Reason Hearts could be seeking postponement of games next season

Hearts could seek to postpone games in the cinch Premiership next season if three or more Tynecastle stars are picked to represent their country at the Asian Cup.

The tournament runs from January 12 to February 10, 2024, in Qatar as 24 teams battle it out for the championship.

Both Australia and Japan have qualified for the tournament. Hearts have four current Australian internationals on their books in Kye Rowles, Cammy Devlin, Nathaniel Atkinson and Garang Kuol. The latter will return to Newcastle United this summer when his loan expires but Hearts have scoured the Aussie market for talent in each of the last four transfer windows and you wouldn’t bet against them continuing the trend given the success of Rowles and Devlin, in particular.

There’s also Yutaro Oda. The youngster isn’t close to knocking on the door of the international set-up at present but a lot could change in the next 10 months. And, again, the Far East market is one that Hearts have shown a willingness to shop in over the last two windows.

The four Australian internationals currently in the Hearts first-team squad. Picture: SNS

Should three players be selected and therefore unable, the Tynecastle side are allowed to request a postponement from the SPFL. The rulebook reads: “A club shall be entitled to apply to the Board for the postponement of any official match where three or more of its players who would otherwise have participated in such match are unavailable through international selection and, following receipt of such an application, the board may postpone and rearrange the relevant official match in accordance with Rule G3.”

There is expected to be a winter break next term from January 3 to January 19.

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