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Friday May 4 2007
5
Got
HERO: Kingston congratulates Andrew after Celtic g
the
oal. Right, in action versus Killie
H
Nak
Robbo reckons Driver stunner was every bit as good as Japanese star
EARTS goal legend John
into a position where they could be
Robertson believes
By SIMON COX
serious championship contenders.”
Andrew Driver hasn’t
planetsimon@btconnect.com
had the credit he
the summer
Hearts are formulating their plans for
deserves for his
was in the youth team with Lee W
Jason Thomson, John Neill and Jamie
allace,
the squad need strengthening to mount
, weighing up which parts of
sparkling free kick
Mole you could see they all had great
an assault on the SPL
against Celtic last weekend.
But Robertson believes the playing
next season.
The young English winger’
talent. What you worry about is whether
pool doesn’t need too much surgery
strike left Celtic keeper Artur Boruc
s sublime
they’ll continue to develop. But Hearts
He said: “I think they’ve the basis.
.
rooted as he curled home Hearts’
have a tremendous record for bringing
They’ve still got one of the best keepers
second goal in their memorable 3-1 win
players through.
in Europe in Craig Gordon and Marius
over the champions last weekend.
a run in the team. His confidence is
“It’s fantastic to see Andrew getting
Zaliukas and Christophe Berra have
as anything conjured up by Hoops’
Yet despite being every inch as good
growing and that was epitomised by
shown signs of a very good partnership
dead-ball wizard Shunsuke Nakamura,
his wonderful free kick on Sunday
in the centre of defence.
Driver didn’t receive the glowing praise
“Wide left is not a position where
.
heaped regularly on the Japanese star
Hearts have many options and with
young talents in Scotland and Jason
“Lee Wallace for me is one of the best
But Robbo reckons it was another
.
injuries to the likes of Deividas
Thomson will be back to give Robbie
indication of the big future which
Cesnauskis it’
Neilson a battle for right back.
lies ahead for a player who was
cement his place – and to be fair to him
s a chance for Andrew to
emerging through the youth ranks
he’
of Bruno
“The midfield is strong with the likes
when he was Hearts manager
Having seen Hearts beat Gordon
s done it since the start of the season.”
and I hope the club keeps Julien Brellier
Aguiar and Larry Kingston
Robertson said: “If Nakamura
.
Strachan’
because he’s a terrific talent.
had done that they’d have been
and away
s side twice this season, home
drooling over it and yet
club have the foundations to throw down
, Robertson reckons his old
get the strikers fit they’re not too far
“They just need to find scorers. If they
a stronger title challenge next season.
away – but it all boils down to
consistency of selection in the squad.”
well received.
Driver does it and it’s not as
Andrew
believes that for that to happen the
But Hearts’ all-time record goalscorer
a regular basis and keeps taking
“But if Andrew does that on
forwards need to start finding the net
Thomson on loan when he was in
Robertson took teenage right-back
his chances then the
with more regularity
charge at Livingston this season and
world is his
He added: “That’s something they
.
the former
oyster
maybe need – a 15 or 20 goal-a-season
that the 19-year-old could be the next
Almondvale boss predicts
“When
.
man.
young gun to makes his big
he
well in the appearances he’
Andrius Velicka’s done wonderfully
breakthrough at
we need
s made. But
He added: “Jason was terrific for
Tynecastle.
Roman Bednar or Michal Pospisil to
Andrius and the likes of a
Livingston up until December when
pop in 14 or 15 a season.
he got injured.
Driver and Miko can chip in with seven
And if Andrew
or eight then that could catapult the club
dif
“The Hearts fans will see a big
he comes back.”
ference in young Thomson when
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