Hearts summer signing sparks excitement after transfer arrival as injury updates on two stars provided
There’s been Hearts updates provided on a couple of players as competitive action looms.
Sabri Guendouz has been backed as a possible Hearts difference maker this season - but it’s what the playmaker does for his team that’s just as important for head coach Wouter Vrancken.
The 26-year-old arrived in Gorgie this summer from Belgian side Beerschot and impressed fans in Tuesday’s 2-1 friendly win at Arbroath. It was the first time supporters had the chance to watch Guendouz in the number 10 role and his all-action display showed a creative force not scared of the game’s more physical side.
Vrancken believes Scotland’s Premiership will be a great platform for the Frenchman who still has areas in his game that can improve. Ahead of next Tuesday’s Champions League second round qualifier first leg Sturm Graz that precedes a return match on July 28 at Tynecastle, Vrancken has talked Guendouz up as an impressive star, as connections begin to build with new teammates.
What has Wouter Vrancken said about Sabri Guendouz?
“I think he's a good football player,” said the Hearts head coach. “His touches are good. For his own development it's also good to play in this league because there's a lot of physical contacts for him. He has to get better in those situations, loose balls, those things. He can improve there. But of course he has qualities on the ball.
“The more that they connect together and they find together and they learn to know each other, the better it will come. But yeah, he has obviously qualities on the ball. He was also one that you see played 90 minutes against Arbroath, but you didn't see him drop in effort or yards or metres. So from his nature, he has volume. This is a good thing. So he can stay on the same level for all the 90 minutes. This is good to see. Also because he has these qualities on the ball, when the others are getting tired a little bit, he can make a difference.
“For me it's more about doing the job of the team and for sure show your qualities within the team plan. And get the stats because you can play as nice as you want, but it's all about stats and goals and assists. For us but also for the player himself. That's also why we have to work with him. Because like you guys see, he's a good football player. But I think to have more stats, he can have more runs off the ball instead of on the ball. Then you come in positions that you can score or give assists. Okay, he missed a few. But yeah, happy with the development of the team and the work ethic they put into it. And now one game at Tynecastle and then Sturm Graz.”
Hearts injury latest
That match comes against Rayo Vallecano this Friday at Tynecastle in Hearts’ final pre-season friendly prior to competitive matches beginning. Striker Amadou Ba-Sy is yet to feature after illness at the start of his Jambos career while Vrancken has provided an update on Finlay Pollock’s status alongside the Frenchman. Pollock had an injury-plagued 25/26 term due to a hamstring problem and again that muscle played up on a Spanish training camp, albeit not in the same spot as his most recent issues. Vrancken says both will be managed carefully.
“Amadou trained well on Tuesday,” he added. “I think he's going good. He gained some weight because he lost a lot of weight. He gained some weight so everything looks good. But still, the base is the volume and stuff like this. Together with intensity we have to see how he feels after a hard session.
“But at the moment he shows some really good things, I have to say. We'll see how it goes with him day by day. We have to see it day by day and see how he copes with the intensity and with the load. That's going to be the most important thing. Finlay is not fit yet. Also day by day or week by week maybe. Because we want to be really careful with him. But the last scan was positive. It was looking positive. So we can build up from there. Let's hope that we can bring him back soon.”