Heart of Midlothian 2025 summer transfers - Musa Drammeh joins USC Torreense; Scottish window SLAMS SHUT

[feej]

45 minutes ago, Agentjambo said:

Wasn’t aware of that….he has some good stats  and out of contract in the summer.

That site wasn't really reliable back in the day as far as I can remember. The lad looks decent and there is no doubt we need to be upgrading the wide areas but who knows what the data analysis will throw up in the summer.

[Pasquale for King]

I think everyone should trust JA now after these signings so far. 

[GorgieRulesApply1]

46 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

I think everyone should trust JA now after these signings so far. 

100% agree , obviously we’ve only seen 2 of them start but they’ve looked like definite upgrades and I like the look of steinwender, kartum and milne seems like a sensible signing as well!! Kabangu is a JtA failure though 😂

[gwd1957]

1 hour ago, Pasquale for King said:

I think everyone should trust JA now after these signings so far. 

I wish JA would give NC their evaluation of Forrest and let it sink in that he is never good enough for Hearts

[Pasquale for King]

1 hour ago, GorgieRulesApply1 said:

100% agree , obviously we’ve only seen 2 of them start but they’ve looked like definite upgrades and I like the look of steinwender, kartum and milne seems like a sensible signing as well!! Kabangu is a JtA failure though 😂

I suppose if there’s any other failures at his level we will make them successes 😜.

[Pasquale for King]

20 minutes ago, gwd1957 said:

I wish JA would give NC their evaluation of Forrest and let it sink in that he is never good enough for Hearts

We obviously wanted an upgrade at RW but nobody left, we got 5 like for like replacements for 5 departures. 
Im still a bit confused as to why Oda hasn’t been given a chance, if Forrest is doing better in training then it’s fair enough hes ahead of him. 

[tiger Rudi]

6 hours ago, Pasquale for King said:

We obviously wanted an upgrade at RW but nobody left, we got 5 like for like replacements for 5 departures. 
Im still a bit confused as to why Oda hasn’t been given a chance, if Forrest is doing better in training then it’s fair enough hes ahead of him. 

I think it's more likely that they were hoping to get an offer for Oda. Freezing both him and McKay out of the picture was likely done to perhaps persuade them that their futures lay elsewhere. Two sellable assets to an extent. 

Can't see anybody wanting to pay much for Forrest. 

Unfortunately January has come and gone and both players are still taking a wage and have effectively blocked us from going all in on one decent upgrade. 

I'd think either of them would offer more than Forrest has done of late. Coming on against Dundee when the game was effectively over, he looked ok. Done nowt for ages other than that though. 

[TheBigO]

7 hours ago, gwd1957 said:

I wish JA would give NC their evaluation of Forrest and let it sink in that he is never good enough for Hearts

Critchley has data on the players on a weekly, maybe even daily basis.  Just checking you realise Critch doesn't need to go to JA and ask for data on our players.

[GinRummy]

6 minutes ago, TheBigO said:

Critchley has data on the players on a weekly, maybe even daily basis.  Just checking you realise Critch doesn't need to go to JA and ask for data on our players.

“It means that we can use their knowledge and expertise in terms of how we prepare for games, opposition analysis, how we benchmark our own performances post-match and also for recruitment, which we're hoping will be really beneficial to us, he said. “It's quite exciting.

 

Quite an interesting quote from Critchley on data use. Obviously the recruitment side has been discussed a lot but I wonder how much influence Jamestown has on things like team selection, tactics for specific games etc.

[boag1874]

12 hours ago, Smithian said:

Sadly agree on Denholm, especially with recent injury. Pollock struggling a bit at Raith, but he's only 20. I don't thinkbook is quite closed on him. Don't agree as much on the other two.

 

Forrester 19 and looked the part early. I think he's worn down a bit. No reason to think he can't finish this season strong or come back well from the summer.

 

Tait in his age 18 season, he broke into rotation for a Hearts squad that finished third. And at age 19, he got crowded out of first team picture but has immediately stepped into squad for a Livi team fighting for promotion. That's not bad!

 

Not every young players needs to be James Wilson or Aaron Hickey. Even if they become a competent backup who can cover for suspension or injury, that's a win for an academy player.

Well said.
 

I genuinely think our fanbase must have the worst attitude towards academy players anywhere in the country. You either hit the ground running at 18 & establish yourself as a starter or you’ll never make it. Or even better if you come in, look good but hit a couple of poor games you’ll never make it because apparently young players have to be perfect & are held to a higher standard than the senior pros! Absolutely tinpot stuff.
 

Meanwhile in England the Academy system runs all the way up to u23. Personally I wouldn’t be giving up on any of them til they reach around that age.
 

Maybe we’re the biggest club any of them play for but who cares? As you said, not all them have to be future Scotland stars destined for the premier league, some of them just need to be good enough to be squad players & fill a home grown place in our European squad.

[TheBigO]

24 minutes ago, GinRummy said:

“It means that we can use their knowledge and expertise in terms of how we prepare for games, opposition analysis, how we benchmark our own performances post-match and also for recruitment, which we're hoping will be really beneficial to us, he said. “It's quite exciting.

 

Quite an interesting quote from Critchley on data use. Obviously the recruitment side has been discussed a lot but I wonder how much influence Jamestown has on things like team selection, tactics for specific games etc.

Huge.  It's been overlooked while people twist themselves in knots over "JTA signings and no JTA signings" and "cannae be JTA, how could they git datu oan Partick" etc etc.

 

But a massive part of the partnership is how we use their data in-house, ie assessing our own players, tactics, opposition etc.  It's about using more than the naked eye to improve.

 

In years gone by you scrape through the cup, move on.  In essence we will, that will be the message to the players, no doubt.  You did it - keep going boys.  But Critch won't sit on the win, he'll be given datasets from the game that let him analyse how well we actually carried out his instructions, where he himself needs to improve and which players didn't do their jobs etc etc.  if a coach knows how to use it, it can be a big advantage to us.

[Chimp]

13 hours ago, Pasquale for King said:

I think we should be signing a GK if Gordon retires, but no a back up, we have one of those, its a starter we need. 
A striker to play with Kabangu, at least one winger. 
Get the feeling maybe 15 will leave and maybe only 6 replacements come in. 

 

Agree. Clark is a decent back up but we should be investing in a quality no1 if the big man does call it a day. 

[Chimp]

31 minutes ago, boag1874 said:

Well said.
 

I genuinely think our fanbase must have the worst attitude towards academy players anywhere in the country. You either hit the ground running at 18 & establish yourself as a starter or you’ll never make it. Or even better if you come in, look good but hit a couple of poor games you’ll never make it because apparently young players have to be perfect & are held to a higher standard than the senior pros! Absolutely tinpot stuff.
 

Meanwhile in England the Academy system runs all the way up to u23. Personally I wouldn’t be giving up on any of them til they reach around that age.
 

Maybe we’re the biggest club any of them play for but who cares? As you said, not all them have to be future Scotland stars destined for the premier league, some of them just need to be good enough to be squad players & fill a home grown place in our European squad.

 

I get what you're saying and do agree but I think in our case it's a little different because we've not had much success with youth players for a long time. The ones that we do keep around tend not to contribute much then just filter down the leagues. Guys like Lewis Moore, Harry Cochrane, Jamie Brandon, Connor Smith, Euan Henderson to name a few. Even more recently Aidan Denholm will probably be another one who'll follow similar suit. Can say we need them as squad players but often they're not even good enough for that. Especially the direction we're heading in we need quality back up.

 

Our track record is pretty poor when it comes to producing or developing good youth players. Doesn't help when all the teams down south come sniffing about the better ones though.

[Taffin]

We'll probably need a right back I reckon. Pretty confident though with the personnel who finished the game on Monday. Just need Critch to pick them as starters now and we're away. The starting line up was honking...and played that way too.

[boag1874]

16 minutes ago, Chimp said:

 

I get what you're saying and do agree but I think in our case it's a little different because we've not had much success with youth players for a long time. The ones that we do keep around tend not to contribute much then just filter down the leagues. Guys like Lewis Moore, Harry Cochrane, Jamie Brandon, Connor Smith, Euan Henderson to name a few. Even more recently Aidan Denholm will probably be another one who'll follow similar suit. Can say we need them as squad players but often they're not even good enough for that. Especially the direction we're heading in we need quality back up.

 

Our track record is pretty poor when it comes to producing or developing good youth players. Doesn't help when all the teams down south come sniffing about the better ones though.

I kind of feel the club have failed some of our young players too though, Smith especially who should have been more involved for years & had shown plenty promise but we just kept sticking him on loan to accommodate signings who weren’t really any better than him.
 

Cochrane apparently was an issue with attitude (not that he was a bad lad at all, just that he lost focus when he started getting all the attention from being a 16yo Hearts superstar) rather than anything else, we can’t help that.
 

Moore & Henderson never really showed at any point they’d be good enough, Stendel got the best out of them but there wasn’t much to work with & their game time just seemed to be random.

[Batistuta9]

10 hours ago, Pasquale for King said:

I think everyone should trust JA now after these signings so far. 

100%

Still going to be a long thread though.

 

[Chimp]

1 minute ago, boag1874 said:

I kind of feel the club have failed some of our young players too though, Smith especially who should have been more involved for years & had shown plenty promise but we just kept sticking him on loan to accommodate signings who weren’t really any better than him.
 

Cochrane apparently was an issue with attitude (not that he was a bad lad at all, just that he lost focus when he started getting all the attention from being a 16yo Hearts superstar) rather than anything else, we can’t help that.
 

Moore & Henderson never really showed at any point they’d be good enough, Stendel got the best out of them but there wasn’t much to work with & their game time just seemed to be random.

 

Players definitely can develop later, but of all the guys we've had if they're not doing it by the age of 21-22 they tend not to make it at us. Not many of the guys who've been on the fringes at that age have gone on to have very successful careers after leaving us.

It's a bit different to comparing them to u23 players in England. They're usually of a far higher quality.

 

 

[jamboinglasgow]

43 minutes ago, TheBigO said:

Huge.  It's been overlooked while people twist themselves in knots over "JTA signings and no JTA signings" and "cannae be JTA, how could they git datu oan Partick" etc etc.

 

But a massive part of the partnership is how we use their data in-house, ie assessing our own players, tactics, opposition etc.  It's about using more than the naked eye to improve.

 

In years gone by you scrape through the cup, move on.  In essence we will, that will be the message to the players, no doubt.  You did it - keep going boys.  But Critch won't sit on the win, he'll be given datasets from the game that let him analyse how well we actually carried out his instructions, where he himself needs to improve and which players didn't do their jobs etc etc.  if a coach knows how to use it, it can be a big advantage to us.

 

Completely agree.

 

I have also said that data can be used well for developing players. In working with players to help their decision making for example by showing them the probability of chance creation from different kinds of passes in an area of a pitch, or if they make certain runs how this can improve the chances of a goal. It can also be used to identify more detailed analysis of a players strengths and weaknesses that may not be so obvious from simply watching the player. This means that you can have a training that is individually tailored to that player to improve them.

 

I can imagine it can be used to analyise a player and find a top player who fits their data set, so that the player can then watch footage of that player and learn from them (Wilson said that Critchley told him to watch clips of Kyogo, especially his movement up top.)

[boag1874]

4 minutes ago, Chimp said:

 

Players definitely can develop later, but of all the guys we've had if they're not doing it by the age of 21-22 they tend not to make it at us. Not many of the guys who've been on the fringes at that age have gone on to have very successful careers after leaving us.

It's a bit different to comparing them to u23 players in England. They're usually of a far higher quality.

 

 

I know & I’m not saying that you can’t tell by that point if a player will be good enough, my point is more that we seem to want to write teenagers who’ve shown they can hang at this level off & that the club has been far too reluctant to really go all in on developing a young player with the 1st team over a number of years over the past decade plus. I include the likes of Irving in that who we should have been tying down for longer as soon as he turned 18.

[hmfc_liam06]

2 hours ago, GinRummy said:

“It means that we can use their knowledge and expertise in terms of how we prepare for games, opposition analysis, how we benchmark our own performances post-match and also for recruitment, which we're hoping will be really beneficial to us, he said. “It's quite exciting.

 

Quite an interesting quote from Critchley on data use. Obviously the recruitment side has been discussed a lot but I wonder how much influence Jamestown has on things like team selection, tactics for specific games etc.

 

Nah that can't be true - I had posters calling me out for saying pretty much the same thing a couple weeks ago...

[wavydavy]

31 minutes ago, Chimp said:

 

Players definitely can develop later, but of all the guys we've had if they're not doing it by the age of 21-22 they tend not to make it at us. Not many of the guys who've been on the fringes at that age have gone on to have very successful careers after leaving us.

It's a bit different to comparing them to u23 players in England. They're usually of a far higher quality.

 

 

 

They need to be given a chance though just like Forrester and Wilson have been. The problem is that managers don't want to take a chance on playing the younger players for fear that it might cost them valuable points.

 

Naismith was in my opinion frightened to give Forrester a chance but Liam Fox gave him an opportunity to show what he can do. Wilson was also more or less given a game out of lack of options and loss of form with Shankland and his injury otherwise he would no doubt have been left on the bench as well.

 

The only other option really is to put players out on loan and see how they perform as we have done but more often than not it proves a fruitless exercise.

 

Still not convinced about Neilson, Tait and Denholm. Be interesting to see if they are with us in a season or two,

[Chimp]

2 minutes ago, wavydavy said:

 

They need to be given a chance though just like Forrester and Wilson have been. The problem is that managers don't want to take a chance on playing the younger players for fear that it might cost them valuable points.

 

Naismith was in my opinion frightened to give Forrester a chance but Liam Fox gave him an opportunity to show what he can do. Wilson was also more or less given a game out of lack of options and loss of form with Shankland and his injury otherwise he would no doubt have been left on the bench as well.

 

The only other option really is to put players out on loan and see how they perform as we have done but more often than not it proves a fruitless exercise.

 

Still not convinced about Neilson, Tait and Denholm. Be interesting to see if they are with us in a season or two,

 

I think Wilson was given a chance because he actually has the quality to impact games. Not just given minutes for the sake of it. Forrester has been fortunate that Taylor got injured and we didn't really have too many options. Agree though that too many managers refuse to take a chance on younger players.

Jury is out on Neilson for me, has decent attributes but doesn't seem to have much positional awareness and isn't good enough in the air for someone with so much height and power. That may come though. Tait I like, reminds me of Billy Gilmour and plays with a swagger and calmness. Denholm doesn't do it for me at all, seen nothing in him to make me think he'll make it at Hearts. Great engine but not much else, a Ross Callachan type and I can see him signing for the likes of Livi or Raith.

[GinRummy]

23 minutes ago, hmfc_liam06 said:

 

Nah that can't be true - I had posters calling me out for saying pretty much the same thing a couple weeks ago...

Save the quote Liam. Get them telt next time 👍

[Pasquale for King]

3 hours ago, tiger Rudi said:

I think it's more likely that they were hoping to get an offer for Oda. Freezing both him and McKay out of the picture was likely done to perhaps persuade them that their futures lay elsewhere. Two sellable assets to an extent. 

Can't see anybody wanting to pay much for Forrest. 

Unfortunately January has come and gone and both players are still taking a wage and have effectively blocked us from going all in on one decent upgrade. 

I'd think either of them would offer more than Forrest has done of late. Coming on against Dundee when the game was effectively over, he looked ok. Done nowt for ages other than that though. 

Yeah you’re right about Oda, might still sell him as some markets are open. 
I doubt anyone would want to pay us got McKay or Forrest, the latter definitely offers little compared to the other two.

[hmfc_liam06]

32 minutes ago, GinRummy said:

Save the quote Liam. Get them telt next time 👍

 

Act it's no worth engaging. Some just don't get / won't accept being data led.

[hmfc_liam06]

9 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

Yeah you’re right about Oda, might still sell him as some markets are open. 
I doubt anyone would want to pay us got McKay or Forrest, the latter definitely offers little compared to the other two.

 

Strongly suspect Oda and Forrest will be having the "your minutes will be restricted" chat come post-season.

[Aussie Jambo]

12 hours ago, Pasquale for King said:

I think everyone should trust JA now after these signings so far. 

I hope so. 

[Aussie Jambo]

In think JA will be a blessing for us. 
it’s already starting to reap the benefits. 

[TheBigO]

2 hours ago, jamboinglasgow said:

 

Completely agree.

 

I have also said that data can be used well for developing players. In working with players to help their decision making for example by showing them the probability of chance creation from different kinds of passes in an area of a pitch, or if they make certain runs how this can improve the chances of a goal. It can also be used to identify more detailed analysis of a players strengths and weaknesses that may not be so obvious from simply watching the player. This means that you can have a training that is individually tailored to that player to improve them.

 

I can imagine it can be used to analyise a player and find a top player who fits their data set, so that the player can then watch footage of that player and learn from them (Wilson said that Critchley told him to watch clips of Kyogo, especially his movement up top.)

Yup good points

[Pasquale for King]

1 hour ago, hmfc_liam06 said:

 

Strongly suspect Oda and Forrest will be having the "your minutes will be restricted" chat come post-season.

Oda maybe already had it, was looking forward to seeing how he fared under Critchley but doesn’t look like it will happen. 
Forrest will not be missed. 

[hmfc_liam06]

10 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

Oda maybe already had it, was looking forward to seeing how he fared under Critchley but doesn’t look like it will happen. 
Forrest will not be missed. 

 

Yeah I'd imagine he has had it.

[tcjambo]

1 hour ago, Pasquale for King said:

Yeah you’re right about Oda, might still sell him as some markets are open. 
I doubt anyone would want to pay us got McKay or Forrest, the latter definitely offers little compared to the other two.

I would look to get Forrest a loan to one of the top three Championship contenders - Ayr would be my bet. He has another year here but, in reality, he needs to be looking for a contract for the next two or three years and a newly promoted team from the Championship is his best bet. McKay will not be interested in playing with his contract up in May and the risk of getting an injury. Oda seems to want to stay in Europe and should be brought back into the squad, assuming he wants to fight for his place.

[Yoda]

3 minutes ago, tcjambo said:

I would look to get Forrest a loan to one of the top three Championship contenders - Ayr would be my bet. He has another year here but, in reality, he needs to be looking for a contract for the next two or three years and a newly promoted team from the Championship is his best bet. McKay will not be interested in playing with his contract up in May and the risk of getting an injury. Oda seems to want to stay in Europe and should be brought back into the squad, assuming he wants to fight for his place.

McKay won't be interested in lifting his lazy backside of his sofa.

[wavydavy]

2 hours ago, Chimp said:

 

I think Wilson was given a chance because he actually has the quality to impact games. Not just given minutes for the sake of it. Forrester has been fortunate that Taylor got injured and we didn't really have too many options. Agree though that too many managers refuse to take a chance on younger players.

Jury is out on Neilson for me, has decent attributes but doesn't seem to have much positional awareness and isn't good enough in the air for someone with so much height and power. That may come though. Tait I like, reminds me of Billy Gilmour and plays with a swagger and calmness. Denholm doesn't do it for me at all, seen nothing in him to make me think he'll make it at Hearts. Great engine but not much else, a Ross Callachan type and I can see him signing for the likes of Livi or Raith.

 

Oh surely not unless you are talking about when Gilmour was 10. I honestly don't see how Tait will make it at Hearts. I would love all our young players to do well but I just can't see it with any of those three.

[Chimp]

8 minutes ago, wavydavy said:

 

Oh surely not unless you are talking about when Gilmour was 10. I honestly don't see how Tait will make it at Hearts. I would love all our young players to do well but I just can't see it with any of those three.

 

Because I said he reminds me of him doesn't mean I'm saying he's as good as him. You've taken it the wrong way which I thought you might have. He's got composure and doesn't flap when he's on the ball. Same height too and the way they play football is similar. The club gave him a 5 year deal so I'd imagine they must see something in him as well. When he got a wee run in the team last season I thought he was excellent, controlling the tempo and breaking up play. He had one bad pass against Rangers in the cup and was crucified for it, something which has been used against him by fans as a reason to think he's not up to it. His confidence possibly took a hit from that.  Apparently been really good for Livi so far and hope he keeps improving and has a part to play next season.

 

If you don't rate him fair enough, we all see different things in players.

 

[wavydavy]

2 minutes ago, Chimp said:

 

Because I said he reminds me of him doesn't mean I'm saying he's as good as him. You've taken it the wrong way which I thought you might have. He's got composure and doesn't flap when he's on the ball. Same height too and the way they play football is similar. The club gave him a 5 year deal so I'd imagine they must see something in him as well. When he got a wee run in the team last season I thought he was excellent, controlling the tempo and breaking up play. He had one bad pass against Rangers in the cup and was crucified for it, something which has been used against him by fans as a reason to think he's not up to it. His confidence possibly took a hit from that.  Apparently been really good for Livi so far and hope he keeps improving and has a part to play next season.

 

If you don't rate him fair enough, we all see different things in players.

 

 

 

This is where I'm at sorry. Just because we gave him a five year deal doesn't make him a better player. Did we not give Vargas something similar?

 

There are certainly mixed feelings about him also.

 

But as I said I wish all our young prospects the best of luck and hope that they mature into good players for us but if not I hope they can do well wherever else they may go.

[Chillidigits]

2 hours ago, Batistuta87 said:

Aye, its called tactics 🤣

Obviously done their homework too. 

 

Seemed to me St Mirren based their game a lot on punt up the field hoping that at worst they'd maybe get a throw in which they would launch into our box. The energy they save by doing this can then be utelised in a good press when they don't have possession. Funnily enough our chances seemed to improve when Taylor started lobbing throws into their box.

[Chimp]

Just now, wavydavy said:

 

 

This is where I'm at sorry. Just because we gave him a five year deal doesn't make him a better player. Did we not give Vargas something similar?

 

There are certainly mixed feelings about him also.

 

But as I said I wish all our young prospects the best of luck and hope that they mature into good players for us but if not I hope they can do well wherever else they may go.

 

Vargas was excellent for the second half of last season. Showed plenty potential and scored some cracking goals getting caps for his country in the process. That's why he was given that deal. He's young and went through a rough patch, like any young player does and that missed lob against Aberdeen didn't do him any favours. Unfortunately for him not long after that he opened his gob to the press and became absolutely shite overnight in most fans view. 

[kingantti1874]

8 minutes ago, Chimp said:

 

Vargas was excellent for the second half of last season. Showed plenty potential and scored some cracking goals getting caps for his country in the process. That's why he was given that deal. He's young and went through a rough patch, like any young player does and that missed lob against Aberdeen didn't do him any favours. Unfortunately for him not long after that he opened his gob to the press and became absolutely shite overnight in most fans view. 

yup.  There’s a good player in there, just needs to show it 

[GinRummy]

Just now, kingantti1874 said:

yup.  There’s a good player in there, just needs to show it 

He’s been better lately imo. Looks dangerous off the bench so just let him come on late for a bit till he boosts his confidence a bit. 

[Chimp]

1 minute ago, kingantti1874 said:

yup.  There’s a good player in there, just needs to show it 

 

Definitely has ability, he's proven that. I actually think he's been good in his last few sub appearances, positively impacting the game. Won the pen against Aberdeen, took his goal well against Dundee and a cracking penalty the other night. Hopefully kicks on again

[kingantti1874]

17 minutes ago, GinRummy said:

He’s been better lately imo. Looks dangerous off the bench so just let him come on late for a bit till he boosts his confidence a bit. 

 

12 minutes ago, Chimp said:

 

Definitely has ability, he's proven that. I actually think he's been good in his last few sub appearances, positively impacting the game. Won the pen against Aberdeen, took his goal well against Dundee and a cracking penalty the other night. Hopefully kicks on again

agree with you both.  He’s got all the attributes to be a top player. I also think we should show a bit of forgiveness for his words.  Something wrong if he didn’t have that ambition.  Problem was the timing and our precarious situation, but I don’t think it’s something to get hung up on.  

[Chimp]

21 minutes ago, kingantti1874 said:

 

agree with you both.  He’s got all the attributes to be a top player. I also think we should show a bit of forgiveness for his words.  Something wrong if he didn’t have that ambition.  Problem was the timing and our precarious situation, but I don’t think it’s something to get hung up on.  

 

Definitely. He just said out loud what almost every other player in his shoes would be thinking. Just pure naivety and nothing else. He's apologised and like you say maybe it's time to forgive. It doesn't look like he doesn't want to be here, he gives his all every time he plays in maroon and with a smile on his face (although that's apparently a crime too) so maybe needs to rein that in 🙂

Edited February 12, 2025 by Chimp

[DxB Hearts]

16 hours ago, Pasquale for King said:

I think everyone should trust JA now after these signings so far. 

Yup, I’m all in on them. McCart and Kabangu have been class. Kartum really impressed me and have a feeling he might be a cult figure in the making. 
 

Steinwender definitely looks like he belongs but had a couple shaky moments so not quite all in as I am with the others yet. 
 

Whoever comes in I’ll have high hopes for! 

[Pasquale for King]

1 hour ago, DxB Hearts said:

Yup, I’m all in on them. McCart and Kabangu have been class. Kartum really impressed me and have a feeling he might be a cult figure in the making. 
 

Steinwender definitely looks like he belongs but had a couple shaky moments so not quite all in as I am with the others yet. 
 

Whoever comes in I’ll have high hopes for! 

Absolutely, i think Steinwende will adapt once he realises what CHs get away with here.

[GorgieRulesApply1]

20 hours ago, Pasquale for King said:

I suppose if there’s any other failures at his level we will make them successes 😜.

Aye a think that’s why people were all flapping over his time at USG , because they hadn’t heard of them until the whole Tony bloom thing they were thinking were obviously levels above USG

🫣

But aye I’ll take more of these “failures” if that’s the standard 👌🏻

Edited February 12, 2025 by GorgieRulesApply1

[Smithian]

13 hours ago, boag1874 said:

Well said.
 

I genuinely think our fanbase must have the worst attitude towards academy players anywhere in the country. You either hit the ground running at 18 & establish yourself as a starter or you’ll never make it. Or even better if you come in, look good but hit a couple of poor games you’ll never make it because apparently young players have to be perfect & are held to a higher standard than the senior pros! Absolutely tinpot stuff.
 

Meanwhile in England the Academy system runs all the way up to u23. Personally I wouldn’t be giving up on any of them til they reach around that age.
 

Maybe we’re the biggest club any of them play for but who cares? As you said, not all them have to be future Scotland stars destined for the premier league, some of them just need to be good enough to be squad players & fill a home grown place in our European squad.

The tough thing for academy players for anyone outside the biggest clubs is, if they're very good, they may be poached early. On other end, if they're slow developers, it's not easy to find places for them.

 

We have a couple 19 and 20 years old out on loan right now at Championship and League clubs. Not to name names, but with a number of them I'd be shocked if they were Hearts regulars next season. Would I be shocked if at 22 or 23 they were capable of being in Hearts squad occasionally? No. But is it worth Hearts holding onto them and trying to place them on loans again next season? Or would it be easier to pat them on the back, wish them best of luck, and sign a veteran who doesn't need constant tending to? 

 

Thankfully, the B Team has given Hearts a bit of a bridge from U18 to first team. Still, just tough.

[Chuck Berry]

On 12/02/2025 at 22:14, Smithian said:

The tough thing for academy players for anyone outside the biggest clubs is, if they're very good, they may be poached early. On other end, if they're slow developers, it's not easy to find places for them.

 

We have a couple 19 and 20 years old out on loan right now at Championship and League clubs. Not to name names, but with a number of them I'd be shocked if they were Hearts regulars next season. Would I be shocked if at 22 or 23 they were capable of being in Hearts squad occasionally? No. But is it worth Hearts holding onto them and trying to place them on loans again next season? Or would it be easier to pat them on the back, wish them best of luck, and sign a veteran who doesn't need constant tending to? 

 

Thankfully, the B Team has given Hearts a bit of a bridge from U18 to first team. Still, just tough.

 

Personally I think Pollock, Tait and Sandilands all have a chance next season, as well as Harry Stone. They will be involved in the first team pre-season IMO. This on top of Wilson and Forrester.

 

I get the feeling we're heading for quality over quantity over the next season or two as far as signings are concerned. There will be a lot of departures in the summer as the squad is trimmed overall and we'll need the B team players to make the step up and those four I have named I feel can do that. 

 

Other players won't and will be released, that's just the nature of the beast but given Shelley Kerr's role, we're taking youth development even more seriously. It's part of the JTA plan.

Edited February 16, 2025 by Chuck Berry

[Bongo 1874]

Heart of Midlothian target Islam Chesnokov is still holding out for a move to Tynecastle despite the Kazakhstan international having an offer accepted for him from a club in Azerbaijan.

 

The Tynecastle club were in negotiations with the midfielder's club FC Tobol, but they accused the Scots of submitting an unacceptably low offer.

 

The club have now accepted an offer from Baku club Neftci PFK, but Chesnokov is still holding out for the summer to see if Hearts resurrect their interest.

 

He said: "I was close to leaving last month. And there was concrete interest from Hearts who made an offer.

 

"But the clubs have not reached an agreement and still haven't 

Even now.

 

The club's sports director, Sanzhar Seitkazinov, said last month: "Hearts wants Chesnokov almost for free. We consider this unacceptable.

 

"Islam is a quality Kazakhstan footballer. Giving him away for free is wrong, because the club invested in his development.

 

"We asked Hearts to come back with another offer, if possible.

 

"The club's position is this - if we were really offered the £500,000 that has been reported, we would have taken him to Scotland ourselves!

 

"We are not asking for fabulous money."

[E3OBE]

Quite excited to see what the summer brings. The signings in January look a step up in standard and maybe more importantly, a step up in desire and attitude. Once we cut the crap and add more we could be cooking something special.