King Of The Cat Cafe Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Today's ST has a good look at the partnership between Morgaro Gomis and Prince Buaben and says their combination goes a long way to explaining the team's consistency this season. It is behind a paywall, so you probably will not be able to read it online. However, I have a subscription: Why Hearts don't miss a beat USUALLY when players are bracketed together they are either central defenders, as in Willie Miller and Alex McLeish at Aberdeen, or strikers such as Henrik Larsson and Chris Sutton at Celtic. At Dundee United and now Hearts, though, two midfielders have brought the best from each other in similar fashion to those more celebrated double acts. The union of Morgaro Gomis and Prince Buaben, which proved so productive for Craig Levein at Tannadice, has been resumed at Tynecastle, where the former Scotland manager is now director of football. The pair, good friends off the pitch, combine energy with defensive diligence on it to provide stability at the core of Robbie Neilson?s side. Their combination goes a long way to explaining the consistency that has seen Hearts take 28 points from a possible 30 thus far in the Championship, leaving Rangers lagging and Hibs, their city rivals, stranded back on 14, half Hearts? total, ahead of today?s Edinburgh derby between them at Easter Road. Hibs cannot afford to cede any more ground, but that may be difficult when Gomis and Buaben cover so much of it in central midfield. It sometimes feels as though they literally run games, rather than conduct them in the fashion that phrase normally implies. Unsurprisingly, when Hearts did drop two points in the league, with a draw at Dumbarton, their partnership was disrupted by Buaben?s suspension for being sent off in the preceding win over Falkirk. When both were omitted for a Challenge Cup tie at Livingston, Hearts lost 4-1. The only defeat when they have played together was last month?s 3-0 League Cup reverse at Celtic. Neilson does not shy from their importance to his side. ?It is a huge part of our game,? says Hearts? head coach. ?The two of them gel very well, they played together at Dundee United for a number of years and they have come in here and settled really well. They are professional, disciplined and give us a real strength. ?They protect us all the time. If someone moves out of position, they step in. They know the game. You want to play beside or behind them. They are a good example to the young players as well. In the system we play, we have those two guys sitting, breaking things up and allowing other people to attack. They are probably as good as anybody out there on their day and they have been very consistent at the start of the season. Long may that continue.? Their paths to Edinburgh contain several similarities, even before Levein spotted their potential and signed them for United in 2007. Both grew up in Europe after their families moved there from West Africa. Buaben was born in Ghana but headed to Holland aged nine. When his boys? club lost 9-1 to Ajax, he scored the only goal, securing a two-week trial and a place in the Amsterdam club?s famous youth system. Gomis?s parents were Senegalese, but he was born in Paris. He was with Montpellier as a teenager, another club renowned for its output of young players, and had a trial with Chelsea. Yet he had drifted to non-league clubs in England then Cowdenbeath before Levein took him to Tannadice. Both played more than 100 games in four years there and would also win full caps for their African countries while flourishing in tangerine. They were the heartbeat of United?s Scottish Cup-winning side of 2010, but left a year later to seek their fortunes, separately, in the English Championship. If Gomis left more of an impression at Birmingham City than Buaben did at Watford, each found their contracts would not be renewed in the summer of 2013. Gomis returned to United, while Buaben also eventually came back to Scotland last season, via Carlisle United, with Partick Thistle. Yet it is only since their symbiosis resumed at Hearts that they have also returned fully to the form they showed for United. Gomis was Hearts? first post-administration signing back in June and then acted as a conduit between the club and Buaben. ?I was glad when he signed,? said Gomis. ?The manager asked me what Prince was doing. Once I knew the club were keen, I spoke to him and told him he should sign. ?Prince brings the best out of me and I think I do the same for him. I don?t mind playing with the other players, they are all good, but Prince definitely brings something out of my game. We don?t really speak when we are on the pitch, we just enjoy playing the game. We just click. ?I know Prince and the way he plays. We just look at each other and I know he is going to be there and I will be there for him, too. It?s great. There?s a good understanding between us. We used to spend a lot of time together at Tannadice. Now I have my family and don?t see him as much away from football, but we still speak a lot.? Gomis also recalls playing against Hearts? head coach when he was still a tough-tackling right-back at Tynecastle and finds him far milder as a manager than he did as an opponent. ?He does shout sometimes when things aren?t going the way he wants, but he?s a calm person and the players take confidence from that. Everyone gets on with him and it?s nice the way he treats the players. ?I played against him for Dundee United against Hearts and he kicked me plenty. I remember it well because I was playing on the left wing and I couldn?t get past him because every time I had the ball he was kicking me. He was angrier on the pitch definitely. He?s a calmer manager than he was a player.? Perhaps Neilson?s serenity on the sidelines stems from having two players he trusts completely running things for him out on the pitch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudolf's Mate Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 That's a really good piece. What a difference from some of the other tripe we've been subjected too! It highlights what we as fans already knew. The importance of these players is huge. How long before teams start trying to single them out?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jambogemz Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Refreshing to see a piece like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richiehmfc Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Excellent piece, a good read! A did have a chuckle at the final bit about Neilson kicking him, tbf, if you had asked on here a few years back for a poll of who will be a future manager who installs a brand of expansive paced filled attacking football, Robbie wouldn't have been high in the list!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neilson's Shank Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Whoever wrote that has reduced his chances of writing for the Scotsman to nil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicjohnston Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Great read! Gomis always speaks well, and glad him and prince are leading by example. I don't think it can be under estimated how important these two are. At the time gomis really excited me as a signing, seemed outstanding business. But prince has been a revelation, exceeded my expectations! Both have qualities that compliment each other's game, hope we can keep them together for a while longer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bilel Mohsni Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Compare that article to the one about the wee flap Cummings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paolo Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 The Times and Sunday Times does not normally have much on Scottish Football. What it does have, though, is normally far better than what the Scottish Press churn up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diadora Van Basten Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Didn't know that they were brought up in Holland and France. Also thought that Gomis was from Cameroon not Senegal good article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stewart MacD Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Great article and good to see it escape from Rupert's paywall.Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinnybob72 Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Compare how well that is written with the utter dross churned out by the DR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spencer Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Ah but fatso fuddo Derek Johnstone says it won't last when injuries and suspensions kick in......... Maybe someone should let him into a secret that Liquidation transpired and the days of rightful entitlement are over. Gomis and Prince are key. If they dominate today as they should - we win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unknown user Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Didn't know that they were brought up in Holland and France. Also thought that Gomis was from Cameroon not Senegal good article. Prince came through the Ajax academy and only left to join Utd because of citizenship issues in Holland, he didn't want to wait the few extra months it would take to sort out. Ajax educated and it shows Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott_jambo Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 I like the bit where he says neilson just oooted him all game as a player. H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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