Hearts manager Craig Levein reveals his thoughts on Charlie Adam link

Craig Levein is content with Hearts' midfield options and is not planning a move for the Stoke City midfielder Charlie Adam.
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After agreeing to transfer Danny Amankwaa to the Danish club Sonderjyske yesterday, the Hearts manager explained that he is happy with the midfielders at his disposal.

He will be without Peter Haring until next month after the Austrian had surgery on a double hernia. Levein hopes he will miss four weeks rather than five or six, but there are no plans at the moment to sign another midfielder.

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“Charlie is a good player but we are quite strong in the midfield area,” commented Levein at Hearts’ Spanish base after being linked with Adam. “Peter is out with a hernia but he had an operation on Monday and he will be back in the first week of February. So generally I’m quite happy with the midfield.

Charlie Adam is eager to secure a move away from Stoke City and had been linked with HeartsCharlie Adam is eager to secure a move away from Stoke City and had been linked with Hearts
Charlie Adam is eager to secure a move away from Stoke City and had been linked with Hearts

“We’ve got Harry Cochrane and Oliver Bozanic who have done well. Harry’s been injured and Oli’s done well when he’s come in. We’ve also got Sean Clare so I’m relatively happy with the midfield. I don’t think we need to do anything on that front.”

Levein conceded that Amankwaa’s move from FC Copenhagen 12 months ago hadn’t been a success. He made 16 appearances for the Edinburgh club, mostly as a substitute.

“It just didn’t work and he’s gone back to Denmark,” said Levein. “He came with a good pedigree and we just never managed to get the best out of him. That will be partly his responsibility and partly mine.

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“There’s no doubt he’s got talent but we just didn’t really manage to get it out of him. The relationship wasn’t working so we are as well calling it a day.”

Haring’s return is already eagerly awaited by the Hearts coaching staff, who are keen to see how the midfielder fares without the hindrance of hernia pain.

“It was a double hernia. It’s been quite remarkable that he was playing with it,” said Levein. “It’s much better that he gets it fixed. I’m sure he will feel really good once he gets back into the swing of things.

“He’s done really well for us and if he does as well as that when he’s back I will be delighted. I’ve been really pleased with Peter. Sometimes you find players who are suited to the Scottish game and Peter is one of them. He’s also an uncomplicated guy who does his best. If they were all like that, it would be easy.”

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Hearts face Lokeren in a friendly on Friday and return from their winter training camp on Sunday. Levein is happy with how the trip has gone. “The proof will be in the pudding but we are getting consistently good training sessions and the hotel is lovely,” he said.

“Last year we did well after the winter break and hopefully we can get a similar impact. We’ve got the new boys Conor Shaughnessy and David Vanecek here so it’s been good to see them up close. I’m hopeful that the benefits will be evident when we get back playing.”

He has also caught up with club owner Ann Budge, who arrived at the resort near Murcia on Wednesday. “It was good to get a chat in relaxed circumstances. We spent an hour going over numerous things, not all football-related,” said Levein.

“There’s stuff going on with the stand and I got an update on that. Back home sometimes everything goes at 100 miles an hour so it was good to get a chat.”