What Hibs' Manchester United loanee Will Fish really thinks about Scottish football

Defender is positive about standard of Scottish football

Will Fish came to Hibs to develop as a player and he cannot understand Ross County manager Derek Adams’ demeaning comments on the game north of the border.

The Staggies boss has come under fire after he criticised the standard of Scottish football since returning from Morecambe in the wake of a 1-0 defeat by Dundee last weekend.

Following an initial loan spell at Easter Road, Manchester United loanee Fish jumped at the opportunity to return for another stint and would be happy to see out the remainder of the season – and possibly beyond – in the Scottish top flight. “I can’t get on board with it because I think it’s a really good, challenging league, especially for a young centre half. I’ve never played in the EFL down south but I think this is a really good league,” he said of Adam’s comments. “You go from playing Celtic away one week to Ross County away the next.

Will Fish says he is learning so much from his loan spell at Hibs. Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group

“There is a big jump but, equally, those games can be just as hard because Ross County will have their strengths. So every week is a different challenge. It’s really exciting. Manchester United wanted me to come here because you’re dealing with a lot of physicality and on the flip side you are playing in a lot of big games. Celtic and Rangers, then playing at Hampden this season too - all great experiences – and there are not many players down south who will play for clubs with the backing Hibs have. I came here last season, loved it and decided this was the best place for me to come back to and continue my development.”

The managerial change earlier this season could have derailed his plans but, thanks to the new playing style introduced by Nick Montgomery, his education is proving even more wide-reaching. “It’s a different way of playing. It depends what team you’re playing because everyone will have different ways to combat what we’re trying to do. That’s where you need to be clever and work out how to play against that. The way the manager wants to play is everyone being involved and the defenders building from the back. That means everyone has their role to play and everyone has to be on it. If we do that I’m sure we’ll be successful.”

That wasn’t the case against St Johnstone but, this weekend’s trip to Dingwall, to face Ross County, gives them a chance to get back on track. Part of a defence that is now charged with finding their creative players in more dangerous positions, Fish is having to reconfigure his mindset. Still a vital cog at the back – while Paul Hanlon and Rocky Bushiri vie for the left centre-back role the Englishman has been a regular – the 20-year-old is happy to enhance his football know-how.

“This is a league where a lot of teams have big boys up front and every team has a threat,” added Fish. “The style of play is quite direct for the majority of sides we play against so it has been a real learning curve for me and as the weeks go by I’m experiencing more and getting used to how you deal with those challenges.These loans are so crucial for young players because you can be dragged into academy football where it’s nice and you’re not playing for anything really. Here there’s a lot on the line and you feel the pressure every week, but it’s really good to experience it.”