Wouter Vrancken delighted he can count on Hearts duo after impressive introductions spark welcome dilemmas
The Hearts pair have impressed with the opportunities provided.
Wouter Vrancken is pleased that he can call upon Leart Kabashi and Matthew Gillies after both impressed in quickfire promotions to the senior Hearts fold.
The team were already trailing 4-0 in their eventual 5-2 loss to Falkirk last time out but the teenage midfield pair impressed after coming off the bench at half-time. Gillies has spent this season so far on a co-operation loan at Championship side Stenhousemuir while Kabashi arrived in the summer from Grasshopper Zurich.
They were thrown into an environment that was far from ideal, amid a poor performance and mounting injuries in head coach Vrancken’s squad, but both showed they could handle the senior limelight. Their manager is keen not to pile too much pressure on them but being able to cope when it arrives on them is something he’s pleased with.
What Hearts duo have impressed Wouter Vrancken?
Vrancken told the Evening News: "I think they did well. So at this moment they have stepped up and that's how you do it in a team when you're young. When you get your moments, your minutes and you perform well then you get higher in the pecking order. That's good that they showed it on Sunday without putting all the pressure on them of course because they would not be fair towards them, but it's good that we can count on them."
Gillies can go between Hearts and loan club Stenhousemuir due to the arrangement of their co-operation deal. The Warriors host Queen’s Park in their latest Championship match this weekend and how long Gillies stays with the first team in Gorgie relates to the injury situation around Vrancken’s side. He won’t be allowed to simply become a bench-warmer though.
Vrancken added: "It is depending on injuries also here for us. Who's injured and who's not, we saw it also on Sunday, and then also it's important when we see how he is and where he is within our team. That he still plays the minutes so that he's not coming with us as a guy filling the bench or something. e has to make progress as a young guy and so when he's not with us then it's with Stenhousemuir because he showed on Sunday that he for sure can play on that level."
Claudio Braga assesses Hearts performances
Striker Claudio Braga was left despondent after the loss to Falkirk but Kabashi and Gillies’ impact was something he took heart from. Injuries have contributed to a difficult period for the Jambos but he feels that it can’t be something used solely to blame for performances of late.
Braga added: “It's bad that we're having a lot of injuries but it's also time for the guys that, for example. like Matthew and Kabashi came in. That was really positive that the guys came in and showed passion. They stepped up when we most needed it and I think that's the goal.
“It's hard losing guys that will probably start every game but I just feel like the whole 11 and substitutions, we just need to do more. It doesn't matter who plays alongside you, it doesn't matter how many games you play, it doesn't matter if you're comfortable, because you think you're going to start every game, or if you're not comfortable and you just come up, I think we just can make excuses from that."