Draw felt like defeat for Hughes
0 Hearts defenders look on as Jon Mclaughlin fails to keep Curtis Main’s header (not pictured) from crossing the goal-line deep into time added on. summer, the 109-cap defender knows he’s got a big decision to make in the near future regarding both his club and international career.
“I still haven’t decided. I’ll see how my body and mind feels at the end of the season. There’s lot of other factors involved apart from just me saying I want to keep playing,” Hughes revealed.
“With the stop-start season I’ve had with my calves I just wanted to concentrate on Hearts and getting a bit of momentum here.”
On O’neill’s decision, he added: “You just look at the effect he’s had. It’s not just what you see either, it’s all the little things behind the scenes.
“He’s made it more like a club environment, tidying up the loose ends like getting the best facilities, making sure the food at the hotel is the best it can be, all those little things away from
AARON HUGHES the pitch that make all the difference. The players who play in the Premier League are used to a certain standard and he tried to make it what they are used to when they come away at international level.
“He doesn’t want them to feel it’s a step down. For some of the other lads they are getting exposure to what you’d expect at Premier League level – so they are getting a step up.”
For Saturday’s opponents Motherwell, the late equaliser extended their unbeaten run to three games. It may pale in comparison to the 12 racked up by their hosts, but for a team who failed to find victory in nine games before the winter break it’s proved to be a vital run. It rekindles hope of finishing in the top six following their dire December and the sale of Louis Moult.
“When you come into a new club you want to make your mark and I feel I’ve done that in my first few games,” said January signing Tom Aldred.
“I am surprised that the lads went through that spell but it happens in football. You go through sticky periods and it’s important that you come out the other end of it.”
“I still haven’t decided [about my international future]. I’ll see how my body and mind feels at the end of the season. There’s lot of other factors involved”