Toby Sibbick has accepted his Hearts performances have been below par as he vows to bounce back from fan criticism.
The 23-year-old has found game time limited after he found himself red-carded at Celtic and booed by the Tynecastle faithful earlier in the season. But he was handed a lifeline when he featured for the first time in a month on Thursday against Fiorentina, coming off the bench as Hearts were sunk 5-1 by the Italian’s.
After being handed another chance to prove himself, Sibbick admits its been a tough period after revealing he faced a backlash on social media from the disgruntled support. The versatile defender opened up on what has gone wrong this season, and a chat with Robbie Neilson which spurred him on to bounce back.
READ MORE: Hearts handed UEFA fines as two incidents on Europa Conference League duty lead to punishment
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“We had a conversation in the manager’s office and he said he just wants the old me to come back out. I need to be myself,” he told the Edinburgh Evening News.
“I know my performances haven't been the best. I think I suffered when I didn't have the greatest game. That maybe knocked my confidence a bit.
“I don't really look but sometimes you get tagged in things [on social media]. We are all human, some of us make mistakes. Of course it's their club and they want their club to succeed. We play for the fans and we just want the best for them as well.
"Maybe, but I think that's the case anywhere in football. You see top players getting targeted and everyone jumps on the bandwagon. You just need to be mentally strong and tough to pull through these things.
"Hopefully one day I can turn a page with a few of them, so they can see that I am actually trying and giving my best. No-one wants to do badly for the club or themselves. I'm just going to continue giving my all.”
Hearts head to Aberdeen this week as they look to bounce back from their Europa Conference League disappointment.
The Jambos found themselves 4-0 down at half time in Florence on Thursday. A Stephen Humphrys goal was only a consolation as the Serie A giants grabbed a fifth in the second half, leaving Hearts left facing a real uphill battle to reach the next stage.
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