Martin Boyle paid for family to watch him at Asian Cup - only to get injured

It was to have been the holiday of a lifetime for Martin Boyle’s family, the Hibs winger having forked out a small fortune for them to watch him play for Australia in the Asian Cup.
Hibs' Martin Boyle promotes the club's Player of the Year night. Picture: SNSHibs' Martin Boyle promotes the club's Player of the Year night. Picture: SNS
Hibs' Martin Boyle promotes the club's Player of the Year night. Picture: SNS

But as they flew out to Dubai he was flying home, his dream shattered by a knee injury sustained in the Socceroos’ final warm-up match just a few days before the tournament got under way.

Even then, he revealed, he didn’t appreciate the full extent of the problem, believing he might be out for a few weeks – only to then be told his season was over.

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Alerted to the fact Boyle qualified to play for Australia thanks to his dad Graeme having been born in Sydney, Socceroos coach Graham Arnold had called him up, the 25-year-old cementing his place in his squad with two goals in only his second international match. However, as the final touches were put to the Aussies’ bid to retain the trophy in a game against Oman, Boyle’s world came falling down.

Martin Boyle was injured playing for Australia against Oman. Picture: Francois Nel/Getty ImagesMartin Boyle was injured playing for Australia against Oman. Picture: Francois Nel/Getty Images
Martin Boyle was injured playing for Australia against Oman. Picture: Francois Nel/Getty Images

“It was weird how it happened,” he recalled. “People said I had a knock but I take ten of those a game. I turned quickly and heard a little crunch. I could run in a straight line, it was just turning that was the problem. It felt awkward. We sat down, got it scanned and we didn’t realise it was so serious. Sitting on the physios’ table and being told to pull out of the squad because they couldn’t risk it was upsetting. Then I had to see a specialist because it was getting worse.”

Boyle was given even more wretched news on his return to Easter Road.

He said: “It didn’t sink in until I came back and was told I needed an operation. I thought it would just be checked over and I would be out for a few weeks, not months. It was a bit of a disaster. I’d booked for seven of my family to go to Dubai and had paid for it all. I had to phone my dad and tell him and he got upset. He didn’t even want to go.

“I assured them it was not often that they would get to see such a nice place. I told them there was no point in wasting the trip. It was a hole in the pocket, but it was just one of those things. As I was flying home, they were flying over as they couldn’t cancel. It was a very lonely flight home, although I got upgraded to first class because people were feeling sorry for me. So while I was lying on an operating table my family were watching Australia and I wasn’t playing. They would have seen me play in three games, but it was not to be.

“The only thing that has kept my feet on the ground was that I was able to spend some quality time with my wife Rachel and my six-month-old daughter Amelia Grace. That has been refreshing, coming home and seeing that wee smile on Amelia’s face helped pick me back up again.”

It has been a long and testing road back to full fitness with still some way to go, but Boyle is making progress. He will return, of course, to find a new head coach in place, Paul Heckingbottom having taken over following Neil Lennon’s sudden departure, the player admitting he has a lot to thank his old boss for.

He said: “There was nothing much we could do about it, it all happened so abruptly. I was very thankful for what he did for me personally and I’ve exchanged messages with him to thank him for that.

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“He really gave me a chance to prove myself, he pushed me every step of the way and I’d like to think I responded.”

l Martin Boyle was speaking to promote Hibs’ player of the year night, sponsored by Caledonian Heating and Plumbing, which takes place on Sunday 28 April at Edinburgh Corn Exchange. Tickets from www.eticketing.co.uk/hibernianfc or the club’s ticket office.