Former Inverness Caledonian Thistle winger Daniel Mackay had honest discussion with Hibernian manager Shaun Maloney which led to loan move to Kilmarnock
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
FORMER Inverness Caledonian Thistle star Daniel Mackay says he had an honest discussion with Hibernian manager Shaun Maloney which led to his loan move to Kilmarnock.
The 20-year-old says he has gone to Killie looking for first team football after saying his chance of breaking into the Hibernian first team this season was slim.
Mackay says he had a meeting with the Hibs manager, saying that he wanted to be on the pitch rather than sitting on the sidelines and welcomed the chance of going on loan.
He says he now wants to prove himself at Kilmarnock that he is good enough to break into the Hibernian first team next season.
Speaking about his meeting with Maloney, he said: "I had an honest discussion with him and said if I’m not guaranteed game time at Hibs I need to go elsewhere and play and Kilmarnock were interested.
"It was a simple decision to go out and play games, there is no point in waiting and hoping when I can get game time here.
"It was not a case of not being good enough, I was injured at the time and I had Covid, I had no chance of getting back in when the boys were doing well.
"When you see the squad now at Hibs it makes it even harder. I made this decision to go out on loan myself, prove myself and get ready for next year.
"There is also the attraction of possibly winning a title and working under Derek McInnes. It was an easy decision in the end."
Mackay signed for Hibernian last summer after a string of impressive performances with Inverness during the 2020/21 campaign.
The former Millburn Academy pupil made 57 appearances during four seasons in the first team, scoring 12 goals.
Having graduated through the Caley Thistle academy, he admits it will be a weird experience playing against his former team-mates, but one he is looking forward to.
"Hopefully the stuff I do know from the team last season I can use as an advantage to help the coaching staff with anything they need.
"It will be a weird experience, I was at Inverness my whole life until the summer but it’s a challenge I’m looking forward to and hopefully we can come out with a result.
"I was in the youth team from the age of seven and I was 19 when I left so it was a long time. It was good but I’m on a new journey now.
"My mum, dad and brother are coming down to watch the game so that will be good and I’ve got a few mates who I came through the youth team with like Cammy Harper and Roddy McGregor, I’ve played with them since I was 10 years old.
"I’ve played with most of the boys there for about three years, I know them really well and they know me."
Part of the reason Mackay moved to Rugby Park was to work under manager Derek McInnes and says he has been impressed by his new gaffer so far.
"It’s been really good, he was part of the attraction of coming here and I’ve been getting to know the boys.
"It's been two weeks I’ve been here and I’m really enjoying it and enjoying playing games again.
"I need to really kick on and help the team, score goals like I was last year.
"Hopefully with each game I’ll get fitter."
