Clare’s goal was good but he has to play better insists Jambos gaffer

HEARTS manager Daniel Stendel feels Sean Clare is well suited to his new right-back role but warned his weekend goal hero that he must do better.

Clare’s standing among the Hearts support was so low that there were significant cheers when he was taken off in Stendel’s first game i n charge in December.

But the former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder appears to have rediscovered some confidence after his reinvention as a rightback, a redeployment which was initially instigated through necessity amid a raft of injuries.

The 23-year-old netted his second spectacular goal in three matches on Saturday when he equalised from 25 yards deep into stoppage-time against St Johnstone.

Stendel said: “He brings a lot of things to this position – he is fast, he can defend well, he can dribble well and he can score.

“I t ’s g o o d for his confidence, his time at Hearts has not always been easy but he has worked hard to change his view among the supporters.

“But I am also not happy with his performance on Saturday. He scored the important goal and we are all happy about this but I think he can play better and he has to play better.”

Stendel was baffled by Hearts’ failure to build on their half-time performance and lead in Saturday’s 3-3 draw i n Perth but now feels the contrast in fortunes is part of the process towards more complete improvement.

“We lost our head in the second half,” he said ahead of tomorrow’s Premiership visit of Kilmarnock.

“I said to the players, maybe it’s a process.

“With our history this season maybe at t he moment we are not strong enough to say we can play for 90 minutes.”

Sean Clare celebrates his equaliser at McDiarmid Park.