Finlay Pollock’s position and benefits for Hearts – plus why the club is an easy sell in the transfer window
The speed, strength, and attacking instincts of Finlay Pollock are exactly what the Hearts need at this moment. The on-loan midfielder gave Raith Rovers the lead in Tuesday’s 3-0 victory over Hamilton Academical, and head coach Neil Critchley was pleased with what he saw. After 22 minutes, though, Pollock was pulled off due to an injury.
Since making his debut for the Hearts first squad almost four years ago, the 20-year-old has struggled with fitness.
The player’s history and his requirement for a steady stream of games are known to Critchley. He has made 14 Raith outings so far, and he will probably stay at Stark’s Park until the end of the season, occasionally switching positions.
A month after being hired as Raith manager, Barry Robson has implemented a 3-5-2 system. Pollock, who is allowed to enter the attack frequently, is positioned on the left of a three-man central midfield. By doing this, he essentially turns into a third forward. His sprinting ability and goal-scoring instincts are suited to the position, however it differs slightly from playing wide right or central midfield for Hearts.
In addition to sharing his observations from Hamilton, Critchley expressed his optimism that Hearts will learn from Pollock’s increased Scottish Championship expertise. Finlay’s departure was certainly disappointing. The Critchley explained, “He played down the middle, took it really well, and scored a really good goal very early in the game.” After that, you think, ‘Oh dear, come on.'” After twenty minutes, he was sadly forced to go.
“Playing games is the reason he’s there. He has had a manager change and needs to integrate into a team; at the moment, he may be working under a different system under Barry. That is an inherent aspect of taking out a loan and determining what a new boss desires. Are you accepted? How can I join this group of people? overcoming an injury, continuing, and playing. All of it is being learned by him, and perhaps in the future we will reap the rewards.
Before handling the last few hours of the January transfer window, Critchley is getting Hearts ready for their match against Dundee this afternoon. Elton Kabangu, Jamie McCart, Michael Steinwender, and Sander Kartum are the four players he has signed so far; however, there is “nothing imminent” about a fifth addition before Monday’s 11 p.m. deadline.
Selling Hearts to potential new players has not presented any problems, according to Critchley. “No, absolutely not. I think it should be easy to sell this club. It’s a great football team, a large team with high standards and aspirations for success,” he said. “You must examine the grounds, the fan base, and the amenities. Players I’ve spoken to have always been enthusiastic, and it’s clear they want to attend this
It’s an amazing city that is truly remarkable. It hasn’t been challenging at all. The contrary has occurred, and I believe this is how it should be. Selling this football team is not necessary; instead, we should talk enthusiastically about Hearts and how we can support people’s careers. Selling this club is simple. It is only discussing who we are and what we do; it is not a sales pitch. We have so far benefited from it during this window.
Contract negotiations include presentations that highlight Hearts’ history, culture, and customs.
with potential new hires. It is, indeed. Since Graeme Jones, the sporting director, and I haven’t had enough time to complete everything yet, it’s obviously a little different now. It is crucial that the players be aware of specific aspects of the club, like its history and traditions, before entering the window. However, I also believe that speaking from the heart is crucial. It’s about people, not simply a PowerPoint presentation.
In my opinion, I must be able to sit in front of people there, along with Graeme and Andrew [McKinlay, chief
executive], whoever that is, and make eye contact with others. You must sense that these players are the proper kind of people who will join this football team and succeed, and you must have that connection.
“The guys here are expected to perform and win; they are under pressure. You must possess a certain quality. “Are they a Hearts player?” is how I usually characterize players I watch. When it counts, are they able to perform and come to Tynecastle? It is imperative that we get that correct.
With the influence of technology, modern football may employ less of the art of observing a player in person. Critchley still prefers conventional scouting techniques, despite Hearts’ well-publicized partnership with football data company Jamestown Analytics.
“I haven’t been able to attend and see every game. He admitted, “A lot of the recruitment is farther afield now.” “I enjoy going to sports and watching them. I enjoy watching football. On Tuesday evening, I was at Hamilton-Raith. I go out and watch whenever I can. I enjoy observing athletes. ‘Oh, I like him and I didn’t know about him,’ you say every time you see anything or someone. That’s the work.
“You are passionate about your work, and I share that. Now that we have such a hectic schedule with games, I can’t just escape for a few days and go observe players, so it’s not always possible. Additionally, I have a duty to coach and train the athletes playing here, which is why you have a recruitment team. You have people around you because of this. You can perform some aspects of your profession that would have been different years ago thanks to technology.