This Christmas I gave you my Hearts
Harry’s Wham-med by party piece
Michael Smith has revealed Hearts kid Harry Cochrane was a quivering wreck in the dressing-room.
Not before his history- making performance against Celtic.
The nerves struck him before he was forced to sing a Christmas song in front of the Jambos squad on Friday.
The 16-year- old has taken top-f light football in his stride and put champions Celtic to the sword with the brilliant first goal of his career.
But handling the festive ritual in front of the club’s senior pros saw him crumble as he tried to belt out a version of Wham’s Last Christmas. According to Northern Ireland international Smith, though, it will be the only time you ever see it from a teenager he believes is destined for the top. He said: “It’s a bit of fun and a tradition to get the young boys to do a Christmas song. “Wee Euan Henderson was giving it a bit. “He wasn’t too bad. And I put Harry and Jamie Brandon on Instagram so the fans could see it. “Harry was more nervous about singing Last Christmas than he was on Sunday! It’s ridiculous.” He may not be a fan of their singing but that’s the only a rea where the left- back is lacking in admiration for baby-faced Cochrane. He’s amazed at how the teen and fellow 16-year-old Anthony McDonald have dealt with the transition into first-team football at such a tender age. Especially when Smith thinks back to what he was like at the same age. He said: “I was floating about street corners, kicking balls at shop windows – but these boys are in training with international players every day.
“It’s a different world to when I was 16, I didn’t turn pro until I was 21. It’s great to see them taking the opportunity by the scruff of the neck.
“They are both great lads – they’re funny and haven’t a care in the world. They are just enjoying their football and that rubs off even on the more experienced players.
“They make us enjoy our football a lot more and it is great to see.”
Smith, 29, and seasoned internationals such as Christophe Berra, Don Cowie and Kyle Lafferty would normally throw a
protective blanket over any kid that age beside them in the big-boys’ playground.
But he simply shrugs and insists when you have that much ability, the need for protection reduces.
He said: “The gaffer is playing them and that’s testament to how good they are.
“Wee Ant came in against Dundee and was Man of the Match – his assist was fantastic – then he came on last Sunday against Celtic and did great.
“We have three or four young lads who are doing brilliantly well. Maybe in the back of your mind you feel you should protect them – but you’ve seen them play.
“They are big enough to look after themselves, if they weren’t they wouldn’t be playing in the first team.”
When Cochrane first appeared at their Heriot Watt training base, the players would have been forgiven for thinking he’d made a break from the university creche.
Smith grinned and said: “He’s a young-looking lad but he has great ability and I’m sure there will be loads of clubs after him.
“Hearts would be silly to let him go now.
“Harry needs to stay. If I had advice for him it would be to stay here, play games then when he’s even better he can move on.
“He can get experience here, play big games here and get better with Hearts.
“Hopefully his goal is to play in the highest leagues because he has the ability to go and do that.”
Individually and collectively, Hearts showed beyond doubt in the 4- 0 victory over Celtic last week that they are capable of finding a level they had struggled to reach all season.
And for Smith especially it was a voyage of discovery at centre-half, a position he had never played before in his life.
He said: “After winning 4- 0 I can say I was fine but before the game I was a little bit nervous. Christophe helped me a lot, with positional sense and things like that, because I have never played there. “Never, ever. I don’t head balls! “Luckily enough Celtic try to play the ball on the floor. It was good though – I did enjoy it. But probably not every week!
“That win was definitely up there, probably the favourite win in my career.”
In the short-memory world of football it will be forgotten about in a hurry if Hearts don’t end their eight- game winless run against Hibs on Wednesday night.
The 1- 0 defeat at Easter Road nine weeks ago still rankles and Smith admitted: “We know we underperformed.
“We have to go out in front of our own fans this time and show them that the game actually means something to us.
“It definitely helps us being in front of our fans. If I was an away player at Tynecastle it would frighten me a bit.”
Harry is a young lad but he has great ability .. loads of clubs will be after him