Don’t slate Walker over lure of Gers

HEARTS legend Gary Mackay insists winger Jamie Walker should not face any criticism for wanting to join Rangers.

The 24-year-old will remain at Tynecastle until at least January after the Ibrox club failed to meet their Edinburgh counterpart’s £1million valuation of the player before the transfer window closed on Thursday night.

Hearts now run the risk of losing the talented playmaker for nothing when his contract expires next summer.

Walker was left out of the side at the start of this season after being unsettled by Rangers’ well-documented pursuit but Mackay insists he has sympathy for the player.

Mackay said: “I cannot say anything negative about Jamie Walker.

“Rangers are still a massive club and they do look like they could improve.

“The interesting aspect about Heart of Midlothian is anyone who has been worthy of moving on has felt they wanted to move on.

“That goes from Robbie Neilson, who felt it was the right time, to Callum Paterson, who got the opportunity, to Osman Sow.

“Everyone who has had the chance to better themselves in their eyes have done that.

“Jamie has been playing with the knowledge that Rangers want to sign him but also with the negativity of the play under Ian Cathro.

“Any player who goes on and feels they are bettering themselves, that’s their choice.

“It’s very much like the Alan McLaren scenario for me. By not biting Hearts have taken the chance that they will now lose Jamie for nothing.

“Is that value to Hearts more important over the next six to eight months than the money in the bank? After a poor League Cup?

“If you’re looking at budgets we’re one down already because I wouldn’t have thought Hearts would be budgeting for going out of a League Cup section with Dunfermline, Peterhead and Elgin.”

Hearts bolstered their squad on deadline day with the recruitment of Raith Rovers captain Ross Callachan and Genoa winger Manuel Milinkovic on loan.

Mackay believes the arrival of life-long fan Callachan is exactly what the team needs.

He added: “If he’s a young Scottish player with a bit of hunger and he has a feeling for Heart of Midlothian, then that can only augur well.

“Guys who know what the club is about and know what it feels like to pull on that maroon jersey, for that lad at 23 years old, who maybe thought that opportunity would never arise, I think it will be extra special.”