Rocky Bushiri admits he always really wanted to stay at Hibs and grow at the club despite being named on a list of players leaving over the summer.
The defender signed a three-year deal at Easter Road in June following a loan period from Norwich City. Shaun Maloney brought the stopper to the club during the January window but he was later sacked with Lee Johnson now the man in charge at the capital club.
The 22-year-old is ready to work hard every game as he bids for a better season personally after triggering his full-time stay due to a clause in his initial loan. A fresh start under Johnson has begun and he reckons he can thrive under his new boss as they aim to put behind the disappointment of last season with success this time around. He said: “There were talks during the summer and I really wanted to stay. I felt really good in the team and with the board and I wanted to stay and grow here.
READ MORE: Josh Doig explains his Hibs exit and the Aaron Hickey chat that helped sell him on Serie A transfer
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“So I kind of knew I was coming back. I worked hard during the summer to be ready for this season. It’s an important season for me because in the past I had injuries.
“I’m ready to work hard every game to be the best version of myself. I want to be better than last season, I want to be ready every game.
“I wan to be fully in the rhythm and be able to go the full 90 minutes at the same intensity. Keep clean sheets, and help the strikers and players in front of me can be better because of my performances."
The stopper was a regular under Maloney following his arrival in January but found himself out of the first team towards the end of the campaign with his and Hibs' form as a team dropping.
The 22-year-old came in for stick from the Easter Road faithful while chief executive Ben Kensell later opened up on how the abuse upset the stopper - but he is ready to move forward and creative positive results on the park and become a better player.
He continued: “On a personal level, it’s hard to answer. There were a few things but I’m not going to get into them.
“But, you learn the most in difficult moments and you become a better player. It’s experience and it’s behind us now.
“It was frustration with last season, it wasn’t good enough. When you’re a player coming from a Premier League club like Norwich, they expect loads. But it’s behind us and I’m focusing on myself and working hard with the staff to be better.
“There were hard times last season for the club, but it makes you stronger mentally and we can create a positive mindset with positive results.”
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