Craig Halkett shares Harry Milne talks after brutal Hearts injury blow as teammate urged to seize major chance
The Hearts defender was on punditry duties for the club’s second league phase match in the Conference League.
Craig Halkett has revealed talks with injury-stricken Harry Milne amid fears the left-back is the latest star to join Hearts’ long-term injury list.
The left-back has suffered a knee injury that could end his season, picked up in training just a day before Thursday’s Conference League loss against Trabzonspor. Centre-back Halkett was on TNT Sports punditry duties amid his recovery from an Achilles injury while Tom Renaud and Blair Spittal are also out for the foreseeable.
Stephen Kingsley’s load is being managed, Christian Borchgrevink was subbed with a first half muscle problem, and Oisin McEntee, Stuart Findlay, Ageu and Laurent Mendy all missed out on action in the Turkish away day too. Halkett admits the team can’t seem to catch a break after talks with Milne.
What is Hearts’ injury latest?
He said: “There's been quite a number of injuries over the weekend and in the last few days, which isn't great, but that's the reason why we've got a big squad. It's so unfortunate. I spoke to Harry on Wednesday night when I heard from one of the other boys that picked up an injury in training. I just spoke to him to see how he was feeling. Obviously we won't know the extent of his injury until the boys get back home on Friday, but it's a real sore one. It's some real bad luck at the moment.”
Rogers Mato swapped forward positions for left-back against Trabzonspor and full-back Jordi Altena moved into midfield. Tomas Magnusson was left as the only fit central midfielder and Halkett senses a big chance awaiting the Icelandic star amid the fitness crisis.
He explained: “I think it's obviously a new position for Mato. He's normally used to playing more further forward but he's got that speed. I think with somebody in the likes Mo Salah on the right-hand side, he's been put in that position to try and deal with that. In midfield, you can see we've got quite a lot of injuries so we've brought Jordi in there.
“He's played there before last year. He's really comfortable on the ball so I think he'll do fine in that position but injuries at the moment are really hampering the squad. Magnusson’s the kind of last man standing for our central midfielders. I think we're so unfortunate that the injuries have all come in similar positions. Magnusson’s going to need to step up.
“He's maybe found himself short of some game time this season, but he's been training well, and he's in there with Jordi Altena. I don't think me personally would fit very well in there, but for Jordi, he's a really really good player. He's unbelievable on the ball. I think he's actually played higher up the pitch in his previous teams, so he's used to being in the middle and trying to make things happen.”
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