Craig Levein insists young Hearts players are facing ‘critical’ summer

Several Hearts youngsters are facing a pivotal year as they try to establish a first-team place at Tynecastle Park.
Dario Zanatta, who spent the season on loan at Alloa Athletic, helped Hearts win the Reserve Cup last monthDario Zanatta, who spent the season on loan at Alloa Athletic, helped Hearts win the Reserve Cup last month
Dario Zanatta, who spent the season on loan at Alloa Athletic, helped Hearts win the Reserve Cup last month

Reserve players and others returning from loan spells must impose themselves at senior level or face the prospect of being moved on. The likes of Canadian forward Dario Zanatta, Scottish winger Lewis Moore and Bulgarian defender Alex Petkov are now at a vital stage in their development at Riccarton.

Zanatta spent this season on loan at Alloa, scoring eight times in 39 games, and turns 22 this month. Moore was loaned to Forfar for the campaign and is 21 in June. Petkov will be 20 in July and signed a new one-year contract with Hearts last month.

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They are all considered potential first-team players but coaching staff are now waiting to see if they can become permanent members of manager Craig Levein’s squad. Teenagers like Harry Cochrane, Connor Smith, Euan Henderson and Anthony McDonald are more established despite being younger.

Levein explained to the Evening News that there are still openings for those in their 20s who may be blossoming slightly later than others. Having revamped the Hearts youth academy since becoming director of football in 2014, he is happy with those emerging from younger age-group teams.

“Cochrane, McDonald, Euan Henderson and Connor Smith were all in the one youth team. That was our strongest age-group when we looked at it after administration,” explained Levein. “Henderson wasn’t here yet at that time but Connor played above his own age level in the same team as Harry and Anthony.

“We brought a load of players in because we lost almost all of our youth. Petkov came in and is doing really well. He has kicked on again this year. Dario Zanatta is there as well, plus Marcus Godinho. They all came in to fill this void left by administration. Some of them have done really well, like Lewis Moore.

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“This summer, for some of them, is going to be quite critical. It’s about whether they are going to push on and become part of the first-team squad, whether they might have to go out on loan again, or they might need to go somewhere else with us getting a sell-on clause or something.

“It’s a big season for them but I still look at that younger group as the ones who have come through the academy. From then on, I’m comfortable with what we’ve got. In fact, I’m very happy with what we’ve got.”

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