Souttar has cap quality
Hearts boss Robbie Neilson has tipped John Souttar to go on and gain ful l international honours.
But Neilson agrees with Motherwell star Stephen McManus’s assessment this week that the 19-year- old needs more experience at club level before he makes his mark for Scotland.
Neilson reckons people tend to forget that Souttar is still a teenager making his way in the game.
The player’s manager said: “John will be ready one day, he will make that step up to the full Scotland squad.
“There are some good centre-backs in there with a bit of experience but I could see him as the next one to come in.
“He has the potential but I don’t think he’s ready to be a starter just yet.
“There are not many centre- backs out there with the physical ity required at that level.
“John has that, he has the power and the pace and is starting to develop more as a defender. It’s experience he needs. He is still so young, still a kid.
“John broke into the Dundee United first team at 16 and people forget that.
“People think he is in his mid-twenties but he’s 19.
“Expectat ion is the biggest hindrance when players break into the first team at such a young age.”
Neilson admits Souttar’s talent is ahead of his body at this stage – but he knows the shape is coming.
The manager said: “You don’t become a fully fledged centre-half until you are 24 or 25, so he is well ahead of where most are at his age.
“He wasn’t in the best shape when he first came here, now he is one of the fittest at the club.
“We accept that John will make mistakes, he made a couple last season, but he has recovered well.
“It’s about standing by them and over time they will become the players we expect them to be.”