COME IN NO.10
Jambos hero Flogel tips latest new boy to shine
HEARTS boss Craig Levein made it a perfect 10 of pre-season signings as Thomas Flogel tipped their new Austrian star to shine.
The Jambos have landed central defender Peter Haring on a two-year deal from second division side SV Ried.
The 25-year-old started his career with Rapid Vienna and moved to SV Ried last season, playing 36 times and helping them to a fourth-place finish, one point off the play-off spot.
Haring said: “I’m really happy to be here. I came over two weeks ago to meet the coach and he showed me around. Now I’m really happy to be a Hearts player.
“Everything looks great. I went to the stadium with the coach. We went into the new buildings and also the Hearts museum.
“It’s a club with a great history and I’m really lucky to BY GARY RALSTON be here. It’s really special for me to play in front of a big crowd and I’m really looking forward to that.
“It’s a big chance to play for such a big club.”
Former playmaker Flogel, a crowd pleaser over five years in Gorgie, admits Haring has been playing at a modest level recently, but has still backed him to shine.
He said: “He’s a good defender – aggressive in the tackle and always keen to push forward. I only hope he adapts to the Scottish game as quickly as possible.
“The game’s slower over here and the ball is played on the deck more often but this is a big chance for him at a good stage in his career to rise to the challenge of playing in a different environment.
“It took me six months before I really felt at home with the physical side of the Scottish game but hopefully it will be a little easier for Peter in defence.
“He has played in the top division here so he’s not inexperienced and SV Ried have typically been a Bundesliga side.
“It’s a little surprising he’s moving from the second tier of Austrian football to the Premiership but the system is comparable to Scotland.
“In Austria we have two or three really big clubs and there isn’t a great deal of difference between the rest and the top five in the level below.
“It’s the same as Scotland where you have the big clubs and then other clubs such as St Mirren and Hamilton who are on a similar level.”
Hearts have now signed 33 players over the last four transfer windows and Levein has ripped it up to start again after finishing sixth in the Premiership last time around.
It’s a turnaround of players that may make it more difficult to hit the ground running in the new season but Flogel is backing his former boss to pull it off.
He also knows what he’s going through now that he’s reserve boss at St Polten in Austria’s top flight. He said: “Like Craig, I’m also going into the new season with 10 new players after losing 12 last time around.
“I still keep in touch with Hearts and critics have to be fairer with Craig. He’s doing so much work in the football department. At other clubs they’d employ three men to do the same amount of work.
“I take my hat off to him and hope he and Peter can bring the success to the club they deserve.”
Meanwhile, former Hearts captain Alim Ozturk has become Jack Ross’ first signing as Sunderland manager. The 25-year-old, who spent the last 18 months with Boluspor, signed a two-year deal with the Black Cats.