Time is on my side
Souttar in no rush to join young brother in England
JOHN SOUTTAR was just 17 years old when he saw the bright lights of the English Premier League beckoning. It was late 2013 and Dundee United had accepted a £600,000 bid for their highly-rated teenage centre half from sunderland.
But after travelling down to meet officials at the stadium of Light, the level-headed souttar decided his career ambitions would be better served with regular firstteam football at Tannadice.
Three years on and John’s younger brother, Harry, has this week found himself in a remarkably similar movie at the same age of 17.
However, this time — barring a late hitch — the younger souttar will be leaving United to sign a three-year deal with stoke City.
The £200,000 move will see him rub shoulders with Bojan Krkic, Xherdan shaqiri, Marko Arnautovic and scotland international Charlie Adam at the Bet365 stadium.
John, by contrast, is now at Hearts and admits the English Premier League is the place everyone wants to play.
However, with 80 top flight games under his belt at the tender age of 19, he has time on his side and insists he doesn’t regret turning down the opportunity to make it in the richest league in the world.
By the same token, he believes 6ft 7in sibling Harry, who has featured just three times for United, was right to swap Tayside for a crack at the big time.
‘I’ve spoken to my brother about it a lot and it will be good for Harry to go down (to stoke),’ he said.
‘He is looking forward to it and, as his big brother, I’m delighted for him.
‘But the circumstances in my case were different. I was 17 and playing most weeks in the SPL for Dundee United and we were up near the top of the league.
‘I was settled and playing games but it’s completely different for my brother, who is in the Championship and not always involved with the team.
‘If he was playing every week it would be different, but he hasn’t been. so this is a good move for him. Harry is physically big and I think he will do very well down there.
‘But I’ve totally no regrets about not going down (to sunderland). you can’t look back. The decision was made and I’m in a great place now at Hearts.
‘I’m developing all the time here alongside the experienced pros like Don Cowie. He’s like a father figure. He’s been in the Prem in England — and that’s where you want to be.
‘But I’m 19 and I’ve played 80 games in the scottish top flight. That experience is second to none. A lot of people don’t have that.
‘Plus I’ve been through situations and bad times and it’s made me a stronger person and a stronger player. To go through bad times can be a good thing.’
souttar, of course, saw Dundee United’s fans turn against him last season as the club slipped into the second tier.
Now at Tynecastle, he is enjoying life again as he learns his trade under Robbie Neilson.
And the teenager has taken umbrage at suggestions by BBC pundit and former Tynecastle midfielder Michael stewart that the Hearts style of play is ‘industrial’ and bears the hallmarks of director of football Craig Levein picking the team.
Last saturday’s 5-1 thumping of Inverness Caley Thistle, claims souttar, was the perfect riposte to stewarts ‘laughable’ claims made following a home loss to Celtic and a goalless draw at Pittodrie.
‘The gaffer (Neilson) is the gaffer. What was said was laughable,’ insisted souttar.
‘And I don’t know many teams in the Premiership that would pop it about the back like we did against Celtic and Aberdeen.
‘Aberdeen away is always going to be tough.
‘It was windy and I don’t know how many teams could play football up there (in those conditions). Celtic was the first game of the season and it was always going to be tough, too.
‘But even against Celtic I felt we moved the ball well. I thought we had chances and, on another day, we could have won.
‘so for people to judge us on those two games and call us industrial is harsh, in my opinion.
‘But at the weekend, we got the ball down and played football.’
souttar is part of the scotland Under-21 squad facing Euro 2017 qualifiers against Macedonia at Tynecastle on september 2 before travelling to play Ukraine in Kiev four days later.
Realistically there is zero chance of Ricky sbragia’s side qualifying for the finals in Poland next summer.
However, with gordon strachan having fast-tracked John Mcginn, Kieran Tierney, Jack Hamilton and oliver Burke into the senior squad, the young hopefuls have plenty to play for.
‘As professionals you can’t approach games (as being dead rubbers),’ said souttar.
‘People have qualified from tougher positions than this.’