Torn in the USA

It wasn't too long ago that Houston star Driver was holding the Scottish Cup aloft after hammering Hibs
STATES OF MIND ... it wasn't too long ago that Houston star Driver was holding the Scottish Cup aloft after hammering Hibs

Interview by ROBERT MARTIN

ANDREW DRIVER might be loving his new life over in the United States.

But that doesn’t mean he isn’t devastated to see Hearts in such a sorry state.

Over 4,600 miles separate Houston Dynamo’s BBVA Compass Stadium and Tynecastle.

But despite the distance Driver has spent the last week following the goings on in Gorgie.

And he admits he is gutted to see so many people he knows so well lose their jobs.

Driver moved to the Texas side on loan in February with a view to a permanent move.

But as SunSport revealed on Saturday his Hearts contract, along with that of Marius Zaliukas, is now expected to be ripped up by administrators BDO.

That will clear the way for the 25-year-old to agree a permanent deal to stay in the MLS.

But having spent nearly all of his career at Hearts he admits he’s stunned to see them staring into the abyss.

He told SunSport: “It hurts me to see the situation the club is in just now. Hearts have been a massive part of my life.

“If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be where I am now.

“They took a chance on me when I was 13 and have looked after me ever since.

“Hearts will always be my number one team, they’re the only team I support.

“Memories like the parade last year after we won the Scottish Cup will stay with me forever. So I certainly don’t want to see them in this kind of position.

“I have been following everything that has been going on on the internet and Twitter.

“I am still friends with everyone at the club.

“And there will be nobody in Edinburgh hurting more than Gary Locke right now.

“I knew things weren’t great but I was surprised when the club said they were going into administration.

“I suppose like everyone else I thought we had come through the worst of it last November when the board said we were struggling to survive.

“But that was obviously not the case.

“And I am gutted to see people who have worked there for so long lose their jobs.

“I just hope they can find a way to sort things out.”

Driver may have been stunned to learn just how bad things are in Gorgie. But he admits he isn’t surprised to see so many Jambos fans once again rally to the cub’s cause.

Administrator Bryan Jackson revealed last week the club needed to sell 3,000 season tickets in 14 days to survive.

By the end of day three yesterday they had already shifted a third of that total.

And Driver is hopeful they will go on and then exceed the target Jackson has set.

He said: “It shows you how big a club Hearts is that the fans keep on backing it the way they do.

“And you only need to look at the amount of former players willing to help out to see what the club means to everyone.

“When you play for Hearts the club gets into you and that never goes.

“It’s fantastic to see so many figureheads doing their bit to help out. And I’m sure that will inspire the fans to do everything they can to save the club.”

Hearts’ move into administration means the club will start next season’s league campaign with a 15-point deduction.

Driver admits that could be difficult to overcome. But he also reckons it will give the club and their fans a cause to get behind.

And he revealed he wouldn’t be surprised if Hearts DID manage to overcome the penalty.

He said: “It will be hard — but I think it could also be very exciting. The club will be in a dogfight from the very first day of the season and that’s not something Hearts have been involved in for a number of years now.

“But if the fans really get behind the players then it’s something they can overcome.

“I think it could actually bring the players and fans even closer together.

“And in a way the pressure will be off them. They’ll have nothing to lose. They can just try and go for it and put pressure on the teams above them.”

Houston currently occupy a play-off spot in the Eastern Conference. Driver has quickly established himself as a regular in Dominic Kinnear’s side, scoring three in his first 15 games.

On Saturday his side drew 1-1 with Darren O’Dea’s Toronto. And Driver admits he is enjoying the change.

He said: “It’s been a new start for me. The heat has taken a bit of getting used to — it’s 35 degrees here just now with 75 per cent humidity which makes it even hotter!

“The first time I trained I thought I was going to collapse!

“But the lifestyle is great and the football has been good.

“The standard of the MLS is improving and there are a lot of good sides and players.

“So it has been a great move and I am having a great time.”