I went from a huge high to such a low. But I have to learn from it
WITHIN the space of just six days, one thunderous left-foot strike and a crunching tackle had left young Harry Cochrane’s head in a spin.
Going from hero to villain in such a short space of time would have been hard to handle for even an experienced campaigner. But for a 16-year-old?
In a career so embryonic that you have to keep reminding yourself of the Hearts midfielder’s tender age, he has already experienced two moments which sum up this brilliant, wacky and sometimes cruel game in all its glory.
That stunner. They’re still raving about it in Gorgie. December’s Goal of the Month. The strike that sent Craig Levein’s men on their way to ending Celtic’s 69-game unbeaten domestic run with an incredible 4-0 victory at Tynecastle.
Cochrane’s 26thminute-effort, which confirmed him as the club’s youngest-ever league scorer, will never be forgotten. Yet the teenager would be just as keen to erase from his memory the incident which took place in Hearts’ very next match.
Being sent off for a tackle on St Johnstone’s Blair Alston 12 minutes from time — and the consequence of that second yellow card — still bugs the Hearts kid.
Yes, he has been buoyed again in recent days by Harry Redknapp’s vocal appreciation of his precocious talents in these very pages.
But, even as Levein’s squad touched down in Spain yesterday for the start of a five-day training camp, Cochrane is still frustrated by the fact that his aberration in Perth saw him miss out on the chance to compete against Hibernian four days later.
‘I got the total opposite experience (from the goal against Celtic)’, revealed Cochrane. ‘Within a week I went from having a massive high to such a low, but I have to learn from it.
‘I was walking off (at McDiarmid Park) thinking the whole world was against me because I’d had a red card and I knew straight away I’d miss the derby against Hibs.
‘I expected to get absolutely roared at in the changing room. I just sat there with my head in my hands. But the manager was really good about it.
‘I had been told that in football you sometimes get more lows than highs.
‘Sitting out the last derby was horrible and I don’t want that to ever happen again. That’s not where you want to be during a big game because you’ve picked up a red card the week before, so it’s a lesson learned.’
Cochrane is only just beginning his journey in Scottish football, despite his lively start to life in the spotlight making it seem as if he’s been patrolling the midfield for longer.
Since his first inclusion in the Hearts team — he was handed his debut by Levein in a 2-1 loss at Dundee in the Premiership at the end of September — he has already caught the eye of several admirers in ten league appearances to date. Former Spurs manager Redknapp was the latest, telling Sportsmail that Cochrane’s arrival on the scene ‘has to be good for the game in Scotland’.
‘It was good to get compliments from big names in football like Harry Redknapp,’ said Cochrane. ‘But I have to make sure there is more of that, it’s down to me. I was amazed he knew who I was.’
While Levein will be keen not to pile too much pressure on the young man’s shoulders, the signs are all there suggesting he has the talent, energy and passion to continue to shine for Hearts — at least until bigger clubs come knocking at the door.
As for the most important people in his life, they will always strive to ensure the Scotland Under-16 international doesn’t get distracted by the headlines.
Cochrane’s parents, Ross and Sarah, keep nagging their son to ensure he keeps his feet on the ground — even if it does seem impossible for a kid who is loving simply playing football and not just helping team-mates with greater experience.
‘My mum and dad keep me grounded, my dad is on at me every night to get to my bed early,’ confessed Cochrane. ‘He is on my case from about half past nine, telling me to get up the stairs because I need to rest for training the next day.
‘I asked him for the iPad charger the other night but he sent me back to my room.
‘I’m enjoying it all but I need to keep my feet on the ground and not get carried away. To be in the first-team squad and to have played the number of games I have is amazing, but I need to work hard to keep my place.
‘The Celtic game was a great experience. Brendan Rodgers congratulated me after the game, which was nice of him to do.
‘It has been a brilliant few weeks for me. There is not really more you can ask for than playing and scoring against one of the biggest teams in the country.
‘I got Goal of the Month for it as well, which is great — it was a proud moment.’