Hearts star Eggert has Nak for left-back

BARRY ANDERSON
BIGGER men than Eggert Jonsson have tried and failed to tame Shunsuke Nakamura. Real Madrid's Gabriel Heinze, for example, faltered when confronted with the Japanese midfielder on Champions League business with Manchester United in 2006.
Nakamura scored a spellbinding winner that evening – but he was rendered a peripheral figure on Saturday by Hearts' deputy left-back. Jonsson's accomplished performance in place of the suspended Lee Wallace was one of several Hearts success stories from the 1-1 draw at Parkhead. With Nakamura on the right and Aiden McGeady patrolling the opposite wing, Celtic clearly aspired to attack but had their probing smothered by a resilient visiting defence. While Robbie Neilson shackled McGeady, Jonsson did likewise with an intense marking job on Nakamura.

Excepting a cross to Georgios Samaras in the build-up to Celtic's equalising goal, Nakamura was anonymous where he might have expected to thrive. A home game facing a young, relatively inexperienced opponent playing out of position should have seen him open that oversized box of tricks he stores up his hooped sleeve. It is an eternal credit to Jonsson, a self-effacing and highly focused Icelander, that the mercurial winger was forced onto the game's fringes.

The 20-year-old has pored over his performance against the most decorated player he has encountered to date. Nakamura isn't acclaimed as the David Beckham of Japan for nothing. Yet, due to Jonsson's diligence, his impact on Saturday was comparable with Posh Spice's effect on the American music industry.

"He's probably the most high-profile player I've come up against, I don't think there's been anyone bigger," said Jonsson. "He's a big player in his home country and throughout Europe. He's shown that in the Champions League, he's capable of anything and he's got real quality.

"I don't want to get too far ahead of myself but I did take confidence from Saturday. I felt comfortable, it was a new position for me and altogether this will help me develop as a player. I'm still young but I've played I don't know how many different positions this year. It's all going to help me and it's all part of my experience. I intend to get stronger and be a better player.

"The whole Celtic squad contains quality players. These boys play in the Champions League, they are regulars at international level. You just go out there and give it your best, and hopefully that's enough."

Nakamura, 30, is winding down his Celtic love affair before returning to formative club Yokohama Marinos next summer. Looking to the future may compromise his effect on the present but Jonsson stands at the opposite end of football's development spectrum: a young man with a burgeoning career ahead.

His adaptability is being utilised fully by Csaba Laszlo, the Hearts manager. This season alone he has filled five different positions – holding midfield (his preferred role], right midfield, right-back, centre-back and left-back. Becoming Tynecastle's established utility man means more game time in only his second full season at first-team level, so don't expect complaints that he cannot settle in one specific area.

"I went in at left-back when Lee Wallace got sent off against Rangers, that was the first time I'd played the position," he explained. "Saturday was my first full game there. I started the season playing right-back, which was new for me, and I got into it. Left-back is just the same just on the other side. I'm happy to play anywhere for the team and if I do a good job then even better."

So is left-back another string for his bow? "Lee has been great this season, I don't think it's much of a fight to be honest. I slotted in there because he was suspended but he has been excellent at left-back. I don't really look at myself as competition for him."

Jonsson sat in Hearts' dressing rooms which were enveloped by despondency last season after defeats against teams like Inverness and St Mirren. But such states of mind contrast sharply with the current camaraderie brought by five victories and a draw at Celtic Park. "Last year we weren't getting the right results and that puts a lot of pressure on you," he said.

"The players and the people at the club felt down and I'm sure the supporters were the same. As soon as you get good results and start playing well, the spirit lifts and confidence comes into the team. You can see that on the field. It all comes together and our recent run is evidence of that.

"We went to Celtic to get a victory. We got a goal and played really well in the first half, then in the second half maybe dropped a bit too deep. In the end they got an equaliser and we came off disappointed.

"We walked into the dressing room and the players were all frustrated. That shows the progress we've made in the team this season that coming to Parkhead and getting a draw is disappointing.

"We feel whoever our next opponent is we can take them on. We know what we are capable of and we've shown what we can do this season. In the last two games we beat Rangers and drew with Celtic away, now we feel like we can beat anyone.

"We have a hard run coming up. Dundee United at home, they have the same points total as us, they drew with Rangers and they're on a good run like ourselves. It's a big game that we have to win to keep this good run going. There are games over Christmas then it's the two Hibs games in January, plus Motherwell in between. It will be hard to keep going but we can't let our spirits and standards drop now. Nobody wants this run to end."

Whether at left-back, in midfield or elsewhere, Jonsson feels ready to confront all challengers during the second half of the season.

Taken from the Scotsman