Bjorn Johnsen unsure of Hearts future after Ian Cathro row

Bjorn Johnsen admits he is unsure what the future holds after last month's bust-up with Hearts head coach Ian Cathro.
Bjorn Johnsen is unsure of his Hearts futureBjorn Johnsen is unsure of his Hearts future
Bjorn Johnsen is unsure of his Hearts future

The striker is currently on international duty with Norway and has spoken for the first time about the incident at McDiarmid Park.

He and Cathro were involved in a heated confrontation at half-time, with Hearts 1-0 down against St Johnstone. Johnsen was substituted during the interval but explained that his relationship with Cathro is now "fine".

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He consulted the Norway coach Lars Lagerback about the situation and said he doesn't know what will happen long-term.

"The relationship with the coach is fine. I'm an emotional man. When you do not win or do well, you show it," he told Aftenposten.no. "It was a rough time for the club."

"I was just frustrated. I had a long-range shot that missed and I was frustrated not to score. There was a discussion but it blew over.

"The status in the team is good. But what happens, I do not know. I've talked a little with Lars Lagerbäck about the future and what is best for me, but I’m here for the national team."

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Johnsen, born in New York to a Norwegian father and American mother, received his first international call-up whilst on holiday in Jamaica with his girlfriend. "I saw that it was a Norwegian number, and thought maybe it was the grandmother or something," he said.

"It was not. It was Lars Lagerback and assistant Per Joar Hansen at the other end. They told me I was included in the squad. A few days later came confirmation.

"I hardly knew what I was going to do with myself. I called my father. The whole family went crazy. It was a very proud moment for us."

Johnsen felt the Norwegian call might have come two years ago when he scored a hat-trick for former club Litex Lovech in Bulgaria, but he had to be patient.

"I felt that I should be called up, but I was perhaps not ready. Young players can be arrogant and think that they are ready before they really are. But it prepared me for this moment," he added.