Robbie Neilson has revealed Zander Clark is finally ready to make his Hearts debut before the World Cup next month.
The former St Johnstone stopper signed for the Jam Tarts on September 2 on a three-year-deal. But he has yet to feature with Neilson explaining that Clark needed time to get his match sharpness back after being in limbo since leaving the Perth club at the end of last season.
“Yes, definitely. He has to be ready to come in,” Neilson admitted via the Edinburgh Evening News. “Zander hadn't trained with a team since the middle of May. We got him at the end of August so for about three and a half months he had nothing. He was working with his personal trainer. He is still gradually getting that sharpness to get to a level where he can come in and compete. He is getting there. It will just take a wee bit of time. It's the same as any other player. You can't have three and a half months of not being involved and then chuck him in."
Neilson also confessed the recent displays of Stephen Humphrys has given him a selection headache ahead of their Europa Conference League trip to face Fiorentina on Thursday. The on-loan forward scored his first goal in maroon during Sunday’s 2-2 Scottish Premiership draw at Kilmarnock and gives the Hearts boss a different option either through the middle or out wide to try and press their Serie A opponents.
“He will because he gives us pace and power,” Neilson added. “I've been really pleased with Stephen. When you bring a player in, they have to see what we do and we have to see what they do. Then you start to merge together. You watch video and talk about what type of player you want, but the small details you don't know until you get them.
“The boys realise what Stephen is good at. He is good at making runs in behind the defensive line, getting people one-against-one and going at them. If we start playing balls like that for him, then he starts making the runs.
“When we get over there, the decision will be how we set up and how we try to perform. We want to be a bit more aggressive in the game than we were at Tynecastle.
“People talk about being aggressive and getting in people's faces. These are top players but you have to try and get closer to them. We need to try and play our defensive line a wee bit higher.
“In the game last Thursday, we spoke about and worked on pushing out from the wing-back and centre-back areas. We didn't do it, which allowed them to build higher up the pitch. We have to try to get more pressure on them.”
Hearts are expecting experienced duo Michael Smith and Andy Halliday to overcome knocks and make the trip to Florence along with Josh Ginnelly. But Craig Halkett is not expected to be risked after a reccurring hamstring injury.
