Success not a tall order for McGhee
ROBBIE NEILSON has suggested that Jordan McGhee might need to grow a few inches to clinch his dream move to the English Premier League, but the teenager is not relying solely on genetics to improve his stature as a defender.
At just over 6ft tall, McGhee could hardly be described as short but, although Neilson believes the youngster already possesses the physique to operate at full-back, the Hearts boss is unconvinced he has the physicality to go all the way in his preferred position of centre-half.
McGhee doesn’t disagree, but sees plenty of top-level evidence to promote the counter-theory that height need not be everything.
‘To be fair, he is probably right!’ said McGhee, who was the subject of a summer transfer bid from Ipswich Town.
‘Everton came here in preseason and we saw the size of Phil Jagielka and John Stones.
‘But then you see a player like (Nicolas) Otamendi, who Man City have just signed for £30million, and he is probably the same height as me.
‘I wouldn’t say Sergio Ramos is tall either — some of the best centre-backs out there are smaller.
‘I just need to learn different ways of dealing with strikers. Once you find a technique that suits, you stick with it.’
McGhee, 19, has played at left-back recently but the Scotland Under-21 cap wants to nail down a spot in the middle.
‘It has been a different kind of challenge for me but I feel I’ve risen to it,’ he continued.
‘The more positions you can play the more chances you have of getting in the team but of course everyone has a favoured position.’
McGhee insists he is in no rush to depart for pastures new, adding: ‘I played my 50th game for Hearts the other day and I signed a new contract last Christmas, so I have another two years to go.
‘When the time is right for myself and the club, I will move on.’