Nectar points to history with Monty as positive Hibs omen

He hasn’t moved to Scotland for the weather. No more than he committed to Sunderland for the scenery. To be honest, Nectar Triastis doesn’t give you the impression of a guy who worries much about off-field concerns.

The 20-year-old centre-half, already an A-League title winner under Nick Montgomery at Central Coast Mariners, signed for Hibs because he wants to recapture some of the Monty magic that saw the youngest team in the division crush favourites Melbourne City to claim an improbable championship. And his first impressions at East Mains have been overwhelmingly positive.

The on-loan Sunderland defender, who will go straight into the starting XI to face St Mirren this afternoon, was happy to recall his career high point as he settled into his new surroundings at East Mains yesterday, the youngster – like so many in Aussie football, the son of proud Greek parents – saying: “It was my first professional season really; the gaffer brought me along from a youth team at another club and gave me that chance to break through and it ended up being a very good season.  We went all the way and won the final, I won my first piece of silverware as a professional - that is always a fond memory.

“And hopefully I can create more here. It is a similar situation here; we have some young boys and a very energetic team from what I’ve seen so hopefully we can replicate that and win silverware this year.”

The latest in a long line of Aussies to pitch up in Scotland, Triantis is the youngest of three footballing brothers, with elder siblings Peter and Chris both still playing back home. He feels the Scottish Premiership is just a good fit for bold adventurers from Down Under, saying: “I don’t think it’s the weather to be fair; it’s not too different from Sunderland with the weather. I think it’s a good move in a good league so I don’t see why people shouldn’t be looking to come to this league.

“I grew up in a Greek household with my Greek background. I had a big family growing up who were all into football so that’s how I got into it.

“I played for the local club, Sydney Olympic, and then through the A League academies growing up. Asteras Tripolis are my family’s team back in Greece.

“With the family, they are all into football and you follow your brothers. I didn’t really play any other sports; it was always football for me. I had two older brothers who played professionally so I always looked up to them and they were my role models growing up.”