Former Hearts star names 'biggest disappointment' of his Tynecastle stint and who current crop's top threat is
Ex QPR, Sheffield United and Derby County man spent a year in Edinburgh
Former Hearts man Conor Washington has backed fellow striker Claudio Braga as the man to take the Tynecastle club forward in a ‘good quality’ attack.
The Portuguese marksman has started in all but one of Hearts’ 22 games so far this season and has bagged eight goals in that time. A hidden gem find of Jamestown Analytics, Braga has been a revelation at Tynecastle since signing last season from FK Aalesunds, in the Norwegian second tier.
While former QPR, Sheffield United and Derby County man Washington believes their Portuguese ace is the top attacking threat at Tynecastle, he’d also like to see manager Wouter Vrancken use a bit more attacking ‘variety’ to get the best out of those around him. The Northern Irishman said: "I think there's some good quality in the attacking areas and Braga's obviously shown he can be a real threat, but I think the important thing is getting enough out of the players around him as well.
Why is it important for Hearts attackers to add more ‘variety’ to their attack?
“When you're playing for a team towards the top of the league, you're going to come up against a lot of sides who are happy to sit deep, particularly at Tynecastle, and that's where having a bit of variety in your attacking options can be really important.
“It's not necessarily about replacing anyone, but giving the manager another way of hurting teams when things aren't quite working. I think they've got enough quality to cause most teams problems, but over the course of a season there are going to be games where you need to find a different way to win, and having that option could make a real difference."
Washington spent the 2019/20 season at Hearts during a dismal campaign which culminated in a controversial relegation due to the Covid-19 outbreak. He scored four goals in 22 appearances for the club - but maintains that his ‘biggest disappointment’ was not being able to contribute more. Only two months after signing from Sheffield United, Washington was sidelined for 12 weeks with a hamstring injury and wasn’t able to get back to his best in Gorgie.
What was Conor Washington’s ‘biggest disappointment’ at Hearts?
He continued: "I look back on my time at Hearts with mixed emotions, really. I'd come from Sheffield United, where we'd just been promoted and the dressing room was probably as good as anything I'd experienced in my career. Everyone was pulling in the same direction, there were really high standards and players weren't afraid to hold each other accountable. Going into Hearts was quite a big change in that respect. The dressing room felt a bit fractured at times and, from my perspective, there wasn't always that same level of accountability within the group.
“On a personal level, my biggest disappointment was that I didn't manage to play and contribute anywhere near as much as I'd have liked. I went there really excited about the opportunity and loved playing at Tynecastle, so the injuries were incredibly frustrating. Looking back, it was a difficult experience but one I learned a lot from, particularly about the importance of having a strong dressing room culture, clear standards and people who are prepared to challenge each other when things aren't right."
Conor Washington was speaking in association with BestBettingBonuses.co.uk | 18+ | Gamble Responsibly