Ryan Porteous insists he has to get out of the Scottish football goldfish bowl for his own good after claiming he’s been unfairly targeted.
Hibs defender Porteous looks set for an emotional farewell in tomorrow’s capital crunch in Leith with Blackburn, Udinese and Toulouse battling for his signature in the final 10 days of the transfer window. The defender knocked back Easter Road chiefs’ offer of a new deal before Christmas and says being constantly singled out for mistakes played a big part in his decision to move on.
The Scotland star reckons homegrown talent doesn’t get the backing it deserves in the SPFL and that leaving the country will give him a better platform to progress as a player. Opening up for the first time on his decision to move on the 23-year-old 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 it 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. You want to be the best you can be and if that was in Scotland I would choose it.
“But for me I think it isn’t. I think I can go elsewhere. 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 players that a lot of people said weren’t good enough have left Scotland. 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.
“Some of those players might have gone abroad or gone away and they are not highlighted and targeted, and every mistake or every flaw isn’t maximised. I think that’s been the case with me.
“I think it has been for two or three years and I think as soon as I leave it will give me a platform to further my career.
“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 could excite me.
“Of course, that might help you with Scotland and that is one of my reasons as well.
“I want to become a regular pick for Scotland, I want to start more games that that level.
“If that was at Hibs and in Scotland, then so be it, but I think it does enhance you chances playing elsewhere.
“It was a decision that I thought I had to make for my career."
Porteous saw John Souttar get it in the neck from Hearts fans after choosing to sign a pre-contract with Rangers. But the homegrown Hibs star insists he’s had nothing but warm wishes from Hibees after it was announced his time in Leith was coming to an end.
He said: “They’ve been brilliant. If you ask 99 per cent of Hibs fans about the situation they would understand the reasons. 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 much I’ve supported the club growing up. I’ve been full time here the last five, six years and I think they understand that I’ve given a lot for the club and I think that feeling is mutual.”
Porteous has had run-ins with opposition managers and players in a fiery few years most notably ex-Rangers boss Steven Gerrard who took issue with the defender's tackling while Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin this season accused the stopper of "blatant cheating" to win his side a penalty.
But he said: “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’s been said.
“Even some of the stuff I have done as well, you just vent frustration."
Porteous could make his final Easter Road appearance in the biggest fixture of them all in Sunday's Scottish Cup derby clash in Leith.
The born and bred Hibee admits nothing would beat a derby victory as a sign-off.
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.
“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, (chief executive) Ben Kensell has made it quite clear, he wants to cash in during this window.
“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 to the end of the season.”
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