Robertson calls for fans to let Hearts' Glen find his own way

COLLEEN PATERSON
TYNECASTLE legend John Robertson today urged the club's fans to let Gary Glen develop and not put pressure on the young striker to emulate his own outstanding scoring exploits. Having made his senior debut at 16 Glen has already been labelled by some as the Tynecastle club's new Robbo after bursting on the scene in recent seasons.

Despite still being just 18 years old, he did his burgeoning reputation no harm with his substitute appearances against Hibs both home and away, hitting the crossbar at Tynecastle and then netting the second goal in a 2-0 victory at Easter Road last weekend.

There's no doubting the youngster's talent but Robertson is keen for Glen to be given the time and freedom to nurture his own game his own way, without being compared to any of his predecessors.

"People often talk about the dangers of playing the younger boys, and I think that they can have too much too soon because of the media pressure on them," he said.

"These days you have the television, the newspapers, the internet, all wanting to make someone into the next superstar. And it can happen overnight if you let it.

"I have no doubt in my mind that Gary Glen is going to be a star, it's just a matter of time.

"I've heard that people have been saying that he's the next John Robertson but that's not what this is about.

"He doesn't want to be the next John Robertson, let him be the first Gary Glen.

"The lad is going to find it difficult enough to make a career out of the game without people putting pressure like that on his back.

"He's doing well so far, he plays with no fear, he's very attack-minded and positive and he knows where the goals are."

Robertson stressed though that Glen may have to bide his time a little further for a regular starting spot in the Tynecastle side because of Csaba Laszlo's preference to play just one man in attack.

At the moment that responsibility falls to Christian Nade but Robbo is certain that Glen has enough in his locker to push the big Frenchman all the way, even if he is a completely different style of player: "I have got really high hopes for Gary and I am sure that he can go on to achieve big things.

"I think that he has shown that he is more than capable of forcing his way into the team and staying in there.

"His only problem could be that Csaba Laszlo prefers to play with just one up front and that means he will always look for someone who is not only quick but also very strong.

"He likes to find players who fit into his formation, not the other way around. But he's got fantastic tactical knowledge so you can't really argue with him.

"Gary showed on Sunday when he came on as a substitute against Hibs that he can do a job and in the previous game when he hit the bar. I hope that he just keeps his head down and continues to work away."

Having been brought into the first team towards the end of last season, Glen would have had high hopes of being heavily involved at the start of this campaign only for an ankle injury to hamper his progress.

While Hearts are currently in the market for at least one striker after loaning Jamie Mole to Dunfermline, Nade is their only other real option, but Robertson believes that there is more competition for Glen to put up with than there was in his own day and knows there will be sense of frustration at each game he has to sit on the bench.

Robbo continued: "It will be difficult for the young lad because, when you break into the team, you feel that you should be in there all of the time but I am sure it will come for him.

"It was different in my day because we had a much smaller squad, maybe only 14 or 15 first-team players supported by a back-up of four or five teenagers really. It was sink or swim to a large extent.

"Nowadays it is different and I think that sometimes young lads can be overprotected if anything.

"It didn't do the likes of me any harm to be thrown into the team. Alex MacDonald took a group of us aside when we were 17 or 18 and told us that he didn't see us as young lads any more, we were fully fledged members of the first team and we would be treated that way."

The progress made by Glen towards the end of last season saw him rewarded with a new four-year Tynecastle contract but Laszlo revealed recently that he had been forced to sit the youngster down for a chat because he was unhappy with his attitude.

After ironing out those teething problems though, Laszlo has seen him knuckle down in reserve matches and force his way back into the side.

While Robertson has met the young player as well as watched him in action and been impressed with his manner and work rate, he feels that Glen would be well-advised to listen to his coach.

Robertson added: "I've seen a lot of him and I have met him maybe four or five times as well. He seemed very keen, courteous and focused.

"But the manager is the one who sees him every day in training and out on the pitch, sees how he works. He will sees his attitude, his movement, work rate and idiosyncrasies. One thing about Csaba though is that, so far, he has been very open and honest with the supporters and the media.

"He has said that he felt Gary's attitude wasn't quite right after he signed his new contract, and only he would know.

"Gary might say differently right enough!

"But Csaba maybe felt that he wasn't quite working hard enough and he's the manager so he will do what he thinks is right for the club and for his players. The only advice that I could give to Gary is to listen hard, to learn hard and to work hard.

"Coaches and managers only want the best for their players.

"I have never met a coach yet who has wanted one of his players to fail and that's certainly not the case at Hearts either.

"The coaching staff will see certain things that they want him to do or not do, they will just want him to be as good as he can be."

Taken from the Scotsman