Ex Hearts star addresses future amid free agency as he names what Gorgie aces must do to make Jamestown thrive
The former Hearts, Swansea City and Rangers man has been without a club since leaving Tynecastle.
Barrie McKay has opened up on his future as he remains a free agent - as he insists Hearts transfer recruits key role in building up Jamestown Analytics’ reputation.
The attacker has experience from clubs like Rangers, Nottingham Forest and Swansea City, but has been without a club since leaving Tynecastle at the end of last season. He had a period training with Premiership club Kilmarnock but is still awaiting his next move, having joined Hearts in 2021, making 114 appearances in maroon.
McKay’s final seasons were marred by injury and then a lack of selection under Neil Critchley last campaign. He admits at times it was frustrating, but has nothing but good things to say about his experience with Hearts.
Barrie McKay on time at Hearts
The attacker said: "I really enjoyed it. I would say I had a good first two years. I was playing well, in Europe. My third season was probably hampered a wee bit by injury but by all means I still played quite a lot of games. Just had a couple of unfortunate injuries and maybe came back a wee bit too soon. Last season was just kind of a nothing season really for me. Changes in managers and stuff don't always help.
“When I came back last season, obviously I had the season before that where I had a few wee injuries. so kind of like Craig Halkett this season I thought I don't need a break, I've had a break through the season. I'm going to work as hard as I possibly can. I came back, I was fit, I was flying. Started the first few games but then change in manager happens and that's what happens. But even under the new manager I was still playing and then just out of nowhere I was out of it.
“But you go into training every day to play a game at the weekend. Liam Fox obviously got the job the first time, brought me back in. There was never any injuries or that last year, it was just managers had different opinions.
“Neil Critchley came in and I played a wee bit under him as well and then Foxy got the job at the end of the season and brought me back into the squad and stuff again. It was just a frustrating season for me. I never played anywhere near as much as what I would have liked but still playing. I maybe played like 10 odd games or something but it wasn't enough to really stake a claim and do anything."
Where is Barrie McKay after Hearts?
“I've just been waiting for the right opportunity and the right team. I've had a wee bit before but it's not really suited with moving away from the family and stuff. I've got two young kids and their time with them means more to me. But I've still been training away. I've been training on my own. I've been training my PT and stuff. A wee bit of team training too so I'm hoping to get back in somewhere soon."
McKay was at Hearts just as Jamestown Analytics was sweeping in. It has proven highly successful in recruitment and assessing players at investor Tony Bloom’s other clubs, Brighton and Union Saint-Gilloise, but the winger insists that players who are brought in after being idetifined by Jamestown to prove why it has earned a reputation for identifying hidden gems.
He added: "They brought Jamestown in when I was there but we didn't really get a breakdown, it was just basically whatever you hear in the news and the way it works. They basically try to buy cheap and sell on and they look at the different stats to how they suit the team and stuff like that but I think at the end of the day that can be as good as what it is but then they still need to cross the white line and perform to the levels that they've shown this season. I think that can be down to a lot of things, it can be down to Jamestown and identifying the players, obviously Derek McInnes coming in and coaching these players as well and the way that he wants them to play.
“I think they've just got a lot of positivity going there. I've never really seen any of it. We still had the same boys and whatever, they've probably seen it more this year when they went quite heavy on it. I think they maybe brought in 10 or 11 players or something in the summer so I think they've probably seen more this year with it."