COLIN NISH could be considered something of a one-man North Korea. The Hibernian striker operates self-censorship when it comes to newspapers, phone-ins and supporters' forums. Life at Easter Road is tough enough, it would appear, without being treated to public pastings of the efforts of Mixu Paatelainen and his bottom-six-threatened squad. Not that, as a Hibs fan living in the capital, he can completely avoid that.
"People say things when you walk along the road. It's not always bad, to be fair," Nish says. "You get the minority who have a go. I don't let it get to me. Let's be honest, there are folk in the crowd who don't really know what they are talking abou
t. I just tell myself that. I used to read the papers but I've stopped now."
Hibs' midweek win over Hamilton brought the club a first win in six games and bought Paatelainen some breathing space. Defeat at Tynecastle in Saturday's derby would see the air around the Finn thin out again. Nish believes his manager is being targeted for the failings of others. Among them, it could be said, the club's strikers. Nish hasn't netted since December.
"It's not the manager's fault," says the forward, still awaiting a first victory over Hearts 14 months after moving to Hibs. "We're the ones on the park who obviously aren't doing what he tells us to do. Mixu gets ripped in about us in training and team meetings. He lets us know what he thinks and there are never any arguments because all the players agree with him. We work our socks off in training and have a lot of good professionals here. A lot comes down to luck."
Nish's luck has been out when it comes to making the first XI for the past two derbies. He appeared in the second half of the 2-0 Scottish Cup defeat. Discouragingly for Hibs, the form of the two teams then wasn't as in marked contrast as now, with Hearts in third place, but the striker is not fazed at Hibs sitting three places and 12 points behind their rivals.
"We think we are good enough to be in the top six and it'll be a huge disappointment if we're not. That's the least of our aims," he says. "The derby is a massive game and the three points against Hamilton will give us confidence going into it. But I don't think anyone can get more fired up for a derby. They won the last time so we want revenge. It means a lot to me as a Hibs fan to play in these so I'm hoping I get the shout this time."
Playing for Hibs means enough for Nish not to have seriously considered a lucrative offer to go to China recently. "My agent phoned and asked me if I wanted to go, I said no, and that was it," he says. "I don't even know the name of the club involved. It was a lot of money but I don't regret it. If you don't have it, you don't miss it. The last thing I wanted to do was leave Hibs when we weren't playing well. I have supported the club since I was a wee boy and if I do leave eventually I want to have achieved something first."
Nish could be in for an awfully long stay.
