My Hearts pal should have made team of year - and here's why

Hearts defender Stephen Kingsley has admitted surprise that only four of his teammates were selected for the PFA team of the year.

The Tynecastle side have been top of the Premiership since September and have a one-point lead over Rangers going into the split. And while left-back Harry Milne, centre-half Craig Halkett plus forwards Lawrence Shankland and Claudio Braga won the votes of their fellow Scottish football peers, Kingsley feels more could have been included.

Motherwell made up five of the team, while there was one representative each from Celtic and Rangers. No other top-flight club had a player selected. “Obviously, we cannot vote for our own players,” said Kingsley. “Maybe it is me being biased but I would have had more than four of ours in there. The ones who did get in totally deserved it, though. We had some stand-out performances this year. I am delighted for them.”

Hearts goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow has performed well in his debut season at Tynecastle. | SNS Group

One man that Kingsley would have put straight in the XI is goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow. The experienced German arrived last summer from Union Berlin and has made the No 1 position his own despite competition from Scotland and Hearts legend Craig Gordon. Kingsley has been very impressed with how the 33-year-old has adapted to life in Scotland.

"Alex has been good,” said Kingsley. “He just came in and became that dependent figure. I think he's obviously a wee bit older as well, but he's just got that bit of experience.

“He's obviously played at such a high level for so long that the kind of spotlight being on Hearts, as it has been this season, I don't think has fazed him. I think it could have easily fazed a lot of people if they come in under this kind of season, I suppose, at Hearts, obviously when everything's going the way it has been.

“But fair play to Alex. He's come in, he's gelled with the boys really well. I think you can just tell the experience he's got through the performances that he's been given.

“He's maintained those standards sometimes when there's a bit of change behind the scenes in terms of injuries or whatever. Sometimes it can disrupt performances, but he's been very dependable for us, which is brilliant for coming in for his first season in a new league.

“He is not loud, he is just experienced. Players who have played at a high level for a number of years just have a confidence about them. So in turn you just feel confident they are behind you, knowing that you are going to need them at some point in the game and when you do they are going to step up.

“I feel very, very, lucky that in time I have been with Hearts I have played with some outstanding keepers. Alex has come in and added to that list.

“Alex has done brilliant since he has come in - I do think he deserved to be in there [the team of the year].”

Kingsley also believes some of his teammates should be in the conversation for World Cup spots after none of them were picked for Steve Clarke’s match squad - albeit goalkeeper Gordon and striker Lawrence Shankland were unavailable due to injury.

“Yes, I think if you are performing at the level that our boys have been,” added Kingsley of World Cup candidates. “Collectively the team has been brilliant but within that we have had some outstanding performers. I think if you look at the likes of Harry, Halks, myself, even Stu [Findlay] there are a few who deserve to be in the conversation.

“It is up to Steve Clarke what he does and I am sure everyone who makes it will absolutely deserve to be in there.”

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