Life at the top level suits Hoti down to ground

WITHOUT knowing his name, Florent Hoti’s Mancunian twang gives the impression his journey to Dundee United is no more interesting than a trip up the M6.

In truth, the 20-year-old’s border-hopping runs far deeper than that.

Hoti, signed from Rochdale last summer on a two-year deal, is of Kosovo-Albanian background with both his parents hailing from former Yugoslavia.

The midfielder, signed with a view to the future, made his long-awaited Tangerines debut at Hamilton on Saturday.

Coming on for the final 20 minutes with the game finely poised at 1-0 – a scoreline which remained the case when time was called – showed the trust boss Micky Mellon has in his prodigious talent.

Hoti, who describes himself as a technical midfielder with flair, has had to be patient to get his chance in the Terrors’ top team.

A loan spell at League One Forfar Athletic – United’s Scottish Cup last-16 opponents on Friday – earlier in the season gave him a taste of Scottish football.

And, after rejecting terms to remain at Spotland to continue his development at Tannadice, he’s eager to sample more.

“It’s a proud moment for me because it’s been a long time coming but all that hard work, on and off the pitch, put me in good stead for coming on at the weekend,” Hoti said speaking after the Hamilton game.

“As soon as the gaffer shouted my name to come on I thought: ‘He’s trusting me here with 20 minutes to go and it looked like they were on top just before I came on’.

“It shows he trusts me and I was happy with that.”

The youngster is right in thinking his manager has faith in his ability, with Mellon labelling Hoti “a really talented boy”.

“His debut was important because we’re not just a club that goes: ‘Oh look at us we play young ones’,” the United gaffer said.

“I’ve always said if they deserve to play and we think they can make an impact for us then we’ll put them in.

“Flo has been champing at the to stay there and play. I was there from the age of nine and I knew all the staff and everything and, to be fair, I was going in the right direction but I just felt at that stage of my career I needed a new challenge.

“It’s a first league in the Scottish Premiership – it was the right step for me.”

From England’s League One to Scotland’s is a sizeable drop on many levels, it must be said, but one Hoti knew would be beneficial for his United hopes in the long run.

Heading north to Angus to link up with Forfar for the first half of the season, where he would play nine games under then-boss Stuart Malcolm, taught him a lot about our game.

Hoti believes the experience has given him the tools to show the United support what he’s really about.

“It taught me a different side of the game that maybe I didn’t know before,” he added.

“I’m used to Scottish football more and picked up things to add to my game.”

Hoti continued: “I’d say I’m technical, show a bit of flair and like to try to get on the ball and create stuff.

“I want to make things happen but I’m not scared to do the other side of the game as well like putting my foot in and competing.

“When I get on it I try to do my thing and express myself.”

Born in Manchester to KosovoAlbanian parents, Hoti has many paths to choose from when it comes to his international career.

Albania are the first to have made their move, calling the Terrors fledgling into their Under-21 squad for a recent training camp.

Hoti was unable to make the trip due to coronavirus restrictions as he continues to weigh up his options.

“Whatever is the best path for me, I’ll take it,” he said.

“Albania’s Under-21s have some great young players and the pathway into the first team is there – you see quite a few young players and they’re not scared to play them.

“I want to be playing at as high a level as possible, at the top of football.

“I want to be playing in the top leagues, full international, playing for the A team of either Albania or Kosovo – that’s where I want to be.”

Hoti was on loan at Forfar