Former striker backed to maintain Hearts form as fitness levels hailed by new boss

Osman Sow has been backed to maintain the form which netted Hearts £1 million for his transfer back in 2016.

Osman Sow has been on a scoring streak for Dundee of late. Picture: SNS

Dundee boss James McPake says the Swedish striker is “as fit as he’s been for years” amid a run of eight goals in his last seven appearances for the Dens Park club.

This will come as no surprise to those who rooted on the attacker during his 18 months at Tynecastle, where he played well enough to earn a seven-figure move to Chinese club Henan Jianye despite there being only six months left on his contract.

However, football has been less kind to the 30-year-old since his Gorgie exit. Since returning to British football in the summer of 2017, Sow largely struggled with both fitness and his scoring touch. Prior to his recent burst in the City of Discovery, he found the back of the net just four times across stints with MK Dons, Dundee United and Kilmarnock.

After ending a long barren spell with a goal in the 3-3 draw with Dunfermline in mid-December he has gone from strength to strength, something his manager is desperate to see continue.

McPake told the Dundee Evening Telegraph: “He’s been really good in terms of fitness since he’s been here, that’ll maybe surprise people given his history. But we’ve got him to a level where his conditioning and his fitness stats are right up there among the best in the squad.

“He’s in a very good place fitness-wise and probably as fit as he has been for years. You can see that in games and in training.

“It really is a credit to him and he is enjoying his football. Os is a really good character to have around the place. Since the day he walked in the door he’s been fantastic.

“To begin with it was about getting him to 45 minutes, then to 60 and to 90 – against Bonnyrigg Rose in the cup he managed 120. Mentally for him, I’m sure that would have ticked a box in his head.

“He’s one of the hardest working players in our squad and he’s looking like the Osman Sow that did so well for Hearts. Touch wood he can keep that up.”

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