Joe looking to Ham it up in Miko's absence

BARRY ANDERSON

SAULIUS MIKOLIUNAS must be cursing the rush of blood to his head that caused him to barge and then swear at officials at Tynecastle last week - but for Joe Hamill the Lithuanian’s actions have been a stroke of personal good fortune.

As the winger now affectionately known as ‘Miko’ faces being banned by the SFA, possibly for the rest of the season, Hamill has been brought out of cold storage to assume his mantle.

The 21-year-old had made just one substitute appearance for Hearts in the last month prior to last Saturday’s trip to East End Park, however, with Mikoliunas precluded it’s time for the local lad to rise and shine.

Hamill said: "I don’t know how long Miko is likely to be out for but he’s done well in the short time he’s been at Hearts. Maybe now I can take advantage of this chance that has opened up in the team.

"The manager pulled me aside at East End Park and said to me that Miko could be out for so long and that this was my chance to take his place and keep him out the side for a while.

"Saturday didn’t go too well because I was just lacking a bit of sharpness. I’ve had to sit out the team for the last month because Miko was doing so well.

"It does get you excited to hear the manager telling you you’re starting but then afterwards I was disappointed that I couldn’t do as well as I would have liked."

Unfortunately, he may now have to wait his chance, after Hearts asked for Saturday’s game to be called off because of illness ravaging the squad.

In an attempt to build up stamina, Hamill has been sacrificing days off to head to Hearts’ Riccarton training complex and make use of the top-quality facilities. Keeping his eye in has been rendered all the more difficult in recent weeks by the Arctic-like weather in Scotland which has seen almost all under-21 matches postponed, fixtures that players not in the first team would normally utilise.

And, with the flu virus which has spread through John Robertson’s squad since the weekend, Hamill has had plenty of cause to curse the cold streak.

"I’m fit enough generally, all I need is match fitness to bring me up to speed," he said. "Since I’ve been out the team I’ve been coming in to do some training on my days off to keep my fitness up but I couldn’t even play in reserve games recently as they’ve been called off with the bad weather.

"Then there’s this flu. Elvis had it last week and it’s spread to a few others this week. I’m wondering if I’m going to get it now as I’ve managed to avoid it so far."

Despite the uncertainty of the fixture, the visit of Robertson’s former club to Edinburgh presents Hamill with a further chance to hone his sharpness and, having started both matches against the Highland side this season, he is aware of what their game plan will involve. He said: "They have made themselves a really hard team to beat with good organisation and a high work rate.

"They’re flying just now so confidence will be high up there.

"My task when I get the ball is to get it down and take people on, that’s what I feel comfortable doing and what I’m best at. With Inverness playing it so tight at the back, I’ll have to work harder to find space for myself."

Of course, impressing the club’s new hierarchy would not be a bad idea at present with Hamill’s contract set to expire this summer.

The winger has spent five years at Tynecastle since joining the ground staff in July 2000, and he conceded that his immediate priority would always be to stay in the Capital.

"I’m up at the end of the season and as yet I haven’t heard anything from the club," said Hamill. "With the new owners just taking over I don’t think anybody has been in a position to offer contracts.

"I’d like to stay, and if they offered me a new deal I’d stay because I’m happy here."

Taken from the Scotsman