who are both fighting for the top six, big games which could decide who makes the top six."

Tough as it may seem, Booth admitted Hibs were in a far better position now than they were at the beginning of last month.

He said: "A couple of weeks ago avoiding relegation was the main objective. That is how football can change because we are now looking up the table rather than down.

"The dressing-room was never too bad, even when we were on a bad run, but the manager has brought in new faces, good signings and they have definitely helped the team.

"The atmosphere is good and everybody is happy."

"It was only a few weeks ago I was training at Brechin and now I have won a Young Player of the Month Award"