Ex-Hearts star gets honest over why Tynecastle transfer last season resulted in disappointment

Dundee midfielder Scott Fraser has admitted his spell at Hearts was ‘frustrating’ last season. He linked up with the Edinburgh outfit in the last January window.

Charlton Athletic gave him the green light to head out the exit door on loan last winter to get some more game time. However, he struggled to make an impact at Tynecastle Park. Fraser, 29, made 12 appearances in all competitions for Hearts, 11 of which came in the Scottish Premiership. He wasn’t able to get on the scoresheet.

The Dundee-born man has said: “Yeah and listen I'm not going to make excuses or anything, I've never sort of been that player to take full responsibility on what I need to do. But I've got no doubt that once I get fully fit and that would have been the same there that I'd have done well. I injured my calf at the start of last season, missed 11 weeks and then yeah couldn't really get that momentum that you need. 

"You ask any footballer anywhere, momentum in football is the biggest thing. You need that consistent game, the trust which I think I've got here to go and show the best you can be.

“I'd be asked to do a different drill maybe out on the left or things that I wasn't really used to but I kind of understood because they were obviously flying at the time. So it was tough to get regular game time in the centre of the pitch.”

He added: “They changed formation a lot. It would be a four at the back and a three at the back. So that's probably the most frustrating thing was the calf niggle. I couldn't really get my fitness going which is why I really wanted to try and get something sorted quicker because I didn’t want to play catch up.”

Fraser has said Dundee are working on his fitness: “They've got me on a good programme now where I'm doing extra running. I have to train and extra work with sports science and things to try and sort of get me up to speed as quickly as I can.

“Obviously, I'll be training every day, which is what I think for me, a player like me, that's what I need. I need touches on the ball and short sharp things and that.”

Pre-Hearts days

He started his career at Dundee United and rose up through their academy ranks. He was a regular at various different youth levels before going on to play 106 games in all competitions, scoring 15 goals.

Burton Albion lured him down the border in 2018 and he was a hit with the Brewers, finding the net on 16 occasions in 91 outings. That form earned him a switch to MK Dons and he later went on to join Ipswich Town before ending up at Charlton.

Fraser fell down the pecking order at The Valley last term, hence why he was allowed to join Hearts. He is now looking to lay down some roots at Dundee.