Kevin Nisbet insists he is fully focused on firing Hibernian into Europe despite missing out on a “massive opportunity” when a move to Birmingham City broke down in January.
The 24-year-old received a maiden call up to the Scotland squad for the March triple-header of international fixtures after returning to goalscoring form with the winner at Ross County earlier this month - his first goal since being dropped from the side by Jack Ross amid “transfer noise”.
The Easter Road side stood firm in the face of interest from St Andrew’s, rebuffing a seven-figure offer for the forward to continue his meteoric rise.
It led to Nisbet and teammate Ryan Porteous, the subject of a similar bid from Millwall, being benched by the Hibs boss while chatter around their respective futures continued.
But the striker, who was an unused sub in Scotland’s draw with Austria, earned praise for knuckling down and getting on with his football to earn international recognition after his 14th goal since making the step up to the Scottish Premiership last summer.
And he is now redoubling his efforts to ensure he'll start next season awaiting a stamp in his passport as the men in green and white close in on continental qualification.
“I think it’s easy for people to say now that thankfully he’s stayed,” he said.
“At the time it was a massive opportunity for me and it didn’t work out.
“The day after the transfer window, I put it behind me and my attitude was spot on. That’s the reason I’m back in the team and scoring goals.
“Even all through January and after, the aftercare I got from Jack Ross, Pottsy [assistant manager John Potter] and all the backroom staff was great. It made that time a lot easier.
“[Jack] was brilliant. He just told me to keep on training well, keep coming on and playing well, because obviously the boys were doing so well and so I didn’t really expect to come back in right away.
"I just needed to take my chance. I did that and now I am back in.”
The bright lights of Hampden and the international stage are a far cry from where Nisbet found himself after being released by Partick Thistle at 21.
Two years ago this weekend, he scored a late winner for Raith Rovers in a Fife derby win over East Fife in League One, but will be among the travelling party bidding for a place in the national side set to face Israel in Tel-Aviv on Sunday.
"I’m here on merit with the season I’ve had," he told the Glasgow Times.
"It’s my first proper season as a starter in a Premiership team and I think I’ve taken it by storm. I think I’ve played really in games and even games where I’ve not scored, I’ve still put in a shift.
“I feel it’s the right time for me. For me now it’s just about doing well here and then going back to Hibs and getting top goalscorer.”
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