Neilson won’t read into ‘false’ pre-season
ROBBIE NEILSON insists Hearts’ encouraging pre-season campaign will count for nothing if they do not beat Ross County in Saturday’s Premiership opener.
The Gorgie outfit warmed up for the start of the league with six wins from eight friendly outings, the latest being Saturday’s comfortable 2-1 victory over English Championship side Stoke City.
The players have also managed to avoid serious injury in the games and now Neilson and his team will turn their full attention to County as they look to at least replicate last season’s third place finish.
Neilson said: “To be honest, I don’t like pre-season. The games seem false, they’re too slow.
“I’d rather just turn up for the first proper game and get going.
“Pre-season’s gone well, but that means nothing unless you produce in the first league game.
“The fitness levels are good we’ve got Craig Halkett back, Natty Atkinson back and Kye Rowles up to speed, with others to come in.”
Cammy Devlin, Josh Ginnelly, Lewis Neilson and Euan Henderson sat out the Stoke victory with knocks but Neilson is hoping they will all be available for the visit of Malky Mackay’s side.
Neilson said: “As for the other boys, Devlin will be available, Josh will be training next week and Henderson should be available too. Lewis Neilson missed out against Stoke with concussion he picked up against Preston, but he’ll be ok.”
Neilson has already added Lawrence Shankland, Alan Forrest, Rowles, Alex Cochrane, Jorge Grant and namesake Lewis Neilson to his squad and is still looking to add another three due to the demands of European group football until November.
He added: “It’s important with the number of games we’re going to be playing – Thursday, Sunday, Thursday, Sunday – that we have a big squad.
“The boys have bought into the concept of not playing in every game.”