Rocky Bushiri. Lewis Miller. Jair Tavares. And now, Josh Campbell. The list of Hibs players enjoying a renaissance or rejuvenation under Nick Montgomery is growing, and with a clutch of players out on loan or due back from injury, the list could well grow. 

The turnaround in Tavares in particular augurs well for players who were marginalised under previous regimes, but the new coaching staff are also getting more out of players who weren't out of the picture prior to their arrival and that perhaps is just as important. 

Campbell is a curious case, because he was heavily involved under Johnson, often the go-to man in a hard-to-fill vacancy in the starting XI - left wingback, right back, and in the number ten position where he seemed to thrive and his performances led to transfer links with sides in England and Italy. 

But he was noticeably peripheral in the days and weeks following Montgomery's arrival - until being handed a somewhat surprising start in Paisley against St Mirren as an auxiliary centre-forward, and responding by scoring a goal within 12 minutes.

He followed that up with the winner against Kilmarnock three days later and played a part in Hibs' opener against Dundee, neatly stepping over the ball on its way to the feet of Tavares. He could have had a goal himself but crashed his effort just over Trevor Carson's bar.

“Josh is a great example," Montgomery explained. "He came into the team a couple of games ago and had been working hard for his opportunity. I think adapting to a different system was more of a mental thing for him; previously he’d played in a three-man midfield which is a little bit different to a two-man midfield.

"I think once he adapted to that he really started asking me questions about getting into the team and then he grabbed his opportunity with both hands. He’s been working really hard and now he’s getting a bit of confidence. We know he can score goals and I’m really happy for him.”

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It isn't that long ago that Johnson was talking up Campbell for Scotland. The boyhood Hibee finished last season with nine goals and five assists in all competitions and back in February, speaking as Campbell signed a new contract, the current Fleetwood Town boss said: "Josh is an excellent player; he’s industrious, fit as anything, brave, trustworthy, and he will do anything to help his football club. He’s a really good trainer and a great lad who is always looking at ways he can improve. He's the type of player the young lads in the academy should be looking up to. He’s a great example for them. He, and the coaching staff, are looking to continue adding value to his all-round game, and Josh should have an eye on senior international caps.”

The national team may be something of a closed shop at the moment to uncapped players - Lewis Ferguson with ten caps is the resident newbie in the midfield - but Montgomery is keen for Campbell, and all the Scottish-qualified players at Hibs, to be working hard for regular gametime in order to catch Steve Clarke's eye. 

“I think any player who’s Scottish should be pushing to get into the national team. If you’re playing regularly at a good club then it’s always going to go on your consistency. You have to be playing week in, week out if you want to get called into an international team. That’s the challenge that any young player has in any country," Montgomery added. 

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Campbell wasn't capped at youth level until two late appearances for the Under-21s in March 2022 against Turkey and Kazakhstan, but Clark has form for giving players with no previous international involvement a chance, such as Kevin Nisbet, who was handed a maiden international call-up while at Hibs. 

“It’s not easy to get into the Scotland squad at the moment; they’ve had a fantastic qualifying campaign and I think the whole country is super proud of them," Montgomery continued. 

"If I was a young Scottish player I’d be doing everything I could, and hoping an opportunity came to get into the squad for the Euros. But, all you can do is play well every game and hope Steve and his staff are watching, because the platform is there for you."

While Campbell is to all intents and purposes a midfielder, his versatility could count in his favour, if he is to impress Clarke. Given the national team manager's preference for a 352 or 3421 formation in most matches, the 23-year-old's prowess as a ten or second striker, coupled with his ability to fill in most other positions, could give him an outside chance. But he will need to find a level of consistency that not only keeps him in the Hibs XI, but also allows him to add to his goal contribution tally.