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Scotland boss Steve Clarke insists he has “no worries” about Hibs star Kevin Nisbet ahead of the crunch World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Denmark despite the Easter Road star being out-of-form at club level recently.
Nisbet and Hibs have been well off their usual standards in recent weeks but with Ryan Christie and Lyndon Dykes suspended for Scotland on Friday night when they face Moldova, Nisbet may be given the nod to lead the line for the Tartan Army alongside Ché Adams.
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With only two league goals to his name so far this season, Nisbet was struggling for goals even when Hibs were playing well this season but Clarke hinted he could start on Friday night after playing against the Moldovans earlier in the qualifying campaign.
“Hibs have had a tough time of it in the last few weeks, as well as Kevin,” Clarke said.
“They had a great start to the season and then maybe tapered off a little bit.
“Jack will be looking for some positive results and Kevin, as a striker, thrives on goals.
“Will I need to speak to him? I tend to speak to all the players as and when they come in for camp. I try to gauge where they are.
“But Kevin is a good striker, he’s shown that before. He’ll still be a good striker whether he’s out of form a little bit, or is back in form. We will find that out in the next ten days.
“Kevin’s been good with us since he came into the squad and he’s taken that place.
“People go off the boil sometimes. Not everyone will be at their top level all the time.
“Kevin played against Moldova the last time and did alright. He was involved in the goal.
“He also had another chance that he didn’t get out his feet quickly enough and maybe feels he should have done better with.
“But he knows the Moldovans and if he’s picked for the game he will be happy enough and will do well. I have no worries about Kevin at all.”
While Clarke has shown plenty of loyalty to Nisbet, the Hibs striker faces new competition for a place in the Scotland starting XI after Stoke striker Jacob Brown’s surprise call-up.
If Nisbet is given the nod to start in Chisinau, the Hibs star will need to deliver a better performance than his most recent for the Easter Road side if Scotland are to secure a Playoff spot and keep our World Cup dreams alive.
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