Northern Ireland striker wants move to keep World Cup dream alive
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Scotsman
a minute ago
- Scotsman
Three Hearts players fighting to be fit for the SPFL Premiership opener against Aberdeen
Season 2025/26 begins at Tynecastle in front of the Sky Sports cameras Sign up to our Hearts newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Three Hearts players must prove their fitness over the coming days to be ready for Monday's opening Premiership game against Aberdeen. Management hope to have midfielders Calem Nieuwenhof and Beni Baningime available along with defender Christian Borchgrevink, with all three fighting to be ready in time. Head coach Derek McInnes is already without centre-back Jamie McCart through injury and midfielder Yan Dhanda because of suspension. Monday marks McInnes' league debut in charge of Hearts and a full crowd is expected at Tynecastle Park for a match Sky Sports will broadcast live. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The next few days will determine which of the three injured players can make the squad. Nieuwenhof was substituted after 22 minutes of Saturday's friendly against Sunderland due to tightness in his hamstring. The 24-year-old's issue is not thought to be serious, though, as McInnes explained to the Edinburgh News. 'I spoke to Calem and the physios and they don't seem too concerned about it. We are hoping he will train later in the week, Friday into Saturday,' said the manager. 'I don't think he feels it's too bad so it's a wee bit precautionary. We haven't sent him for a scan or anything. If we were worried about it, we probably would have. It will just be seeing how Calem comes through when he's back training. If he has a clean bill of health then he will be available for Monday. I expect him to be available, based on what I'm being told. The good thing is he has that extra bit of time with the game still five days away. I think he'll be alright.' Baningime missed the last two of Hearts' four Premier Sports Cup group matches, plus the Sunderland friendly, because of a slight medial ligament strain caused by slipping in training. 'Beni still has a wee bit more work to do,' admitted McInnes. 'He's back running on Thursday and, if he comes through that, then hopefully he might be able to train by the weekend. That one is still a bit more of a doubt, but we certainly haven't ruled him out for Monday. I wouldn't want to rule Beni out.' Scottish Premiership kick-off on the horizon Right-back Borchgrevink was withdrawn at half-time in Hearts' third Premier Sports Cup tie at Stirling Albion and hasn't featured since. He also has a hamstring issue but McInnes is confident he will be ready for the Aberdeen fixture. The Norwegian is due to train with the first team at Riccarton today before Hearts play a closed-door bounce game. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Borchgrevink will train today. We will just avoid playing him in the game because he only did part of the session yesterday,' explained McInnes. 'We took the liberty just to train him so we can control that a wee bit more, rather than playing him in the game. I don't think he is too much of a concern for Monday. I think he will be fine. 'I thought young Adam Forrester did well on Saturday so we're delighted with him. He will play in the game today to top his minutes up. The closed-door game just gives everybody a chance to be ready for the game on Monday, if called upon.'
Scotsman
an hour ago
- Scotsman
Hearts boss makes 'secret admirer' admission and reveals his starting XI dilemma vs Aberdeen
Hearts head coach Derek McInnes has a selection dilemma ahead of next week's Scottish Premiership opener vs Aberdeen. Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Hearts head coach Derek McInnes admits his team's form is leaving him with a huge selection dilemma ahead of next week's Scottish Premiership opener against Aberdeen at Tynecastle. The Jambos have enjoyed a strong start to life under their new head coach, beating English Premier League side Sunderland 3-0 in Craig Gordon's testimonial at the weekend on the back of winning all four of their Premier Sports Cup group games. However, their focus will now switch to a difficult league opener against Scottish Cup winners Aberdeen on Monday. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Expected to be two of the sides vying for a European position this season, the early season clash is a chance for both teams to put down an early marker, with Hearts in particular hoping for a vast improvement on their seventh place finish in 2024/25. Cammy Devlin has been highly praised by Hearts' new head coach Derek McInnes for his pre-season performances at Tynecastle. | SNS Group The 54-year-old boss was mightily impressed with his players in Saturday's win over the Black Cats, but admits their impressive early form is making it difficult for him to pick his starting XI. Regardless of who does start though, McInnes is confident they can get the desired result. 'I think when everybody puts their best foot forward, and there's a lot of people putting their hands up to play, that's great for a manager,' said McInnes. 'Obviously, I can only pick XI. I think I could pick so many different XIs, and I'd feel confident we could compete and get results. 'So I've got an idea about how I want to play and some of the players within that, but we've still got nine days or so. Training's important. We've got a bounce game on Wednesday, a closed-door game, to try and top up the minutes for others.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad One player who looks almost certain to start the game is Australian midfielder Cammy Devlin, who was lavished with praise by the ex-Kilmarnock boss. 'I'm absolutely delighted with him,' beamed McInnes. 'He's been first class. Even from our first conversation with Cammy, when we were on holiday. I've always been an admirer from a distance. 'Now that I'm his manager, I'm really enjoying working with him. I think he gives you a bit of everything. I just want him to be at midfield. He doesn't need to overthink his game too much. The game will come naturally to Cammy if he keeps getting about his work. He's been different class.' Hearts' Oisin McEntee (R) may have played his way into Derek McInnes' starting XI. | SNS Group New signing Oisin McEntee also looks to have played himself into McInnes' thinking after a monstrous display in the weekend win in Gorgie. The versatile Irishman claimed his preferred position is in midfield, and the Hearts boss has hinted that fans may see him in that role more often than not this season.
Scotsman
an hour ago
- Scotsman
Ex-Rangers ace gives Ibrox transfer target glowing reference and reveals why 'special' talent can excite fans
Former Rangers hero hails Russell Martin target amid strong transfer links with Ibrox club Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Ex-Rangers striker Jermain Defoe has believes the Russell Martin's reported interest in Tottenham Hotspur teenager Mikey Moore could turn out to be the ideal move for both player and club, if they can get the deal over the line. The 17-year-old midfielder was linked with a potential loan switch to Rangers earlier this week, with reports claiming the Ibrox hierarchy were closing in on a move that would see the youngster arrive on a deal until the end of the season. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Those rumours gained further traction when Thomas Frank opted to leave the teen out of the Spurs squad for their pre-season tour to Hong Kong and South Korea this week, with the Danish boss admitting: 'Mikey is a big talent, I'm really excited about his future here at Tottenham. I think for all players, but especially the younger players, they need to get that first-team consistent football into their bodies. If we can find the right option, we'll do that.' Jermain Defoe had successful spells at both Rangers and Tottenham Hotspur during his illustrious career. | Getty Images Part of the last Rangers squad to win the Scottish Premiership in 2021, Defoe scored 32 goals for the club during his three-season stay at Ibrox, but retired in March 2022 following a short stint with Sunderland and went on to become coach of Spurs' under-18 squad, where he managed Moore in the North London outfit's academy, and has given the youngster a glowing reference ahead of his potential move to Glasgow. 'Mikey Moore's an amazing young talent,' said Defoe. 'When I came into the academy, they said to me there's this young player that you need to see because he's the next best thing. As soon as I saw him, I thought he's got something special. He deserves the opportunities that he is getting right now, and we must remember, he's very young, only 17. 'He's still got time to improve and I don't think anyone has seen the best of Mikey Moore yet. Once he plays consistently and he gets that confidence and arrogance that he had in the youth team, then we'll see the best of Mikey, he is a top player.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The starlet, who turns 18 next month, featured sporadically under ex-Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou last season, and scored his first senior goal in a 3-0 win over Elfsborg on the way to his team's Europa League success. He is also officially the youngest player to play for Spurs in the English Premier League, making his debut against Manchester City in May 2024 at the age of 16 years and 277 days. 'I still speak to Mikey now,' Defoe told Footy Accumulators. 'He's someone that wants to improve, he's a nice kid. I was so happy when I saw him come on last season in Europe and get his first goal, and he gave me a little mention in the interview after which was brilliant. My advice to him would be to keep working hard, keep improving every day on your game and working on your game every single day.
