Exclusive:Hearts' Adam Forrester speaks out on personal criticism, social media, his future and a 'crazy' experience

Merciless criticism impacts many young footballers as part of a chastening learning process. The Hearts defender Adam Forrester turned 20 just last month but is already well versed in the unforgiving carping within senior Scottish football. Some of it from Tynecastle fans, some from others, all of it unnecessary. For the protagonists, it is worth remembering this is Forrester’s breakthrough season at first-team level.

He began the campaign in the Lowland League, the fifth tier of Scotland’s football pyramid, with the Hearts B team. On Saturday, he played right-back at the national stadium in the Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen. It was his 30th top-level appearance since a senior debut against Ross County on 28 September. Forrester is determined not to become derailed by online comments or groans from the stand on matchday, however he is not deaf or blind. It is impossible to avoid them altogether.

Like any young player, he has delivered some decent performances and some less convincing ones over the last few months. Hearts see him as one for the future, hence a contract extension until 2028 signed just last week. Forrester isn’t the finished article, he doesn’t claim to be. What he does claim to be is hungry. There is an inner desire to learn, improve, and retain his place at right-back into next season.

He won’t be hindered by people trying to unsettle him, regardless how brutal their comments may be. “In any game, I try to go in and just give my best,” explained Forrester, speaking exclusively to the Edinburgh News. “Some people may criticise you, some people may not. I don't read that stuff, I'm not too bothered about it. I just try to go play my own game every week and try to impress the manager, that's the only person I need to impress. I'm on social media, I sometimes see it, sometimes don't, but it doesn't bother me.”

Neil Critchley, the Hearts head coach, kept faith with Forrester. His performance on the big stage at Hampden Park answered critics emphatically. That wasn’t the motivation, though. “I'm not too bothered with answering critics, I just go and try to play and make my team proud in my performance, and just try my best every game,” added Forrester. “The manager just said: ‘Just go out and play your game. I'm picking you because you're good enough and just believe in yourself.’ I just try to repay his faith. If he's picking you, you're doing something right, so yeah, that's what matters.”

He played three different positions during the semi-final, starting at right-back, briefly moving to centre-back and then right wing-back. Michael Steinwender’s red card late in the first half prompted Critchley to reorganise. “At the start of the season I was playing in the Lowland League. Towards the end of the season, I didn't think I'd be playing in a Scottish Cup semi-final,” admitted Forrester. “Personally, it's good to play these games, get this type of experience, but once you've got a taste of it, you just want more of it. Hopefully we can achieve something again next season.

“It was hectic to be fair. The last couple of minutes of the first half, getting told to play centre-back and then obviously played right-back as well, and then wing-back in the second half. I didn't get forward as much as I'd like to, but it was a bit hectic. We felt when we still had 11 men that we were the better team on Saturday, moving the ball, creating chances. Obviously, going down to 10 is going to be tough, but we felt we held our own for 90 minutes, 125, however long it took for them to score the winner. It was just gutting them getting that goal because, if we got to penalties, we were feeling confident we were going to win.”

Forrester’s Hearts future, loan talk and ‘crazy’ SPFL experience

Cammy Devlin’s disputed red card for two cautions left Hearts with nine men for the final minutes of extra-time, and Aberdeen capitalised through Oday Dabbagh’s winning goal. Critchley switched to a five-man defence at half-time following Steinwender’s dismissal with a clear intent to stifle Aberdeen’s attack.

“It wasn't necessarily trying to hold out for the full game,” explained Forrester. “We obviously tried to get on the ball and pass it, but it was always going to be hard with the size of the pitch and up against 11 men. Once it was getting to certain points of the game, maybe extra-time was on the mind. We were still trying to create but we knew that our best opportunity was maybe going to be penalties.”

The cruel ending is the latest phase of the youngster’s football development. Overcoming disappointment is as important as anything else in a player’s progress. “It's been crazy since my first game,” he said. “I never expected to play this many games, but I'm just taking it in my stride. I feel like I'm picking up different tricks and stuff, and just gaining this experience. I'm standing in good stead for next season as well, hopefully. There's still a lot to learn as well.

“Next season, I want to try and play every game. That's my mentality. I just want to keep playing and keep playing. I know that I won't play every game, but I just need to keep training hard and just keep on developing, keep on learning, and hopefully be better than I was this season.”

The new contract clearly indicates he has a future at Tynecastle, but the prospect of further development on loan next season cannot be dismissed. Forrester is clear that he would prefer to stay and fight for his place in the Hearts first team. “Yeah, absolutely. I'm definitely focused on Hearts.”

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