Hibernian head coach Jack Ross admits Florian Kamberi has made an Easter Road return “much more challenging” after describing his move to Rangers as a “dream”.
Kamberi signed for Gers on Friday in a loan deal which saw Greg Docherty move in the opposite direction.
The Swiss-born Albania international was signed as cover for the injured Jermain Defoe and is due to return to Leith at the end of the season for the final year of his contract.
But Ross admits the striker’s comments have made that difficult.
“I think it has made it much more challenging, I think he has said that himself,” said Ross, whose team face Rangers at Ibrox on Wednesday.
“I read other quotes attributed to him that he has acknowledged that.
“I think that’s fairly obvious because he maybe could have chosen his words more carefully in the first instance and then he wouldn’t have put himself in a more difficult position potentially.”
Kamberi told Rangers TV on Friday: “My second game for Hibs was against Rangers at Ibrox and after the game, I told my agent immediately my dream would be to play in this stadium in front of these fans as they are the best fans in the world – the support is massive.”
Those words did not go down well with the Hibs faithful.
“They are unusual for a player who still has a length of time to go at his parent club and is only on loan,” Ross said.
“But each and every player behaves in a different way and each and every player chooses his own words.
“So he has chosen his words. It is him who has delivered them, it’s not like he has been misquoted.
“At the moment I can put that to the side because my focus is on the players who are here, the ones I get to work with, the ones I can try to get the best from.”
Kamberi, who is not eligible to face Hibs, denied being disrespectful to his parent club after making his debut off the bench during Rangers’ goalless draw with Aberdeen on Saturday.
Quoted in several newspapers, the 24-year-old said: “I was never disrespectful because Hibs fans always treated me amazing since day one.
“Of course, (my comments) could make it difficult if and when I go back. But I’m doing what any normal, ambitious young footballer would do.
“Any player who plays for a smaller club than Rangers or Celtic and has the chance to go to one of those clubs would take it.”
