Hearts talent shares Derek McInnes talks amid first team chances as lessons off Jambos duo taken to Hampden
The Hearts talent hopes to help clinch silverware for the club on Tuesday night.
Alfie Osbourne insists lessons from Hearts duo Craig Halkett and Claudio Braga has set him up for a tilt at the Youth Cup final against Queen’s Park - as he reveals talks with first team manager Derek McInnes.
The 17-year-old centre back has captained the club at youth level alongside their Lowland League ‘B’ team this season. He’ll lead his teammates out at Hampden Park versus the Spiders in front of the BBC Scotland cameras and a healthy maroon contingent inside the national stadium. Hearts are seeking their first success in this competition since 2000.
McInnes has had the teenage defender in and amongst his first team training sessions throughout this campaign, amid their Premiership title bid. Training alongside striker Braga was a shock to the system initially for the Scotland youth international while defender Halkett has proven a useful sounding board. He hopes to utilise their lessons and encouragement from McInnes in search of silverware.
What youth player at Hearts has stepped up to first team training?
“Especially being involved in the first team, you're always around top standard,” said Osbourne. “I've always prided myself in being a sort of captain, and obviously to have the armband of both the club and international level, it has been a privilege. It's also one that I take seriously. Hopefully I can lead the lads out to a victory.
“I've been in quite consistently with the first team and having that exposure to some of the best players in the country has only aided my development. It's been really good to see how they train day-to-day and I pick up things from them to put into my game. It's been enjoyable. Claudio Braga is obviously a top player and when he's getting talked about over a potential Portugal call- up, definitely one of the best players in the league. He was obviously a real tough opponent but again, the more you train with him, the more you can cope with that environment.
“I think someone like Craig Halkett is a good example of how to train every day. He has really good standards around the building, and as for me as a centre back, I can watch how good he's been this year as well as on the pitch. How he is in the air, how he handles the ball really well, it's just good to see him in the flesh almost and take little bits from his game. He (McInnes) pulls me after training quite regularly and we have good chats about maybe a Lowland League game that he's come and watched, which I think is really good that he gets along. Then obviously, tactical stuff from the session, and just generally how I'm feeling. so I've got a good relationship with him.”
Hearts on Youth Cup final
David McNeill will be the man in the dugout for Hearts at Hampden. He has worked his way up the youth coaching ranks at Tynecastle and is now tasked with guiding the club to its first Youth Cup in 26 years. The under-19s head coach knows it could be a special moment, with Hearts also fighting for titles across the senior men and women’s teams, and silverware is something he feels is only the start of an exciting era dawning in Gorgie.
“It’s very exciting and I’ve been able to sense that the past couple of days in training,” said McNeill. “The focus is there and we are really looking forward to it. As long as we comes out as winners we will be happy. It’s been competitive two days in training which has been good to see. All of the squad want to play on Tuesday.
“It’s been a focus for the players through a lot of their academy journey to get to Hampden. It’s such a big occasion and a lot of history behind n this tournament. We’re there but there is a job to be done. There are trophies on the line but I think it is part of a bigger journey. We’re in a good place and we are looking to build on that year-on-year.”