Critchley Provides Injury Update on Hearts Squad
Neil Critchley has shared encouraging news regarding the recovery of five Hearts players ahead of their upcoming Premiership clash with St Johnstone. The head coach led training at Riccarton on Friday morning and remains optimistic about Australian midfielder Cammy Devlin’s availability for Sunday’s match.
Devlin sustained a concussion during the Scottish Cup tie against St Mirren nearly two weeks ago, forcing him to miss last weekend’s fixture against Rangers. However, he has been progressing well under the necessary protocols and has resumed training.
“We’re hopeful,” Critchley stated. “Cammy is following his return-to-training protocol, and we’ll continue to assess him. He has another 48 hours, so we’re optimistic he’ll make the game. As long as there are no complications, he should be available.”
Midfielder Yan Dhanda is also making strides in his recovery from a hip flexor injury, but he will not be fit in time to feature against St Johnstone. Meanwhile, defenders Stephen Kingsley and Craig Halkett have resumed running after hamstring issues, while centre-back Frankie Kent is working his way back from a quad injury.
“Yan won’t be ready for Sunday, though he’s been back on the grass running for the second time,” said Critchley. “Kingsley, Halkett, and Frankie have all started light running, but they’re still a few weeks away from returning.”
Hearts Focused on Bouncing Back After Rangers Defeat
Despite last weekend’s 3-1 defeat to Rangers, the atmosphere at Hearts’ training ground remains positive. Prior to the loss, Critchley’s side had been on an eight-game unbeaten streak, and they are eager to return to winning ways in Perth.
“Even though we lost, I think the players took a lot of confidence from how we performed,” Critchley noted. “It’s rare to outperform Rangers in so many aspects, but ultimately, the scoreline is what matters most.
“You always want two things: strong performances and positive results. One typically leads to the other, though it didn’t work out for us last Sunday. We played very well, but sometimes you need a bit of luck, and we didn’t get it. We created plenty of good chances but weren’t clinical enough, and their goalkeeper won man of the match for a reason.
“The players have taken a lift from the way we played, but we know St Johnstone will be a completely different challenge. Just like our game against St Mirren was different from facing Rangers, we’ll need to adapt again.”
Sharpening Up in Front of Goal
One of Hearts’ biggest frustrations against Rangers was their inability to convert scoring chances. With that in mind, finishing has been a key focus in training this week.
“We always work on it,” said Critchley. “The strikers and midfielders do unit-specific work because forwards need the confidence of seeing the ball hit the net.
“We split into groups, and today, we wrapped up with strikers doing finishing drills while defenders worked on their positioning and organization. Everything we do is linked to how we want to play and how we plan to approach the opposition this weekend.”
Shankland Contract Talks Unchanged
On the topic of Lawrence Shankland’s contract situation, Critchley maintained that there were no new developments. The Edinburgh News reported on Thursday that discussions are expected, but for now, nothing has changed.
“There’s no update from what’s already been said,” Critchley confirmed. “Lawrence is out of contract at the end of the season, as are a few other players, and discussions will happen at the right time.
“Right now, Lawrence is focused on his football, leading the team as captain, and playing an important role. Our priority remains winning games. I spoke with him when I first arrived, and the club has already had conversations with him. The situation remains as it is, and for now, we continue as usual.”
