Ginnelly shines in Hearts’ friendly win hours after sealing loan move
● Winger straight into action in victory over Saints as Neilson adds more width and pace to his squad
Hearts yesterday welcomed their third new wing er to Tynecastle Park as Preston North End’ sJosh Gin nelly arrived on a season-long loan.
He joins permanent signings Jordan Roberts and Elliott Frear as manager Robbie Neilson added yet more width and pace to his first-team squad.
G in nelly ,23, was thrown straight into action when he featured in a 2-1 win against St Mirren in a bounce game yesterday afternoon just hours after completing his move. He has been tracked by Hearts for sometime, and, although his Preston contract runs until summer 2021, he is not in the plans at Deepdale.
A loan move to Scotland will give him a chance to play as Hearts look to win this season’s Championship title.
He can operate on both flanks and likes to utilise his speed by running at defenders to create scoring chances.
“With the Covid situation, I haven’t actually played football in seven months. I’ve had a conversation with the gaffer and I’ll be getting up to speed,” G in nelly told the Hearts website before featuring for Neilson’s side in Paisley.
“He mentioned my pace and said he wants me to express myself, which is massive for a
player like myself. Being given a licence to go and express myself, that’s when I’m at my best.
“I ’m b u z z i n g t o g e t g o i n g now. With all the Covid going on, I just want to get my head down now and star t playing some football.
“There is no better club to come and do i t a t . L o o k i n g around here, it just seems I’ll fit in. I’ve had conversations with the manager so I’m looking forward to it.
“I came up a couple of weeks ago, had a lo ok around and spoke to the gaffer. That sort of sold it to me straight away, the ambitions of the club.
“I’ve looked into the histo - r y of the club and heard a lot about the fans. That’s the most exciting thing I’ve had in quite a few months. I like to express myself, excite the fans, put crosses in the box and hopefully add a few goals to my game.
“That’s something you need to do. I will work hard as well, which is one of the main things.”
Ginnelly added that he has no issue shouldering pr es
sure at Tynecastle Park, with Hearts needing to win promotion at the first attempt.
“You become a footballer for things like that, really,” he said. “The fans are going to demand stuff because they pay their hard-working money to come and watch you play. The least they want is hard work. If you can get a win as well, it makes everyone’s weekend.”
Ginnelly and fellow signing Roberts were the stand outs in yesterday’ s win against St Mirren.
Roberts opened the scoring and Jamie Walker converted Ginnelly’s cross to give the visitors a two-goal cushion at the break.
Kyle Mcallister struck in the second half but Hearts held firm to record a welcome win against Premier ship op po
sit ion. After Friday’ s outing against English Premier League side Sheffield United at Riccarton, the Edinburgh club travelled to Paisley for their second pre-season warm-up.
Craig Gordon made his first appearance in goal after illness but captain Steven Naismith and defender Chris tophe Berra were still absent as they continue recovering from minor injuries.
Roberts broke the deadlock after 33 minutes. G in nelly then skipped clear of his marker to supply a low cross from the right for Walker to double the advantage two minutes from the interval.
St Mirren reduced the deficit on 57 minutes when Mcallister steered a low shot past Gordon and into the goalkeeper’s bottom right corner.
“There is no better club to come and do it at. Looking around here, it just seems I’ll fit in. I’ve had conversations with the manager so I’m looking forward to it”
JOSH GINNELLY