Alan Archibald believes Kevin Nisbet’s Scotland call-up should act as inspiration to young footballers across the country.
The current Partick Thistle assistant manager handed the Cambuslang man his professional debut against Ross County in September 2015 when he was in charge of the Maryhill side.
Nisbet was released by Thistle in the summer of 2018 but it proved to be the catalyst to his remarkable rise through the Scottish leagues and Archibald has urged other players to look up to the Hibernian striker.
“I’m delighted for him,” Archibald said. “He’s a great role model for everybody that has been released in football.
“It’s brilliant for Kevin and he deserves it. Whenever someone is released like that, it can be a bit of a shock but he took it on board and he knew that he needed to improve his lifestyle away from the pitch.”
“He made those changes and he thoroughly deserves to be in the Scotland squad.”
After the Maryhill side were relegated from the Premiership at the end of the 2017/18 season, former Thistle boss Archibald decided that Nisbet hadn’t earned a new deal.
Everybody at Thistle knew just how good Nisbet was and Archibald insists he’s just delighted to witness the former Trinity High School pupil prosper.
He said: “Kevin’s had a couple of knocks in his career. He was released from Hibs before he joined us and we were shocked that we managed to get him.
“He was head and shoulders above anybody else at that level. You could tell that with his performances and Scott MacKenzie {Thistle’s under-20’s coach} absolutely loved him.
“Scott did a great job with him and he had a good group of players around him. He deservedly got his chance in the first-team and he knows himself that he should have done better at Thistle and stayed.
“For one reason or another it didn’t work out for him here but that happens in football. It’s about how they react to adversity and Kevin’s been brilliant.”
Nisbet has admitted previously that his dedication to being a footballer wasn’t at the required level to succeed.
Leaving Thistle was the turning point in Nisbet's career and Archibald admits his ability was always unquestionable.
“I never had a doubt over his ability,” added Archibald. “He never had a bad attitude in terms of causing trouble or anything.
“He had a good attitude on the pitch but if anything, it was probably just a little bit too easy for him at times.
“Other managers always commented on how it looked too easy for him in the under-20’s because he was just that good.
“He had everything to his game; touch, strength, physicality and he was quick when he opened up as well.
“It was just about applying himself right and watching himself off the pitch.”
Nisbet joined Raith Rovers after leaving Thistle and he bagged 34 goals during a prolific season that earned him a move to Dunfermline.
He’s banished any doubts at every level he’s been at by scoring goals and after netting 23 times for Dunfermline, he moved back to Hibernian and he’s not looked back since.
Nisbet’s netted 18 goals in all competitions so far this season - Hibs are in Saturday’s Scottish Cup final against St Johnstone - and Archibald Isn’t surprised by his continued excellence.
He said: “Nobody is surprised by his ability. He used to be head and shoulders above anybody at youth level.
“If there were any first-team centre-backs in the opposition’s team then he’d just throw them about because of his strength.
“He’s in a really good place now. He’s looking after himself in the gym, he’s eating right and those are the things that he needed to do.
“He’s kicked on and by all accounts he’s doing everything right to kick on again.”
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