Ryan Porteous on ‘fairytale’ Hibs ending against Hearts as defender opens up on transfer exit
HE doesn’t know if Sunday’s Edinburgh derby will definitely be the end.
It looks as though it might be, but it’s all beyond his control.
One thing Ryan Porteous is certain about, however, is that if he could have written a way to sign off playing for boyhood heroes Hibs it would be by knocking Hearts out of the Scottish Cup.
The 23-year-old centre-half is the subject of bids from Blackburn, Watford and Italian club Udinese as his time at Easter Road nears a close.
Hibs want to cash in on him in this window rather than let him go for nothing.
Porteous, who has NEVER won an Edinburgh derby, is ready for the next challenge in his career, but is focused on the immediate one first.
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He said: “If you were to write a fairytale ending then a win on Sunday is how it would be.
“But football is a strange thing and you don’t know what can happen from one day to the next.
“Things are not in my hands just now so all I can do is take every day as it comes because I’m not in control of it.
“If we win would I want to stay on and see it through? It’s out of my hands because the club have made it clear, Ben Kensell has made it quite clear, he wants to cash in during this window.
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“I think to not get anything would be a mistake for the club, it’s a business and if they don’t get the right offer then they’ll want to keep me until the end of the season.
“It’s a football club, it’s a business and it will be their decision. I think it’s right that Hibs get money.
“It’s got to a situation where it maybe shouldn’t have and I think if the club can get money, and an adequate replacement in, then that’s best for both parties.
“The fans have been brilliant. If you ask 99 per cent of Hibs fans about the situation they would understand the reasons.
“From my part, I think it was obviously a difficult situation, the way it was announced and stuff, but they have been excellent with me.
“You see a lot of Hearts fans last year giving John Souttar a bit but that wasn’t the case with me. I think they respect how I’ve supported the club growing up.
“I’ve been full-time here the last five, six years and they understand that I have given a lot for the club and that feeling is mutual.
“They have supported me through thick and thin and I will definitely do the same for the club.
“You can obviously understand some fans being a bit disappointed but I don’t think that disappointment is towards me, it’s probably more towards the club.”
Hibs manager Lee Johnson admitted that he feared Porteous would be hounded out of Scottish football because of his pantomime villain reputation.
While he’s endured plenty of stick, the defender insists he doesn’t want to escape the SPFL for peace.
He said: “I wouldn’t say I was forced out, to be honest, but the best place to go is out of Scotland.
“A lot of people jump on the backs of Scottish talent. John McGinn said after the Ukraine game that we should try to get these players to flourish and help them.
“I don’t think we do that enough, although that’s not my main reason.
"I think a lot of the opposition managers have just vented frustration.
“We do it as players and managers do it as well. I don’t take too much notice of it and think it probably gets blown out of proportion a bit.
“I wouldn’t say it is just me, a lot of people fall into that bracket. It happens after games, people get frustrated and they probably regret what has been said.
“Even some of the stuff I have done as well, you just vent frustration.
“It’s just a frustration thing rather than a target thing.
“If you look at the players who have gone abroad, it opens up the European market.
“They have all done really well, so it’s definitely something that would excite me.
“You see a lot of players that have gone down south, John McGinn and Scott McKenna in recent years, and others who have gone abroad, Lewis Ferguson, Aaron Hickey, Jack Hendry.
“A lot of people have left Scotland who a lot of people said weren’t good enough, because it is a fishbowl here. You get caught up in it.
“A lot of people said Jack Hendry wasn’t good enough and he’s starting every game for Scotland now and he’s played in the Champions League in the last 18 months.
“That gives you a reason to want to further your career and take the best option.
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“It might help with Scotland and that is one of my reasons as well. I want to become a regular pick and start more games at that level.”
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