Calum keen to be a real local hero for Hearts

WHEN Calum Elliot's loan period at Motherwell ended on Hogmanay, he couldn't get back to Hearts quickly enough. The teenager's resolute belief that he had the ability to compete for an attacking berth at Tynecastle had been overlooked by Valdas Ivanauskas last August when he placed Elliot under the wing of Maurice Malpas.

Discovering a plethora of forwards upon re-entering Riccarton at the start of the month might have deterred many youngsters, but not Elliot. Competing with more experienced colleagues, five of them internationalists, simply inspires the Edinburgh-born forward following soulless train journeys to Lanarkshire and back during the last six months.

Elliot perhaps would not have expected the intensity of attacking competition to be so great with the Hearts payroll currently harbouring nine forwards, but the fresh challenge is certainly most welcome. As is the opportunity to remain local for a while.

"I wanted to get back to Hearts because of the travelling," admitted Elliot. "I don't drive so I was getting the train from Edinburgh at seven in the morning and I wasn't getting back to my house till about five o'clock. I didn't enjoy that. It's a big difference from here, where I can leave my house at nine and be back for two o'clock.

"I always believed I was good enough to play for Hearts and I want to become a regular here. I know there are a lot of strikers who are doing well at the moment and maybe I'll have to bide my time. Whenever I get my chance I'll be ready to take it.

"You will get a chance at Hearts if you're good enough. There are a lot of good coaches like Shaggy [Stevie Frail], Darren Murray, John Murray and John McGlynn when he was here, and they always say you will get a chance at Hearts if you merit it. That's the incentive to come here because they have always had a good youth policy.

"You learn off the other strikers in training, as well as other experienced players like Paul Hartley and Neil McCann."

Elliot played 19 times for Motherwell, scoring twice, and the Fir Park side may utilise Ivanauskas' extensive squad again before the transfer window closes as they compete with Kilmarnock for the loan signature of Jamie Mole.

"Gaining first-team experience with Motherwell was good and learning from different coaches," said Elliot. "I would like to have stayed here but the manager felt it was best for me to go out on loan and gain some experience. You have to trust him and I hope it has done me well.

"I'm enjoying being back because it's local and Hearts are such a big club. There's that extra pressure which helps you enjoy it too. It was good to play my first match at Dunfermline and even getting on against Celtic was a good experience. There are different players here now but it's the same core. Training is different but I'm glad to be back because it's what you're used to. We have a good manager, who I know I can get on with."

Elliot's introduction against Celtic last Sunday perplexed many, the teenager taking up a central midfield position alongside Paul Hartley following Andy Driver's withdrawal.

It wasn't an entirely alien task as Elliot played there for Hearts Under-19s in last season's SFA Youth Cup final. He has also been utilised in a similar role with Scotland Under-19s, but there is little doubts over where he feels he belongs. "Striker is my preferred position because I've played there all my life. To be honest, I'll play anywhere just to be on the pitch and help the team. It's a bonus to be playing. "You want to be playing in every match, and if you play well one week you hope to be involved the following week.

"But there are a lot of strikers here and if you don't do well in one game you will, more than likely, not be playing the next week. That's the incentive when you're playing, everyone has a point to prove."

More Indians requires more chiefs, and at present Ivanauskas, is overseeing three separate training routines at once due the size of his first-team squad. However, it has not impacted upon the quality of delivery.

"The training is different class with Shaggy and Valdas," says Elliot. "It's not a problem in terms of numbers because we have more coaches now than we had a year ago. There are three different training sessions going on each day to accommodate the numbers and you just have to make best use of it. I try to take as much out of training as I can."

Following the frustration of losing to Celtic having been a goal in front at the interval, Ivanauskas has focused on infiltrating his players' minds this week to ensure they take only the positives from last week's display.

The Lithuanian was satisfied with the application of his side against the league leaders and feels it can serve them well as the SPL enters its crucial springtime period.

"This week was not so much about physical training as psychological training," said Ivanauskas. "We had chances to score a second goal, a lot of chances, but Celtic are experienced and a clever team. I hope the players keep in their mind how well they can play, because they played very well in the first half.

"Forty-five minutes against Celtic is not enough and I hope we can learn from that."

Taken from the Scotsman