Harbottle

[SHODAN]

What's the story with him?

Injured or not rated?

[Ronniekirk]

What's the story with him?

Injured or not rated?

Monty didn’t mention him in injury updates before the game if he was out injured you would think he would

[Forza Fred]

He’s been a very questionable signing.

I fear Wollacot may turn into another one.

[jeffers]

They don’t think he’s ready yet is what I heard.

[TrinityHFC]

They don’t think he’s ready yet is what I heard.

Fair enough but we have 16 year olds playing.

[SHODAN]

They don’t think he’s ready yet is what I heard.

If he's not ready at 23 then sell him. What a waste of money.

[Wilson]

Fair enough but we have 16 year olds playing.

They're ready.

[B.H.F.C]

He was a weird signing in the first place I thought, in the sense that he clearly wasn’t coming in to be a first pick. We shouldn’t be spending money on a fourth choice centre half.

[LewysGot2]

They don’t think he’s ready yet is what I heard.

Based on Blackpool he's not. Megwa ended up at CH that day and was twice as good, if half the stature

[Chorley Hibee]

Based on Blackpool he's not. Megwa ended up at CH that day and was twice as good, if half the stature

He was utterly horrendous at Blackpool.

Looked like he'd never played the game before.

[21sMay]

Based on Blackpool he's not. Megwa ended up at CH that day and was twice as good, if half the stature

Megwa on his Blackpool showing should be in and around the first team well before young Rory . Obviously there is more to it than one game , I understand that

[Donegal Hibby]

They don’t think he’s ready yet is what I heard.

Even if he was ready who's place is he gonna take ?

[Iain G]

Fair enough but we have 16 year olds playing.

But they are not playing at centre back though.

[AL-Qaholik]

Was highly thought of at Forest by all accounts.
Whole thing seems utterly bizarre.
Somebody at the semi suggested maybe he’s asked to leave in Jan so is being kept away from the squad.
Sounds about as feasible as anything else, at the moment.

[JimBHibees]

Megwa on his Blackpool showing should be in and around the first team well before young Rory . Obviously there is more to it than one game , I understand that

He is on loan though

[Pretty Boy]

I don't get how we can sign a CB who is 23 and who has played a season at an English League Two club and only realise after he is in the building that he isn't ready.

I get not every signing works out but to suddenly realise a guy isn't even worth a place in the match day squad when we have teenagers starting games makes me wonder how often we actually watched the guy.

[Mcbizz1998]

Seems very odd. The limited views I've had of him I thought he looked quite decent. I expected him to be on the bench at least with the chance to stake a claim for a start. What is he showing in training to not even get a look in?

[greenlex]

He played against a team whose name escaped me at ER. He was decent enough. Maybe he has regressed.

[Billy Whizz]

He played against a team whose bane escaped me at ER. He was decent enough. Maybe he has regressed.

He played right back, a position he never played in all last season with his previous team
He’s right sided but played mostly left centre back with them

[LEaston87]

Sure it was Raith in the League Cup he played CB in

[SaulGoodman]

Came on at ER in the Groningen friendly

[JimBHibees]

Sure it was Raith in the League Cup he played CB in

Yes he did thought he looked good in that game. Hung out to dry in i think Livi game at right back

[J-C]

Unless we do lots of squad rotation he'll struggle to get any game time, I don't see him playing any time soon. I'd have thought signing a player from Forest he'd have something about him, maybe he's struggled to settle, it happens.

[BobbyT1875]

Unless we do lots of squad rotation he'll struggle to get any game time, I don't see him playing any time soon. I'd have thought signing a player from Forest he'd have something about him, maybe he's struggled to settle, it happens.

We have signed lots of players over the years from English prem teams, majority have failed. Come up here thinking it’s an easy league.

[Hibernian Verse]

We have signed lots of players over the years from English prem teams, majority have failed. Come up here thinking it’s an easy league.

Harbottle was playing English League Two, not sure that's something you can level at him. Unless you've spoken to him personally obviously and he told you he thought it would be easy like the others clearly told you.

[500miles]

He's come here and it's a step up. You have to be very dynamic to play in this Hibs team, tackling and heading isn't enough. The game gets played around you, not just in front of you. Hopefully he can get to grips with whats being asked of him.

[Unseen work]

Just needs a chance and run of games.

Hanlon will always be the sub centre half and you’re not going to have two on the bench.

Would be worth having him in the team for attacking set pieces alone, don’t look like scoring at all and he scored a lot last season.

[Bishop Hibee]

After the turn around with Jair, I’m not going to write Harbottle off. It is worrying that he’s ‘not ready’ at 23 though.

[Brightside]

He's played a huge amount of games in a back 3. Perhaps he is simply not as good when they've trained with just 2 CBs.

[CL0762]

Yes he did thought he looked good in that game. Hung out to dry in i think Livi game at right back

Yup, Johnson was a disgrace in that game. Hung him out to dry at right back all afternoon then when he was subbed off, tore strips off him when he made his way back to the dugout.

[leithsansiro]

Yup, Johnson was a disgrace in that game. Hung him out to dry at right back all afternoon then when he was subbed off, tore strips off him when he made his way back to the dugout.

Straight out of the Lee Johnson Man-Management Handbook though…

[JimBHibees]

He was on the bench yersterday was he not?

[Spike Mandela]

Rocky and Fish have the shirts. Club captain Pau Hanlon is ahead of him. Simply a case of waiting for his chance no?

[ChilliEater]

Hibernian FC Manager Lee Johnson commented: “Riley is a young defender with a lot of potential and we’re delighted to bring him to the Club.

“He has good pedigree coming from Nottingham Forest’s Academy and impressed with Mansfield last year.

“He’s a talented young player that we believe we can develop and he adds strength in depth for us at centre-back.

“Everyone is looking forward to working with him.”

That was from the official site announcement when he signed. I remember thinking at the time that he was one they didn't think would play much to begin with but had potential. Thought he looked comfortable on the ball against Raith and even against Livi, where he struggled with being out of position, but looked like he had a decent touch and wanted to pass the ball rather than hoof it. Don't think he was expected to play much, and with Hanlon, Fish and Rocky all available there's no place for him at the moment. If one of them is injured or suspended and there's a 16 year old centre half in the squad ahead of him it might suggest some concern around him, but not yet.

[JimBHibees]

Rocky and Fish have the shirts. Club captain Pau Hanlon is ahead of him. Simply a case of waiting for his chance no?

You would think so.

[Hibernian Verse]

Rocky and Fish have the shirts. Club captain Pau Hanlon is ahead of him. Simply a case of waiting for his chance no?

That's my thoughts as well. We don't need two centre halves on the bench.