| Report Index--> 2010-11--> All for 20101023 | ||||
| <-Page | <-Team | Sat 23 Oct 2010 Hearts 3 St Mirren 0 | Team-> | Page-> |
| <-Srce | <-Type | Scotsman ------ Report | Type-> | Srce-> |
| Jim Jefferies 2nd | <-auth | Stuart Bathgate | auth-> | Calum Murray |
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| 12 | of 012 | Rudi Skacel 2 ;Rudi Skacel 24 ;Rudi Skacel 92 | L SPL | H |
Skacel starting to repay Romanov gamblePublished Date: 25 October 2010 By Stuart Bathgate IF Rudi Skacel really is, as some would say, a yard slower than he was during his first spell with Hearts, that still leaves him a couple of yards quicker than his average SPL opponent. And if he's not the player he was back in 2005, what does it say about Scottish football that he can make such an impact so quickly? Granted, it's always a risk for a player to return to an old club, and for a club to welcome back an old favourite, but in the case of the Czech midfielder Hearts' gamble appears to have paid off. Having gone some four months without a competitive match, Skacel was never going to explode on to the scene in his first game back. But now that he is match fit he is repaying the faith Vladimir Romanov showed in home. Not that it was ever blind faith. By offering Skacel a one-year contract with the option of a further year, the Hearts owner struck a shrewd balance, giving the player the chance to get his career back on track while ensuring there was no risk of his working hard for just the first couple of months and then resting on his laurels. It is far too early to predict that player and club will agree to that second year and that everything will proceed as harmoniously as it has begun, but so far at least the signs are very encouraging. The crucial thing about Skacel's performances thus far - not only in Saturday's hat-trick against St Mirren, but also his earlier games - is that they have come in a team which does not bear comparison in several important respects to its 2005-06 predecessor. Skacel was outstanding under George Burley, of course, but he benefited greatly from the presence behind him of Takis Fyssas and the assistance infield of Paul Hartley. The relentless tempo at which that team played was also instrumental in unleashing his talents. Jim Jefferies' current side work as hard, but on the whole are younger, less experienced, and not nearly so battle-hardened. Because of that, in the coming months Skacel could have as important a role to play in nurturing his team-mates as he has as an individual. The part he could play in attracting bigger crowds back to Tynecastle should not be underestimated either.  Taken from the Scotsman |
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| <-Page | <-Team | Sat 23 Oct 2010 Hearts 3 St Mirren 0 | Team-> | Page-> |
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