Hibs' Rocky Bushiri speaks on footwear issue - 'I looked at my boot and saw it was open and my foot was swelling'

New to the Scottish game, Hibs newcomer Rocky Bushiri has done a solid job of finding his feet. But, keeping them well-covered could prove to be a costly enterprise for the defender's boot suppliers, Puma.

Since his arrival in January, the 22 year-old Norwich loanee has made four appearances as manager Shaun Maloney has been forced to rearrange a backline blighted by suspensions and injuries. In that time he has gone through two pairs of football boots.

“I can say there is a lot of contact,” said Bushiri. “I have changed my boots twice already! It’s really physical but I think it suits my game, I like it.”

Taking to Twitter after Tuesday night’s derby contest, he posted a photo of the latest piece of pummelled footwear, stating that while the match had been “a real battle”, Hibs had “stood our ground”. He did so, for the final 30 minutes with a torn boot and an injured foot.

“To be honest I can’t remember how it happened. I know the striker did it. Then after a pass I looked at my boot and saw it was open and my foot was swelling.

“I couldn’t change it because of the swelling so I just kept going.”

Having spent the past few days with the physios, he says the foot is “okay” and expects to be involved in Saturday’s match against St Mirren, which would allow the Hibs boss to stick with the same back line for successive games – a luxury for him given the recent need to chop and change.

Captain Paul Hanlon remains an absentee, but Bushiri says he has struck up a decent understanding with Ryan Porteous and Lewis Stevenson, and is keen to see them add to the clean sheet earned against rivals Hearts.

It was his second since arriving at Hibs and receiving a baptism of fire against Celtic. Those shutouts earned two draws, against