Peter Haring set to return to Scotland as he explains part-time football and thanks Hearts fans
Austrian midfielder is now studying coaching
Scenes in Graz’s Hauptplatz last Tuesday afternoon left Peter Haring slightly overwhelmed. Hearts fans welcomed their former midfielder with genuine affection as he mingled with Jambos in the city centre before the Champions League qualifier against Sturm Graz. Six years at Tynecastle Park were among the best of Haring’s career, although he was slightly surprised at the level of adulation bestowed upon him.
The 33-year-old sat with Hearts supporters in the Liebenauer Stadium hours later watching Sturm romp to a 4-0 win. Avoiding a Champions League exit will be tough for his old club but Haring nonetheless enjoyed his day among familiar faces. He is now playing in part-time Austria’s third tier with Regionalliga East side Mattersburg SV 2020 - and will soon return to Scotland to link up with the Scottish FA.
“I’m playing part-time but I was happy to watch the Jambos again, so I was looking forward to the game the other night,” said Haring. “I'm really good with the assistant manager from Sturm Graz, and as soon as the chance was there, that that tie would happen, he straight away messaged me and said: ‘Oh, we could get Hearts.’ Then, obviously, it happened. I was always going to come and watch Hearts again. It's been a while, so unfortunately I haven't made it back to Edinburgh since I left, but even better they came to Austria now.”
A few chants of ‘Peter Haring, baby’ echoed around Hauptplatz as soon as he made an appearance in the central square. “Yeah, I was unsure what was going to happen,” smiled Haring. “Then, once the first guy recognised me, it got a bit busy. But it's nice that there are still that many Hearts fans that remember me and that seem to like what I've done at the club in my time. It's the same for me, to be honest. I was there for a long time. There were many good, but also many bad moments for me personally, for the club, but for me personally as well with injuries and all that stuff. When I think back, I always remember the good times and overall I've had such a great time in my six years in Edinburgh, so I'm really grateful for that.”
Hearts are determined not to let go of hope ahead of the second leg against Sturm at Tynecastle. Overturning a four-goal deficit would be a historic achievement. “I always say it's definitely an advantage having the second leg at home. I think it's quite a strange game, to be honest,” remarked Haring. “I think from Hearts' perspective, you can clearly see what they are trying to do. There were a lot of chances for a first leg. I think it's a bit strange, maybe because it's the first competitive game of the season as well. We all know what it's going to be like at Tynie. It's definitely going to be loud and noisy.”
Haring won’t be in Gorgie, although he will return to Scotland to obtain coaching certificates later this year. He is already working towards the next phase of his career. “I probably won't make it next Tuesday, but I will be back in the next few months,” he said. “I've just started my coaching badges and doing the B licence at the moment with the SFA. So I will be back in Scotland a few times in the next 3–4 months. I'll definitely come back to Tynecastle.
“I've just started working in the academy [at Mattersburg] close to where I'm from. I'm getting into that a little bit, see what it's like. I always thought I'd have that in my head to start doing it. I'll see if it's for me, if I really like it and then see where it takes me. My team is Mattersburg. They used to be in the [Austrian] Bundesliga, then they had some financial troubles. Basically they had to found a new club with the same name [Mattersburg SV 2020].
“They started getting promoted again and again and again and they got up to the third league. It wasn't really my plan to keep playing part-time but they asked me if I still wanted to do it, if I wanted to help them. I thought it would be a nice ending to my career to play at the club where I'm from. To help them to stay in the league and then progress from there.”
Haring has followed Hearts closely since leaving Edinburgh in 2024. He remains an avid Jambo. “Of course, you can imagine. I was devastated in the last game of the season. It was tough,” he admitted. “There's not many boys left now from my time. I think last year there were still a couple. I was messaging, talking to them. I will always follow Hearts, it's got a special place in my heart. Yeah, my favourite team.
“My favourite memory - I just saw it from the stands because I was injured - but it was probably the Rosenborg game when Cammy [Devlin] scored a double. I played the away game, which was good, we just lost [2-1]. At Tynecastle, anything can happen. That was definitely one of the best atmospheres I've ever experienced.”