ROBBIE WILL WAIT FOR HIS TURN

By Ronnie Esplin, PA Sport

Robbie Neilson has no qualms being the latest Hearts defender to play the waiting game before making the breakthrough into the senior Scotland side.

The uncapped right-back was in Walter Smith's squad for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against the Faroe Islands and Lithuania but missed out on a first cap.

The Scotland Future international took solace from the experiences of current and former Jambo stoppers, Steven Pressley and David Weir, both of whom were late developers on the international stage.

Tynecastle skipper Pressley did not make his debut until he was 26, but became Hearts' most-capped Scotland player with 30 appearances when he played in the 2-1 win in Kaunas.

Former Jambo defender Weir, who is 36, won a place in the Scottish Football Association Hall of Fame by winning his 50th cap against Lithuania, but the Everton stopper was 27 before he pulled on a dark blue jersey.

Neilson, 26, who returns from suspension to play against St Mirren at Tynecastle in the Bank of Scotland Premier League, said: "It was good to get away for 10 days with the national team, although it was just disappointing not to play any part in it.

"It is different from being at Tynecastle. Walter Smith said boys who go into the squad have to play week-in, week-out for their club and then you go there and have to sit in the stand or on the bench.

"But it is an honour just to be involved and you have to take the positives from it.

"It is difficult to get into the national squad for a start so you cannot expect to go there and play straight away.

"Elvis (Pressley) was in a lot of squads before he actually got a game and now he is the most capped player Hearts have ever had.

"You also have David Weir, who did not start his international career until later on and he has managed to get 50 caps, so you have to take heart from that.

"I just need to keep playing well for Hearts and wait my turn."

The Tynecastle side have been unconvincing this season, despite sitting just behind SPL leaders Celtic on goal difference.

Neilson is hoping the Jambos can find top form against the Saints to take into the UEFA Cup first round tie with Sparta Prague at Murrayfield on Thursday.

He said: "We are joint top of the league, so, obviously, it is a decent start, but we are not playing anywhere near our potential.

"It is important we get back to the performances of last year and the sooner we do, the better.

"We do not really know what to expect from Sparta next week.

"They have been Czech Republic champions over the past few years, but I think they are having a bit of trouble now.

"But we have to take something from the first leg at Murrayfield - we realise that after the game against Athens there in the Champions League qualifier.

"We failed to take anything from the home game, so we had to go for it over there and got caught out.

"It is very important we take a lead to Prague for the second leg."

Hearts head coach Valdas Ivanauskas is just glad his four players involved in the midweek game in Kaunas - Pressley, Craig Gordon, Paul Hartley and Saulius Mikoliunas - have returned to Edinburgh unscathed.

He said: "Congratulations to Scotland, they did well. All the players from our club did well and came back from Kaunas without injuries.

"It will be a tough game against St Mirren. We watched them on video and they look very dangerous."

Taken from sportinglife.com