Nisbet is in some of the best form he’s delivered since leaving Hibs and it’s earned him a Scotland recall
Kevin Nisbet is the fittest he has ever been and that has helped him muscle his way back into the Scotland squad.
The striker is currently on loan at Aberdeen and is on a hot scoring streak of five goals in his last six games, and that’s seen Steve Clarke call the 28-year-old up for the Nations League double header with Greece.
Nisbet has been doing a lot of extra work on and off the park and believes it is now paying dividends. He explained: “It is a bit of everything really. I have focused on the gym stuff. I have been coming in on days off. It is about consistency and also changing my mindset to working everyday, feeling good and being fresh for games.
“I have been doing better. I am 28 now and this is probably the fittest I have felt in my entire career, if I am being completely honest.”
Nisbet moved to Aberdeen from Millwall and he knew he had to use it to relaunch his career. His time in England had been blighted by injury.
He explained: “Coming to Aberdeen was always going to be a rebuild for my career. Last season I picked up too many injuries and couldn’t get myself going. This year, I have come to Aberdeen and knuckled down. Even when I wasn’t doing well I was just trying to keep that consistency off the park, on the training ground and off it.
“I was a stop-start preseason. I wasn’t really playing too much when I was at Millwall. I came in behind everyone. My first 90 minutes was Dunfermline.
“I have always been at my best when I play 90 minutes week in week out and that is when you see the best in me. The fans have seen that in the last five or six weeks. Even the games where I have played 90 minutes it is also the most I have run in games as well.
“I have worked a lot of mindset as well, to change my mindset and have that consistency in my game.”
Nisbet is in a better place physically and mentally. A lot of that has been down to the hard work of Aberdeen first-team coach Peter Leven. The penny has now dropped for him. That has been shown as Jimmy Thelin has rewarded him with a leading role with his Dons.
He confirmed: “There is a lot of responsibility by talking to players or just doing things on the park that a leader would do. It has been great for me and my stats are through the roof just now. It is the most I have run in my life and that is the fittest I have felt and the goals have been coming as well.”
Nisbet is now looking to add to his 11 caps and one international goal. He knows the easiest part was getting back into the Scotland squad, the hardest bit will be remaining there. The former Hibs star said: “It is great and it is always an honour to get called up for your country. It is great for me and my family, we are proud and it is good.
“The easiest part is getting in the squad, the hardest part is staying there. For me, it is about going there, being consistent, having a good mindset and just performing.
“I think I always back myself. Even this season when I wasn’t playing well or scoring I always backed myself to score goals. I will be going there with the same mindset and mentality.”
Before the Scotland games, Aberdeen have a big game away to St Johnstone. Nisbet wants to keep his run and Aberdeen’s European push firmly on track. He admitted: “There are massive games. We have four before the split and the semi-final against Hearts at Hampden.
“As players, these are the times where you need to step up and go and perform. We need to step up and finish the season strong.”
Nisbet still has another season left on his Millwall deal after this one and Nisbet admitted any talks on his future can wait until the end of the season. The forward, speaking to RedTV, added: “For me, it is about doing my best in the next game and then we will see what happens in the summer.”