Cummings says he's not the cocky player that many fans presume

**YehButNoBut** · 25-01-2015 05:59 PM

Liked this article in todays Record on Jason, anyone for "Hacky Hampden" :>)

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/f...mmings-5039483

Young Hibernian striker Jason Cummings says he's not the cocky player that many fans presume

YOU can’t really know where you’re going until you know where you’ve been.

Jason Cummings is testimony to that. At just 19, he’s the Championship’s top scorer and Hibs’ hottest property. But even this early in his career, there’s a perception of him that doesn’t quite do his story justice. Sure, he’s cocky. He admits that. In fact it’s probably one of the reasons he has netted 13 goals this season. And at times Cummings hasn’t helped himself. Who can forget his post-match comments after scoring his first Hibs goal against Hamilton last season? “It was a decent zing. I opened a tin of beans with that.” Or his words of wisdom after a goal against Rangers at Ibrox. “I had the touch of an angel,” he said. A foot tattoo with the word ‘zing’, some ill-advised Twitter posts and a slightly over-zealous goal celebration against Hearts have helped perpetuate the Cummings myth.

But there’s more to him than that. When MailSport caught up with the striker at Hibs’ training ground, he spoke with a degree of humility. Whisper it, but he was even verging on shyness. That’s because he’s now becoming aware of his responsibilities. Gradually, he’s realising his days of playing ‘Hacky Hampden’ with his Hutchison Vale mates are long gone.

But that’s Cummings’ point. For people to understand why he is the way he is, they have to appreciate where he has come from.

He said: “I know most people think I’m a bit arrogant. But I’m a confident boy, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. I believe in my ability. “There’s another side to me though. I like having a laugh but I can be serious too. “A lot of people just see me messing about. But I’ve fought hard to get to where I am today. “Looking back, I’ve done a few daft things. But I’ve learned from it. People have to remember I’m still a young boy. Just two years ago, I was playing with my mates at Hutchy. We used to muck about every day. We’d toy fight with each other – some days we’d toy fight with the manager. “At training, we’d have a game of Hacky Hampden. Instead of playing football, you just slide tackle people and hack them down. It sounds daft but it was a good laugh. “That’s the environment I’ve come from. Now I’m a pro.

“I’m still learning on and off the pitch. I know I need to sharpen up on stuff outside of football. I need to be a bit more savvy but that will come with experience.” At a time when our game is devoid of players boasting the gallus streak we used to be renowned for, we should be grateful for characters like Cummings. Born and bred in Edinburgh, albeit to a largely Hearts-mad family, his goals for Alan Stubbs’ side have heightened his profile in the city.

So much so that he has been targeted at times by yobs. Previously, Cummings would have reacted. That might have been acceptable when he was working as a gardener following his rejection from Hearts at 16. But not now.

He said: “It can be difficult sometimes being an Edinburgh boy and Hibs’ top scorer. I’m always going to get stick. “My car has been egged a few times. The other week, someone threw an Aero yoghurt at my window. They must know me because it’s one of my favourite flavours! “But I just have a laugh about it, especially when I tell the boys.

“Maybe a year ago, I’d have responded to stuff like that. Or when people shouted at me in the street slagging off my hair. “But I realise I can’t do that now. I’m in the public eye and kids look up to me.” He’s certainly becoming a Hibs’ hero on the pitch. Cummings burst on to the scene with that brace against Accies in the Premiership play-off last May. But in the return at Easter Road, he missed the crucial penalty in the shoot-out – which condemned Hibs to relegation.

There was no laughing or joking from Cummings that night. In fact, only a pep talk from former Rangers star Barry Ferguson lifted his spirits. He said: “From being on this incredible high, just a few days later I missed the decisive penalty that put us down. “I was devastated. I felt like I’d let all the boys down. It was an all-time low. “I was hearing that there would be job losses at the club because we’d been relegated. And I felt guilty – like it was all on my shoulders. “The fans were distraught and it took me a while to shrug it off. But I’m a better player and person for it. “When you’ve hit rock bottom nothing will faze you after that.

“That night I just locked myself away. I met my agent, Alan Houldsworth, after the game and he helped me. “For a few days I slept a lot. I don’t think I left the house that week. “But I got a surprise phone call from Barry and that helped. He’d missed a penalty in the UEFA Cup semi-final against Fiorentina for Rangers. “He told me to keep my head up. He said I had plenty of time in my career to make up for it. “He gave me a lot of great advice. That was good of Barry to take time out to speak to me. If it happens again, I’ll be more ready for it.”

Stubbs will help Cummings with that too. The Hibees gaffer has had a big influence since arriving last summer and the kid is now a big-game player. He has already scored twice against Rangers and hit a dream goal against Hearts in the recent 1-1 derby draw. He wasn’t slow in telling everyone that the strike was payback for the Jambos throwing him on the scrapheap at 16. What most people don’t know is that when Cummings suffered a cruciate knee injury that threatened to ruin his career he had to rely on the NHS - and not the Tynecastle club – to recover. He said: “I was about 15 when I got the injury. I was devastated. “I stayed in my room for days. I thought that was me, football-wise, and I was looking elsewhere for jobs. “I was with Hearts at the time but wasn’t in there full-time. They didn’t do anything for me. “I had to do everything through the NHS. I remember having to wait four weeks just to get a scan. Hearts could have done more to help me. “Thanks to my family and the NHS, we managed to get the operation.

“My family urged me to stick in at the game and work for the rewards. “The rejection from Hearts is always at the back of my mind. It drives me on. I felt I deserved better and scoring for Hibs at Tynecastle felt great. “I just want to get the best out of my career now. I have international ambitions as well, whether it’s with the Under-21s or the full squad. “I want to score in every game. If I don’t score I come off raging. “If I’ve scored one I’m unhappy that it wasn’t two and if I get two I want it to be three. That’s the way I am.”

**Sir David Gray** · 25-01-2015 06:06 PM

"The other week, someone threw an Aero yoghurt at my window. They must know me because it’s one of my favourite flavours!"

The last part of that article reminds me a lot of Derek Riordan's attitude to the game.

**Pretty Boy** · 25-01-2015 06:07 PM

Fantastic attitude. Just wants to play football and score goals and has that swagger we have been missing.

Says a lot for Barry Ferguson to pick up the phone like that as well.

***JimBHibees*** · 25-01-2015 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by Pretty Boy

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Fantastic attitude. Just wants to play football and score goals and has that swagger we have been missing.

Says a lot for Barry Ferguson to pick up the phone like that as well.

Agree classy from Barry. Says a lot for him.

***Jonnyboy*** · 25-01-2015 06:21 PM

Nice to see HMFC looked after the laddie ........ not. Keep improving Jason, you're on the road buddy

**SunshineOnLeith** · 25-01-2015 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by JimBHibees

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Agree classy from Barry. Says a lot for him.

Wonder what prompted it - do they have the same agent/did Barry ever do anything at Hutchie? Not suggesting anything untoward just genuinely curious.

***Stevie Reid*** · 25-01-2015 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by SunshineOnLeith

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Wonder what prompted it - do they have the same agent/did Barry ever do anything at Hutchie? Not suggesting anything untoward just genuinely curious.

Said in the article that he missed a high profile pen also (though sure Rangers won that tie). He also did some pretty daft things as a young player.

Nice touch, anyway (no pun intended).

**heretoday** · 25-01-2015 06:35 PM

Good for Baz! Always had a soft spot for him.

**--------** · 25-01-2015 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by Pretty Boy

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Fantastic attitude. Just wants to play football and score goals and has that swagger we have been missing.

Says a lot for Barry Ferguson to pick up the phone like that as well.

Originally Posted by JimBHibees

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Agree classy from Barry. Says a lot for him.

BF can be a bit of an idiot at times, but he's not the nasty wee ned he's often made out to be.

I hope every young player thinking of signing for Hearts reads this interview and thinks again. You take a kid on, even part-time, and he's injured in your employ, you're morally responsible to help him. Their loss is our gain, though.

We were all wondering (and worrying about) who would replace Dom Malonga while he was at the African Cup of Nations. It seems we were worrying over nothing.

Jason has it in him to go a long way in the game.

But chocolate-flavoured yoghurt? Ewwww!

***hibeesjoe*** · 25-01-2015 06:42 PM

Terrible Hearts never done anything too help when Jason was injured. I'm sure that's what all the big teams do when a young player has a shocking injury though. Tramps

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**Smartie** · 25-01-2015 06:42 PM

That is a nice touch from Ferguson and is the kind of thing that can have a big effect on young players.

I think folk underestimate Cummings a bit. He's very young and has already been through a lot. Released by Hearts, battled back from serious injury, played in a relegated side, missed a high-profile penalty and Hibs and Hearts can't have been easy clubs for a youngster to be at over the past 4 years or so. It's too easy to write him off as a daft we laddie without acknowledging some of the huge achievements he's already made in his career.

He's clearly got a bit of resilience and mental toughness about him as well as ability. Too many of the young lads at Easter Road in recent years have seemed like "nice boys" and have maybe lacked a bit of killer instinct or gallusness to make it.

I wouldn't change Cummings. I like the fact that he's cocky, I like his utterly barmy comments after games, I like the way he misses chances and goes back for more.
He can go far but you wouldn't want to take away what has made him special already.

**AK86** · 25-01-2015 06:45 PM

I love Jasons attitude. Never let's his head go down and keeps trying to do what is the most important thing in football.
Football is screaming out for characters. And goalscorers.

**heretoday** · 25-01-2015 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by Smartie

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That is a nice touch from Ferguson and is the kind of thing that can have a big effect on young players.

I think folk underestimate Cummings a bit. He's very young and has already been through a lot. Released by Hearts, battled back from serious injury, played in a relegated side, missed a high-profile penalty and Hibs and Hearts can't have been easy clubs for a youngster to be at over the past 4 years or so. It's too easy to write him off as a daft we laddie without acknowledging some of the huge achievements he's already made in his career.

He's clearly got a bit of resilience and mental toughness about him as well as ability. Too many of the young lads at Easter Road in recent years have seemed like "nice boys" and have maybe lacked a bit of killer instinct or gallusness to make it.

I wouldn't change Cummings. I like the fact that he's cocky, I like his utterly barmy comments after games, I like the way he misses chances and goes back for more.
He can go far but you wouldn't want to take away what has made him special already.

It's only a matter of time before Hearts take a right tanking from us and Cummings will be right there I'm sure.

**The Green Goblin** · 25-01-2015 06:52 PM

Great interview and makes me glad that JC is playing for us.

**FranckSuzy** · 25-01-2015 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by Jonnyboy

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Nice to see HMFC looked after the laddie ........ not. Keep improving Jason, you're on the road buddy

It was probably the 'cash upfront' bit that kyboshed the op.

Seriously though, good for you JC and well done BF

**~~Judas Iscariot~~** · 25-01-2015 07:08 PM

Good interview!

Never ever had any time for backpass Barry but that was a decent, classy gesture!

***Billy Whizz*** · 25-01-2015 07:15 PM

Watched jason progress through the under 20's, and never doubted that he'd make the break through into the 1st team. Took him a bit to get his 1st goal, tried too hard at times, and he was desperate to score against Hearts as well!
He's now put both to bed. Just needs to keep an eye on not getting silly bookings, he could be out most booked player, and think he's only a booking away from a suspension.
He's just young, but he's learning fast

**HUTCHYHIBBY** · 25-01-2015 07:23 PM

Nice touch from Barry Ferguson, credit where its due, I'm sure it'll have meant a great deal to Jason at a difficult time for him.

**~~Judas Iscariot~~** · 25-01-2015 07:28 PM

Good interview!

Never ever had any time for backpass Barry but that was a decent, classy gesture!

***NORTHERNHIBBY*** · 25-01-2015 07:48 PM

If he keeps progressing and sticking the goals in, who cares what others think about him?

**leither17** · 25-01-2015 08:10 PM

Sure Ferguson is a Hamilton supporter so no doubt was at the game in fact im sure i mind him being in the stand

**Sir David Gray** · 25-01-2015 08:49 PM

Originally Posted by leither#1

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Sure Ferguson is a Hamilton supporter so no doubt was at the game in fact im sure i mind him being in the stand

He comes from Hamilton but I don't think he'll be a fan of theirs.

I'm pretty sure he's a dyed in the wool fan of Rangers (R.I.P.)

***JimBHibees*** · 25-01-2015 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by Trig

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He comes from Hamilton but I don't think he'll be a fan of theirs.

I'm pretty sure he's a dyed in the wool fan of Rangers (R.I.P.)

Yes very much a teddy bear.

**leither17** · 25-01-2015 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by Trig

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He comes from Hamilton but I don't think he'll be a fan of theirs.

I'm pretty sure he's a dyed in the wool fan of Rangers (R.I.P.)

He is from Hamilton i knew there was some connection

***Seveno*** · 25-01-2015 09:58 PM

Originally Posted by Trig

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He comes from Hamilton but I don't think he'll be a fan of theirs.

I'm pretty sure he's a dyed in the wool fan of Rangers (R.I.P.)

Most fans in the west have two teams, their home town team and their 'big' team.

**heretoday** · 25-01-2015 10:23 PM

Originally Posted by Trig

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He comes from Hamilton but I don't think he'll be a fan of theirs.

I'm pretty sure he's a dyed in the wool fan of Rangers (R.I.P.)

He definitely is but I know a couple of Rangers supporters and they are almost human.

**JJP** · 25-01-2015 10:44 PM

Aero yoghurt

***givescotlandfreedom*** · 25-01-2015 10:50 PM

No wonder he doesn't like them. Nice of a professional football club to burden the NHS with an injury that happened at work whilst playing for them too - another reason they can clear off and die for me?

***jacomo*** · 26-01-2015 07:54 AM

Originally Posted by givescotlandfreedom

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No wonder he doesn't like them. Nice of a professional football club to burden the NHS with an injury that happened at work whilst playing for them too - another reason they can clear off and die for me?

They don't like paying bills though, do they?

Wouldn't be surprised if Tynecastle has an illegal line cadging power off one of their neighbours.