Hearts striker Michael Ngoo: Last year I watched Liverpool team win cup.. now it's my turn
13 Mar 2013 08:25

Gary Ralston

THE on-loan star watched his Anfield team-mates lift the League Cup in England last year, now he's hoping to do the same with Hearts.

MICHAEL NGOO supped champagne on a train with Steven Gerrard and now hopes his career won’t be shunted into the sidings by Brendan Rodgers.

The on-loan Hearts striker is desperate to celebrate success in the League Cup Final against St Mirren on Sunday.

A year ago he was part of a party of Liverpool starlets who travelled to watch Kenny Dalglish’s side lift the English trophy equivalent in a penalty shootout win over Cardiff at Wembley.

Much has changed since, not least the Anfield manager, but Ngoo hopes his dreams of playing regular first-team football for one of the world’s biggest clubs have been boosted by his move to Hearts.

Ngoo, 20, scored on his debut in the semi-final victory over Inverness at Easter Road and won immediate fan favourite status among the Tynecastle hoards.

The targetman may have an ungainly style but has proved more than a handful for Scottish defences over the last six weeks – and he hopes it hasn’t gone unnoticed by Rodgers who is kept up-to-date on his performances with the Jambos via DVD.

Ngoo said: “I can’t wait for the League Cup Final. My move to Hearts has exceeded my expectations and it is a dream come true to be playing at Hampden in my first senior cup final.

“I was at Wembley last year with Liverpool. All the reserve players went to watch and even celebrated with the boys afterwards.

“The squad travelled back on the same day because the league campaign was still ongoing and we took the train.

“We passed the cup around and everyone was taking pictures and singing – and, yes, there was a bit of champagne.

“Of course I would have preferred to have been out there on the pitch as every player hopes to experience that level of occasion. However, I have to acknowledge the fact I’m young, still learning and trying to gather experience.

“It is good to learn from top players and by watching big matches. You need to soak up everything and apply it to your own game when you’re given the chance.

“I hope to have done enough to be considered one of the young players in Brendan’s plans for next season.

“Liverpool have DVDs of all my performances for Hearts so even if they don’t get to the cup final this weekend they will still see the game. I am always getting texts from the staff at Liverpool.

“Maybe the manager there will be looking for other things in his team such as height and strength. There are different reasons he could put me in.

“I’m glad I have been a challenge for very good defenders in the SPL in my first top-flight run-in. If I keep working then I could be a Plan B for Liverpool.”

Ngoo is a Londoner who was rejected as a teenager by childhood favourites West Ham, only to be offered a deal by Manchester United which he knocked back to sign for arch-rivals Liverpool.

The club have grown quickly in his heart and Ngoo was even booked earlier this season in his side’s demolition of Chelsea’s youth team for removing his shirt to reveal a Hillsborough tribute.

He scored the fourth goal in a 4-1 rout for Liverpool’s Under-21s and revealed a vest that read “96 reasons 4 justice”.

The crowd at Brentford’s Griffin Park booed the referee and cheered Ngoo for his tribute, which came in the week the Hillsborough Independent Panel released their report into what had really happened in the disaster.

He added: “I don’t regret it. Liverpool are a big club and as a kid I followed the team. I knew about what happened at Hillsborough and it was sad.

“It means a lot to fans and friends I know who adore Liverpool so I did it for them.”

He also has no qualms about rejecting United, even though some of the teenagers he lined up alongside in the prestigious Milk Cup in Northern Ireland now feature for Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford.

He said: “We won the tournament and I scored in the Final and set up the other in a 2-1 win.

“My team-mates included Paul Pogba, Revel Morrison, Will Keane and Joshua King and some of them have featured for United this season.

“It was a good experience and they wanted to sign me but I ended up choosing Liverpool.”

Ngoo admits he would struggle to find Hampden with a satnav but if he nets against Saints he will owe much to Dalglish, whose smile lit up the national stadium on so many occasions with Celtic and Scotland.

He said: “Kenny was a big influence as academy manager at Liverpool. We had a lot of conversations and he even used to come out and train with us sometimes.

“He was always around and passing on great advice for us all. He was absolute quality in training. He would always have a laugh and a joke but when he starts doing the tricks and skills you could see how good he was in his prime.

“Even now he knows the way to goal, he hasn’t lost that. That quality never leaves.”

England Under-20 striker Ngoo has netted twice in nine appearances for Hearts and will have a clutch of family and friends from London and Liverpool at the final against Saints.

Sadly, however, some of his Anfield
team-mates who had hoped to make the trip north were forced to cancel their plans as a result of training schedules.

He said: “A few friends are coming up and a few Liverpool players wanted to take in the game too. Training
commitments ruled them out but they will be watching on television.

“It will be a very different experience on Sunday, playing a final instead of watching one and I must step up to the mark.

“I’ve heard so much about last season’s 5-1 win over Hibs in the Scottish Cup Final. That sounded good – and I want to be part of more success this season.”

Taken from the Daily Record