The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Gardyne’s on his toes in quest to keep place
Midfielder knows bad run could mean he is benched
Ross County midfielder Michael Gardyne believes the competition for places at Victoria Park has improved his own consistency of performance since his early years with the Staggies.
Gardyne is in his fourth spell at the Dingwall club having first joined on loan from Celtic in 2006, with spells at Morton, Dundee United and Kilmarnock in between.
The 30- year- old reckons the squad assembled by manager Jim McIntyre has kept him on his toes, knowing a drop in standards could see him left out of the side – and he reckons supporters are seeing better displays from him as a result.
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Dan Seaborne was delighted when Hamilton came in for him after his aborted move to India because he could not bear to be without his girlfriend and his dog.
Seaborne looked set for a new adventure after deciding to leave Partick Thistle in May and signed for Calcutta- based Mohun Bagan. But the former Southampton player could
Gardyne said: “Even a few years ago when I was doing well it was always a game or two, then a few bad games.
“Obviously I still have a few bad games but I feel a lot more consistent these days. I can’t really putmy finger on what it is, maybe just confidence or experience.
“The manager is happy with the way I’m playing and I’m happy too, so it’s going well. He’s probably got two players for every position, so if I’m not performing I’m going to be out of the team.
“It’s good hearing the manager saying nice things about me. Hopefully I can keep my place.”
County travel toHamilton Accies today looking to rack up their third successive victory ahead of next weekend’s international break, which Gardyne reckons would show an excellent response to losing their opening-day fixture against Dundee.
The Dundee-born player added: “We were disappointed with the start to the season against Dundee but we’ve reacted well as we’ve come back and won the next two games.
“It would be great to get another three points before the break and then it looks like a great start with nine points from 12. We weren’t panicking. I think we did all right against Dundee but theywere more clinical than us on the day.
“In the last two games we’ve taken the chances we’ve made and, at the weekend, it could have been four or five. It’s goodweare creating those chances. We know we’ve got the squad that can win games.” not take his family for company and returned to Scotland to sign for Hamilton.
The 29- year- old, who could make his debut against Ross County today, said: “I went there and had a look around and signed for a year. It was good, a great club and the supporters were amazing.
“But I couldn’t take the dog there andmy girlfriend needsto stay inGlasgowfor another year to finish her university course, so it was kind of a case of not wanting to leave Glasgow. I met clubs from Cyprus and Greece and everything was there to go and do it. I had two offers on the table from League One in England as well.
“They were good offers but it was more of a case of me being happy where I’m living and enjoying life outside of football as well as on the pitch.
“Some people don’t get the choice where to go, so it was nice to have that, but it was good a club came up around Glasgow which allowed me to stay here and be with my girlfriend and the dog.”
Seaborne was saved by the fact that he did not sign a contract to play in the I-League, allowing him to leave.
“Calcutta was madness, the trafficwas a nightmare, but it was good, just not the right time in my life,” the English defender added.
“I enjoyed it, the food wasgreat, but with thetime difference when people call you it’s 2am.
“It was a bit tough like that but I enjoyed it out there and the supporters are wild.
“But it probably wasn’t the right time for me to be out there. I made a bit of a rash decision turning other things down before going.” Bjorn Johnsen felt Hearts were the perfect team to provide the stability he is looking for after a turbulent spell in Bulgaria.
The United States-born attacker signed for Litex Lovech last summer but they were expelled from the top flight when the coach ordered his players off the pitch after Johnsen and a team-mate were sent off during a derby against Levski Sofia.
Johnsen decided to leave when the club subsequently merged with CSKA Sofia and made his Hearts debut off the bench in a 5-1 win against Inverness last weekend after Fifa ruled in his favour following a lengthy international clearance process.
The 24-year-old, who is in the squad for his side’s trip toPartickThistle today, says he has had a “bouncy” career, having played in his father’s native Norway before spells in Spain and Portugal.
“It’s good, you see different cultures and you learn
“Allowedme to stay and be with my girlfriend and the dog” “I needed somewhere to work on my game”
quicker,” said Johnsen. “But I wanted stability. I was in an unstable country so when the chance came to go to Hearts I just jumped on it.
“Knowing the coach wanted me to play here, I needed that. I had other options but I needed somewhere to work onmy game and go further with my future. I have the opportunity to play here as well.”
On his spell in eastern Europe, he added: “The club wanted to make a new name, a new future for itself. I didn’t want to be part of that and I decided it was best for me to leave.
“Last year I got a red card in a crazy game, we were taken off the field. I was only there for a year but so much stuff happened and I just decided it wasn’t stable. We were in the Europa League, so it wasn’t a bad decision to go there, but I felt I needed stability”
Partick Thistle midfielder Sean Welsh is suspended for the visit of the Jambos.