Setting a high standard

RAY HEPBURN

20 Oct 1992

HEARTS defender Graeme Hogg is ready to add Belgian internationalist Marc Wilmots to an impressive list of strikers with whom he has tangled -- and subdued.

Wilmots, 14 times capped by his country, grabbed a hat trick as Standard Liege maintained their place at the top of the table with a 3-1 win over Beveren at the weekend.

But should Hogg play in tomorrow's UEFA Cup second-round tie at Tynecastle as effectively as he did against Dundee United's Duncan Ferguson on Saturday, Wilmots could be in for a lean time.

Hogg's ability as a marker is built round intense concentration -- a talent honed during a decade of mixing with the best while with Manchester United, West Bromich, and Portsmouth.

The gritty Aberdonian named Scotland's strikers Andy Gray and Graeme Sharp, along with their English counterpart Peter Withe, as being the most difficult he has had to deal with.

"Andy Gray was as brave as any player I've faced and needed to be watched every second of the 90 minutes," reflected Hogg.

"Graeme Sharp had tremendous ability in the air, despite not being the tallest, and once on a run he was a very difficult player to stop.

"Peter Withe has 11 England caps and a European Cup medal to emphasise his talent.

Strong in the air, he had the touch of a smaller, more nimble player."

Of Wilmots and his Belgian team-mates, Hogg said: "They sound very sure of themselves and that suits us perfectly, maybe we will give them a little surprise.

Slavia Prague thought we were an easy touch in the first round and we saw them off."

George Wright was deleted from manager Joe Jordan's lengthy injury list yesterday, but there are still doubts over Tosh McKinlay, Alan McLaren, and Ally Mauchlen.

Taken from the Herald