Hibs star called out over ’emotive’ Gareth Bale parody post as Lee Johnson admits ‘conversations have been had’

HARRY McKIRDY is back in hot water at Hibs after another social media mishap.

The striker posted a picture of a BENCH on Instagram after he was an unused sub in Saturday’s win over St Mirren.

And he accompanied it with the words: ‘Chelsea, Nina, Golf, Hibs’ - parodying Gareth Bale’s famous ‘Wales, Golf, Madrid’ tweet when he was criticised about where his priorities lay.

Boss Lee Johnson spoke to McKirdy earlier this season after he replied: ‘Not wrong’ to a tweet from a Swindon fan saying: ‘Time to come back’ in November.

And the fuming Easter Road manager left the player out completely when a Hibs Development side played Newcastle earlier this week.

He said: "I was informed of the tweet or the Instagram post, whatever it was, on Sunday morning and my initial reaction is never to judge at that point. 

“It looked like it was an equivalent of the Bale scenario. 

"My mentality is always to protect the team. That's my sole motivation, my sole agenda. 

“The one thing you've got to be careful of is the perception of anything that comes out. 

“Somebody may have read that and looked at it in a completely different way to someone else, and that can include the rest of the team as well.

"What I want is players to respect their team-mates. So yes, conversations have been had and are being had at the moment with Harry.

"Do I think he's a bad lad? Absolutely not. Do I think he’s emotive, particularly at those times on a Saturday night? Yes.

"We'll decide what the best course of action with him is, not only for the good of the team but also to support players like that.

"There are two sides to it. We've got systems in place to protect our players, but also to reprimand if we feel that's required.”

Fans were quick to criticise the fringe player.

One branded him: "One of the worst signings we’ve ever made."

Another tweeted: "Canny believe the fans gave him so much backing.";

Another said: "He’s done nothing in a Hibs shirt literally nothing. Back down south with him."

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