Craig halkett

[The Mighty Thor]

29 minutes ago, Uncle Buck said:

Our best centre half.

That's a statement in itself 😂

[Russ1977]

Just now, The Mighty Thor said:

That's a statement in itself 😂

Tbf he probably is which sums

Up why we are in massive trouble. 

[One five]

Halkett is finished just like a few of our players  time to go.

[Smithian]

Love Craig. And Craig.

 

But Halkett is probably our fifth best center half right now. Problem is Kent and Kingsley are hurt. I'd have Oyegoke in over him, but we need him on the right wing because Forrester, while his future is bright, isn't an ideal first choice.

 

Still, going forward I'd have Oyegoke starting with Forrest on right. Bring Halkett in late if Hearts are up and he can sit back and just use his size.

 

It's done. Extending him was a terrible decision. Which makes me sad since I once thought Halkett was headed to being a Hearts Captain and long time fixture at the back. Don't question his effort and desire, but the body is not cooperating.

[Russ1977]

12 minutes ago, Smithian said:

Love Craig. And Craig.

 

But Halkett is probably our fifth best center half right now. Problem is Kent and Kingsley are hurt. I'd have Oyegoke in over him, but we need him on the right wing because Forrester, while his future is bright, isn't an ideal first choice.

 

Still, going forward I'd have Oyegoke starting with Forrest on right. Bring Halkett in late if Hearts are up and he can sit back and just use his size.

 

It's done. Extending him was a terrible decision. Which makes me sad since I once thought Halkett was headed to being a Hearts Captain and long time fixture at the back. Don't question his effort and desire, but the body is not cooperating.

Halkett and beni on ability would be 2 of our best players, unfortunately their bodies let them down massively. Time to part ways with both of them as they will be 2 of our highest earners but contribute next to nowt. 

[The Mighty Thor]

23 minutes ago, Russ1977 said:

Tbf he probably is which sums

Up why we are in massive trouble. 

Indeed. 20 games a season in his prime and some clown decided to extend his contract when he's played a handful of games in two seasons. 

He's unfit, overweight and runs like his knees are tied together. 

 

And yet he's still a better option than that mulleted, one footed bombscare he was partnering today. 

 

 

[johnking123]

Cost us two goals today. Just so slow these days. Nee more athletic  

[Gorgiewave]

I hope we're at least taking Lewis Neilson back in January. He'd be better than Halkett.

[Opinionated Jambo]

5 minutes ago, Russ1977 said:

Halkett and beni on ability would be 2 of our best players, unfortunately their bodies let them down massively. Time to part ways with both of them as they will be 2 of our highest earners but contribute next to nowt. 

I agree with your statement here massively. If we are going to play in 40+ games a season how much of those  games are either of these 2 going to be available? Injuries have unfortunately let them down massively. 

[Duos123]

Isn't the issue we were leaking goals when he wasn't in the team.

[Duos123]

11 minutes ago, Russ1977 said:

Halkett and beni on ability would be 2 of our best players, unfortunately their bodies let them down massively. Time to part ways with both of them as they will be 2 of our highest earners but contribute next to nowt. 

They are 2 of my favourite players wish they weren't injured as much as we are a better team with them available today aside

[neilnunb]

13 minutes ago, The Mighty Thor said:

 

 

And yet he's still a better option than that mulleted, one footed bombscare he was partnering today. 

 

 

 

This. Can't wait until the day he leaves. Hopeless.

[tiger Rudi]

1 hour ago, Romulus said:

Oyegoke at CB and Forrester at RB again would have been miles better. Forrester surely had to start.

Beginning to think that should be the pairing moving forward. Both have a lot to learn but we must start looking to the future. Both young and fit, something they've got on lots of players in this squad. 

[Pasquale for King]

2 hours ago, rory78 said:

Big tree trunk legs only Vanecek would wear shorts his size 🙄

The captain too ffs

[pdroberts]

Finished 

[Pasquale for King]

Alongside Gordon, Kingsley, Beni, Hoff, Boyce and Shankland their bodies aren’t up to playing for us anymore at the level we need them to.

[hearts00]

48 minutes ago, Gorgiewave said:

I hope we're at least taking Lewis Neilson back in January. He'd be better than Halkett.

Unfortunately he wouldn’t. 

[Tazio]

I got roundly abused by loads of people not so long ago for saying he was finished. At the time I didn’t mean ability wise I meant that he would never get back to full fitness and be able to put a string of games together without breaking down. I’d love to have prime Halkett back but it’s never going to happen sadly as most centre half’s are in the team week in, week out for the whole season. We’ve one centre half that can do that in Rowles as he seems to be lucky with injuries, but I’m sure a lot of that comes from the mindset towards fitness and conditioning most Australian athletes tend to have. 

[the posh bit]

3 hours ago, dannymack said:

Craig Gordons presence in the 6 yard box for conceding the 1st goal is questionable too. 

 

I've always liked a keeper who commands HIS area, Craig Gordon appears to have stood on his line allowing his defenders to try and clear.

 

In fairness, Craig Gordon's appearances for Celtic trouble you greatly too RL, don't they? 

[dannymack]

6 hours ago, Gundermann said:

 

You miss Bushiri impeding him?

 

As i say, HIS goal line, HIS 6 yard box, His 18 yard box to command, regardless of opposition players creating blocks. 

[dannymack]

6 hours ago, dannymack said:

 

 

I genuinely thought Big Zander would have been between the sticks today. 

 

Apart from his stint at the horrible lot Craig Gordon unquestionably is up there to be an all time Hearts great, as you say sadly time has caught up with him. 

 

Would love to see him save a penalty before he bows out. 

 

3 hours ago, the posh bit said:

 

In fairness, Craig Gordon's appearances for Celtic trouble you greatly too RL, don't they? 

 

As stated earlier in the thread. 

 

I wouldn't go as far as saying I'm troubled, that's going a tad too far to suggest im experiencing emotional episodes due to his career at Celtic. Granted that club are not on my Christmas card list but in no way are my stress or anxiety levels peaking because of that. 

 

 

 

 

[Star Lizard]

So slow it is unreal . It is like watching post injury Berra . You could about tolerate that if there was a bit of pace in there beside him , and if he was winning his headers in the box but right now he is as much a liability as Rowles and Gordon I am sorry to say is as much a part of that jobbies defence as the other two . We need better and we need it now 

[Libertarian]

8 hours ago, dannymack said:

Craig Gordons presence in the 6 yard box for conceding the 1st goal is questionable too. 

 

I've always liked a keeper who commands HIS area, Craig Gordon appears to have stood on his line allowing his defenders to try and clear.

CG has been a great servant for Hearts but I can't understand why big Zander is sitting on the bench every week. It seems clear that Craig's best years are now over.

[Gundermann]

3 hours ago, dannymack said:

 

As i say, HIS goal line, HIS 6 yard box, His 18 yard box to command, regardless of opposition players creating blocks. 

 

He engages physically with Bushiri and he ships a penalty. Sorry, Gordon was probably our best player yesterday and the first goal was on Halkett for letting the ball through and the ref for allowing the goalie to be impeded.

[mr fox]

11 hours ago, Hogan3012 said:

Surely there is an under 21’s player better than him. Absolutely finished as a player. Massively at fault for both goals. Offers nothing 

He has been out for a longtime.

i ain’t gibing up on him he is a very good player and it will return . 

[Dazo]

Halkett is our best centre half by some distance. Unfortunately he is now our slowest ever player also by some distance. 

[LogicalEric]

Do think Halkett has something to offer but unfortunately you can see he's still way short of match sharpness. 

Seems to be a lack of cohesion on that right hand side with him and Oyegoke aswell. The amount of times Oyegoke was getting dragged or Halkett was getting dragged out wide was ridiculous.

[suds66]

26 minutes ago, Dazo said:

Halkett is our best centre half by some distance. Unfortunately he is now our slowest ever player also by some distance. 

Agree, he makes Boyce look like Usain Bolt!

[Sooperstar]

He's willing to try and actually move us forward. Same folk who moan about our constant sideways passing across the defence now having a pop at someone brave enough to try something a bit more adventurous.

 

Look at Rowles - every pass he plays to a full back is behind them.

[The Merse]

Can see he’s still got some footballing ability in him that others don’t have. Unless he can sort his fitness out then we will need to consider moving him on.

 

A real shame as he could easily be our best defender.

[YYZ]

Halkett was horrific 2019/20, average at best in the Championship 2020/21.

 

He was fantastic and the most improved player by miles 2021/22.

 

2022/23 & 2023/24 mainly injured and unfit.

 

2024/25 he looks slow and unfit. 

 

One great season out of six  is hardly a good return for Hearts, he should never have had a year extension on his contract. 

 

People still think he is a good defender as well, which IMO is a reflection on how low we have sunk.

[Coco]

Best performances were as left sided centre half.

 

Forrester-Oyegoke-Halkett-Salazar 

 

with Penrice on the left of midfield would cure many issues

[Drylaw Hearts]

For me….he can leave in either of the next 2 transfer windows……I don’t particularly mind which one.

 

Playing him ahead of Oyegoke yesterday was the wrong option imo. Hibs were never going to change their line-up after winning at Pittodrie so we should have gone with pace at the back.

[Drylaw Hearts]

2 minutes ago, Coco said:

Best performances were as left sided centre half.

 

Forrester-Oyegoke-Halkett-Salazar 

 

with Penrice on the left of midfield would cure many issues

Penrice at LB has been our player of the season……it would make no sense to make that change.

[Coco]

12 minutes ago, Drylaw Hearts said:

Penrice at LB has been our player of the season……it would make no sense to make that change.

Yes he has.  But the team might be better with a change.  If Salazar is capable of being a steady left back 

[Drylaw Hearts]

2 minutes ago, Coco said:

Yes he has.  But the team might be better with a change.  If Salazar is capable of being a steady left back 

I wouldn’t want to risk making that defence any weaker by taking out the best player.

[selkirkhmfc1874]

Looks more like a heavy weight boxer than a professional football player

[indianajones]

He's a unit but he cannot run which is a bit important as a footballer. 

[pettigrewsstylist]

Glue factory. 

[pettigrewsstylist]

6 hours ago, The Merse said:

Can see he’s still got some footballing ability in him that others don’t have. Unless he can sort his fitness out then we will need to consider moving him on.

 

A real shame as he could easily be our best defender.

Most of League 2 could be our best defender.

[Yoda]

19 hours ago, vegas-voss said:

Him , Beni , Boyce should never have been given new contracts.In Boyce's case he should never have got the games to activate it.Then go back further Haring shouldn't have kept getting deals and Smith as well.We are far too sentimental I like the players but **** me we hang onto them far to long.

Look at Arron Hughes.  He was constantly injured until a Northern Ireland game was coming up and he managed to play for them, adding to his record number of caps.  Then came back injured.  We certainly top-up his pension.

 

The only game I remember him playing in was the 5-0 embarrassment at Livingston.

[Eric Milligans Duffle Coat]

There is something seriously wrong with the fitness and conditioning when a player is absolutely spent 5 minutes into the second half. If he isn’t fit or there are other reasons his body can’t take it then quite simply he shouldn’t be playing. You are just gambling and in games of that magnitude that’s unforgivable.

[innerjambo]

He tries his best, but like a lot of our players, he's too slow.

[A_A wehatethehibs]

His best position always has been the middle of a 3 

 

He has never, repeat, NEVER been good whenever we’ve attempted a back 4 with him. It gives him too much to do. 

 

Sweeper role where all he has to do is defend, cover, hold offside and clear it: only thing he was ever good at.

[Taffin]

I like Halkett and for me he's shown enough over the years to persevere with. There's plenty who aren't just back from a long injury lay off equally as bad (Rowles) that I'd be harassing before him.

[Des Lynam]

I thought he was one of the better players yesterday. What would be better is while the players confidence is low we stop trying to play out from the back like we're AC Milan. 

[Holyrood_Hearts]

20 hours ago, Martin_T said:

I thought he was one of our best players today, he's our best distributor of the players in the current squad.

 

One of the few who even tries progressive passes to begin with.

Glad to see it’s not just me here. Rowles is a bigger issue for me. 

[vegas-voss]

2 hours ago, Yoda said:

Look at Arron Hughes.  He was constantly injured until a Northern Ireland game was coming up and he managed to play for them, adding to his record number of caps.  Then came back injured.  We certainly top-up his pension.

 

The only game I remember him playing in was the 5-0 embarrassment at Livingston.

Exactly it's gone on for too long

[GinRummy]

2 hours ago, Yoda said:

Look at Arron Hughes.  He was constantly injured until a Northern Ireland game was coming up and he managed to play for them, adding to his record number of caps.  Then came back injured.  We certainly top-up his pension.

 

The only game I remember him playing in was the 5-0 embarrassment at Livingston.

You don’t remember his ‘testimonial’ at parkhead? An absolute embarrassment of a game. 

[Martin_T]

19 hours ago, A_A wehatethehibs said:

His best position always has been the middle of a 3 

 

He has never, repeat, NEVER been good whenever we’ve attempted a back 4 with him. It gives him too much to do. 

 

Sweeper role where all he has to do is defend, cover, hold offside and clear it: only thing he was ever good at.

 

This is just incorrect. Not so much re the positional stuff as middle of the back 3 is probably his best position.

 

He has an excellent passing range and is a clean striker of the ball. He used to take the penalties at Livingston in his last season there.