Hearts injury update provided on Tom Renaud as Conference League draw reaction emerges
The Hearts head coach has been providing his reaction to the Conference League draw - and has sent an injury update.
Wouter Vrancken says Hearts midfielder Tom Renaud is set for a scan on his ankle injury - as he reacts to the club’s league phase draw in the Conference League.
The Jambos have progressed to the league phase after defeating Rapid Vienna on penalty kicks midweek. They will face Monaco, Pafos, FK Borac Banja Luka, Trabzonspor, FC Nordsjaelland and FC Thun as they now seek to progress into the knockout phases of the Conference League. The Tynecastle club’s players and coaching staff watched the draw together with varying hopes for who’d come out the draw.
One disappointment from the game at Allianz Stadion midweek was an injury to summer signing Renaud who was stretchered off in the first half due to an ankle injury. Ahead of Saturday’s Premiership match with St Johnstone and next week’s Edinburgh derby vs Hibs, head coach Vrancken says he’s definitely out of those clashes, as a wait to find out the extent of his injury status commences. Hearts must submit their squad for league phase matches next Wednesday.
Hearts injury update on Tom Renaud
Vrancken said on the Frenchman and his squad overall ahead of Saints: “He has his scan on Friday afternoon, so hopefully something Saturday. But it will not be for this weekend or next weekend. For sure, just hoping that it's OK for him, but it doesn't look good, like I said on Wednesday. Some are more tired than others. So we have to see even Saturday. It's now two days after the game. We'll see Saturday who's fit and ready, that we don't take unnecessary risks, but also we want to be as good as we can.”
With Ligue 1 heavyweights and a Mo Salah-spearheaded Trabzonspor amongst their opponents, Vrancken is excited by what’s to come in Europe this season. Nordsjaelland and Thun being the top rated teams from the bottom pots of five and six has increased the difficulty level, however, it’s a task Hearts will relish.
He added: “A tough draw, most of all because of Pot 5 and Pot 6. We have the best teams of those two pots, like with Nordsjaelland and Thun. They're two good sides. You can also have the more little ones of those. But we have the best teams there, so that means it's a tough draw. But again, we have to show ourselves and we're looking forward to it.
“We have Monaco and Trabzonspor. You have always two big games, 100% two big games, and we have them. Then you have the games, you hope that you have the little ones, so that you can also have more chance to take your points. It's always difficult in Europe, but again, they are all good teams actually, what we have to play against. So we can show ourselves and it's a good opportunity for players as individuals and as a team to show yourself.
“When you don't have the belief, then maybe don't participate in the competition. I think it's good, it's amazing that we are getting there, that we can play until December in Europe already. This is one goal, one nice thing that we did, and now you're in the competition, you don't just play these games to play the games and to participate. You want to play with the belief that you can go to the next round. And this is the goal you have to have.”