Hearts must be soaring as hot talent Stewart starts to fulfil potential

STUART LOVELL
SOME players hit the heights early on in their career, some take a little longer before they reach their peak.
Hearts' man-of-the-moment, Michael Stewart, definitely comes in the latter category, but it must be a great relief for Csaba Laszlo to know he has a player in his squad with talent to burn.

There is a perception in footballing circles that, over the years, the Hearts midfielder has failed to deliver the type of performances which his unquestioned ability should have enabled him to produce.

There have been times in the past when frustration has got the better of him and that has clearly had an effect on his game but, if the first few matches are anything to go by, we may see a player set to take the SPL by storm this season.

Some people say strikers are the most important players on the pitch because, as the cliche goes, goals win games. Others say goalkeepers as theirs is a specialist position like no other.

Personally, I think the key to winning any match is in the centre of midfield because the tempo of the game and the point of attack is dictated by that area of the pitch.

It takes a special type of player to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and decide how a team go about moving the ball from the defending third to the final third without losing possession – and, when a manager finds someone capable of fulfilling that role, he should build his team around them.

Hearts look to have a good balance in the midfield just now with either Christos Karipidis or Eggert Jonsson playing slightly deeper, allowing Stewart the opportunity to get on the ball and link up with the forwards. His range of passing, both short and long, is excellent and most importantly of all, his ability to play the killer pass is second to none.

When I think back to the opening day of the season and the home game against Motherwell, Hearts were in desperate need of some invention late on after being pegged back twice and their midfield playmaker provided it in great style. As Motherwell pressed forward for a winner, Stewart gained possession around the half-way line and began advancing on the Well back-four.

There was an opportunity to thread a pass through, but he recognised his team-mate, Makela, had run into an offside position so he held on to the ball until Mikoliunas made a run in the right channel.

The weight of the pass was perfect, allowing Miko to finish in style and Hearts to win the match.

It must have been a pleasant surprise for Michael Stewart to get his international call-up for Scotland last week but, on current form, it was no more than he deserved.

When he's at the top of his game there are few better midfielders in Scotland's ranks and yet, surprisingly, this was his first involvement in the full squad for more than six years.

Perhaps his lengthy absence has been down to one or two moments of indiscretion on the pitch – these things can cause a player to gain a reputation – but if that was the case, he looks to have learned his lesson.

Either way, I would never criticise a player for getting frustrated when things are not going his way – I'd far rather have someone in my team who hates to lose, than someone who couldn't care less.

I still wonder whether Michael has been plagued by the mantra of having come through the ranks at Man United?

It must've been a millstone round his neck for a while, but though his career may have stalled at Old Trafford he surely picked up a great deal mixing with such outstanding players on a daily basis. During his time there, he will have learned that the most important factor in a midfielder's role is knowing where to pass it and perhaps just as importantly, when to pass it.

Roy Keane was a master at it, so is Barry Ferguson at his best – I believe Michael Stewart is good enough to do the same job for Hearts.

Taken from the Scotsman