Stevensons rocket into
Locke’s gamble pays off and gives Hearts a major lift ahead of Easter Road clash
speak to him most days and I get reports on his progress, but he’s the type of boy you pass in the corridor and he is always telling you he is okay.
“I told him: ‘I can’t afford to play you in one game and have you out for four or five’. But he was adamant he was fine and he got through the game and hopefully he has an injury-free season now. He holds the ball in, he’s a strong lad and he has that experience that we’re lacking.”
At 27, Hamill is the oldest outfield member of the Hearts team when the 29-year-old Stevenson is out, and Locke thinks that at times he has been trying too hard to lead by example. With Stevenson back, however, Hamill seemed free to play his own game.
“I thought Hamill was magnificent against St Mirren,” Locke said. “He scored a great goal and put in a man-of-the-match display. He has taken responsibility on board, but maybe in the last couple of weeks he has been trying too hard to do other people’s jobs for them. At St Mirren he focused on his own job and covered every blade of grass. He was the best player on the pitch by a mile.
“It’s important the two of them are playing, because they know the game so well and they are such a big help to those round about them. We’ve only had one of them for most of the season, and that’s been a big problem.
“There’s only so much a manager and coaches can do from the sidelines – you need experience on the field, and when they’re there, they make a big difference.”
Having said that, Locke went on to acknowledge the impact made by the new managerial team at Hibs. Terry Butcher and Maurice Malpas are working with the same squad that underachieved with Pat Fenlon, and have made it a far more competent outfit.
“They’re a completely different team,” said Locke. “They’re playing with confidence. Terry and Mo have turned it around there and it will be totally different to the last two derby games. They are much stronger now, with a bit more height at the back, and we fully expect a very tough game. They have a lot of