McCann out to be north star

NEIL McCANN last visited Pittodrie as part of the Scottish national team, so perhaps his return to optimum performance in a Hearts shirt has come at a timely juncture.

The diminutive winger can prepare for Sunday's live televised encounter with Aberdeen with a fair degree of confidence after his assiduous midweek exercise at Recreation Park, a display delivered by way of his retort at some uncultivated personal criticism from sections of his club's support.

McCann's last appearance in the north-east was in April 2002, when he started Scotland's 2-1 friendly defeat by Nigeria as a striking partner to Steven Thompson. Fast forward four and a half years and he has been rendered a bit-part player at international level by a combination of injury and intermittent club form, first at Southampton and now with Hearts.

McCann was omitted from Walter Smith's 23-man Scotland squad for the recent European Championship qualifiers with the Faroe Islands and Lithuania as his early-season performances remained fitful after rehabilitation from knee ligament damage but, at the age of 32, he would hardly consider his international years as something of the past.

The journey to Pittodrie, therefore, will allow much reminiscing for a player who revelled in something of a personal resurgence in midweek. And if his form continues as it was in Wednesday's 4-0 CIS Cup defeat of Alloa, James McFadden may wish to cast a glance over his shoulder.

"The last time I played at Pittodrie I played up front with Scotland, so it has been a while," noted McCann. "I'm looking forward now after Wednesday and I want another good performance on Sunday, if selected. Hopefully I've done enough in midweek to give the manager at least something to think about."

Critics were emphatically answered in Alloa by McCann's finest performance since his return north. This prompted a tuneful first-half rendition from the Hearts fans of "there's only one Neil McCann", in keeping with the fickle nature of football supporters.

"That was nice, to be honest," said the grateful winger, mindful of the disapproving voices that have been projected his way since the season started. "I don't know if it's the best I've played since I came back but I definitely enjoyed it. As I said earlier in the week, I feel I'm getting better but it's going to take a bit of time and I hope the fans can be patient.

"In saying that, I don't feel I've been playing all that badly this season. I've had a couple of bad games but that can happen. I'm just pleased with my performance the other night."

He would also have been relieved to be handed a starting jersey with Valdas Ivanauskas practising a squad rotation policy that would put Claudio Ranieri to shame. Fringe players, like hat-trick hero Juho Makela, grasped their CIS Cup opportunity with a vice-like grip whilst promising youth players like Alan Lithgow and Eggert Jonsson were exposed to the top-team environment for the first time. Several of Wednesday night's central figures will now make way for more established names such as Steven Pressley and Paul Hartley.

Dropping McCann on current form, however, would appear to be a non-starter, if you'll excuse the pun. In any case, recent alterations have not impacted upon squad morale.

"Every player at this club wants to play for Valdas," said McCann. "We're fully behind him and I don't see what all the fuss is about regarding our form. We're three points off the top and playing not too badly now. A lot of teams would rip your arm off if you offered them our crisis.

"All you can do is keep playing. Whether you're playing for the manager, the club or whoever, it's all about professionalism at the end of the day. There's also personal pride at stake."

That, possibly more than anything, is what drove McCann to perform like a man possessed at times against Alloa. Now, as Hearts ready themselves for a return to league business and focus on a gap between themselves and Celtic that could be stretched to six points by kick-off at Pittodrie, they must hope for an equally-incisive repeat from their most experienced winger. Aberdeen have bypassed the ignominy of elimination by Queen's Park in the CIS Cup to redress their own league form. Sitting a point behind Hearts visitors going into Sunday's match, the experience of former Tynecastle players Scott Severin and Lee Miller is proving vital to manager Jimmy Calderwood alongside home produce like Russell Anderson, Zander Diamond and Chris Clark.

In short, the trip to Pittodrie is likely to require an all-hands-to-the-pumps approach from those who know the territory best. "Maybe it will happen that quite a few of the lads who played on Wednesday will drop out," said McCann. "I'm sure those who were rested will benefit from the break and it's up to the manager now to select his first 11.

"You saw just how strong our squad is at Alloa and I don't think anyone did themselves any harm in the game. There were a lot of good performances and I'm really pleased for big Juho. He's had a tough time of it here but three goals should boost his confidence no end.

"Aberdeen have hit some form but I think the league looks wide open. Even Motherwell, who are sitting down at the bottom, gave us a real hard game last week and it'll be no different at Pittodrie. Aberdeen have started well and will be looking to improve on their league position from last year.

"They'll try and take us on their own ground, there's no doubt about that. But, go with the right attitude and you've got a real chance."

Hearts visited Pittodrie only once last season, a 1-1 draw in the first match of Graham Rix's turbulent tenure. McCann's last visit may have been during more profitable times in his career, but perhaps Wednesday was the initiation of a return to eminence for a player who hasn't had his troubles to seek.

Taken from the Scotsman