Calum Elliot Arrives

Calum has played around thirty-five times for Hearts either starting or off the bench and has scored six goals. He also featured in the Scotland U19s recent run to the European Championship final, scoring a headed winner in the semi final against the Czech Republic. Despite recently signing a five-year contract at Tynecastle manager Ivanauskas has decided to farm him out on loan. Despite interest from Gretna, Dunfermline and Falkirk – and worries about our style of play! – Motherwell won the day to take his signature. Elliot struck back at Ivanauskas through the media for letting him go and he will no doubt be fired up in an attempt to prove his worth to his permanent employers.

While it is hard to criticise the manager for bringing in a young talent, this move seems highly questionable. It is one thing taking a promising kid from the Old Firm when we have a good chance of securing him on a full time deal. With this move we are helping a rival develop their young talent and it would be ridiculous to believe we have a chance of getting Elliot on a permanent deal. We have plenty of young strikers at Fir Park – for Elliot to be loaned in ahead of them is a kick in the teeth for them and for all Elliot is promising, he is only that. He is not an experienced striker or proven goal scorer and it seems that the price of his temporary move is the loss of Jim Hamilton and the lack of promotion to our own young players. Given that this move will do us little good in the mid to long term, the short term return needs to be significant – let’s hope Calum can cope!

Of course, if he comes in for six months and energises our team and scores 10 goals in our relegation battle the move may well be worth it. But it is a big gamble relying on a kid to come in and perform like that, particularly in a team that is struggling as badly as ours. Ironically Elliot will make his debut on Saturday against Falkirk, one of the teams in contention for his signature. What price a vital goal?