Hearts in Spain: Robbie Neilson reveals when Australia trio will be back in action after World Cup adventure

Hearts boss Robbie Neilson has revealed the club’s three Australian World Cup participants will be back in action for the return of the cinch Premiership later this month.

The Tynecastle club will host Kilmarnock on December 17 after the five-week in break in the Scottish top flight comes to an end.

Kye Rowles, Nathaniel Atkinson and Cammy Devlin were all included in Graham Arnold’s squad for the finals in Qatar.

Rowles started every match for the Socceroos as they made the last 16 of the tournament following a stunning 1-0 win over Denmark in their final group game. They joined group-winners France in the knockout rounds. The 4-1 defeat to Didier Deschamps’ side was the only appearance for Atkinson while Devlin was one of few players not to receive any minutes.

Nathaniel Atkinson, Kye Rowles and Cammy Devlin were all in the Australia squad for the World Cup. Picture: SNS

The players will be given a bit of time to rest but are expected to be back in the squad when Derek McInnes’ side visit Tynecastle a week on Saturday.

“I WhatsApped them this morning and they’ll be off until the 13th or 14th and then come back in for the Kilmarnock game,” said Neilson.

“So they’ll get nine or ten days off. We just felt they needed a bit of time off. I’m delighted for them.”

Devlin was unfortunate to travel to Qatar and not get the chance to play in a World Cup encounter as he remained rooted to the substitutes bench for all four encounters.

However, Neilson doesn’t believe he’ll need to do anything differently with the buzzbomb centre-midfielder in order to get his spirits back up.

“We won’t need to lift him, you know what he is like, he is full of energy and he’ll be desperate to get back at it and get himself back into the group,” said the manager.

“The three of them just need a little break because it has been non-stop for them. We’ve had a little chance to have some break but they have been right through with that pressure and intensity of it as well.”

Devlin’s mood would also have been lifted by him managing to get Lionel Messi’s match worn shirt after the narrow 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the last 16 fixture. Not only did he receive a coveted souvenir from arguably the greatest player to ever play the sport, it was also Messi’s 1000th career game.

The long-time Barcelona hero, now with PSG, made his mark against the Australians by firing in the opening goal.

“I knew he was a good man marker but I didn’t know he was that good! The wee man following him into the toilets and everything!” joked Neilson about Devlin’s pursuit of Messi’s strip.

“Nah, we’re all delighted for him, he’s a great kid. At first we were all just delighted he got there because he was probably one of the ones we weren’t sure about.

“Natty had played quite a bit, Kye had played quite a bit. Him going was great, I’m really pleased, he’ll probably wear that strip going to bed now!"

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