INSIGHT

HEARTS goalkeeper Jack Hamilton believes Scotland’s new performance centre will leave our country‘s footballers with no excuses when it comes to competing on the big stage.

Hamilton, promoted to his club’s No 1 position this season, will have access to the brand-new Oriam facility, which sits adjacent to Hearts’ current training facility at Heriot-Watt University on the western outskirts of Edinburgh.

While he is looking forward to using the state-of-the-art complex in his day-to-day work, he believes the SFA’s commitment to moving its various age groups east will benefit the entire country.

‘I’ve often thought it would be great to have a base for all the national teams,’ said Hamilton (below), capped at Under-21 level and promoted to Gordon Strachan’s full squad at the end of last season. ‘As a young player at U15 or U16, it’s brilliant to see the older players. Growing up, I’d always look at the goalies who were above me with Scotland and keep an eye on them. I wanted to see what they were good at.

‘So having that kind of environment at Oriam, seeing the first-team boys and learning from them, will be great.

‘Having that kind of facility gives you something extra as a player. You’ve got no excuses, really.’

Although Oriam will not officially open until the end of the month, Hamilton and his team-mates have already been treated to a grand tour and the 22-year-old was impressed.

‘It’s out of this world,’ he said. ‘The facilities are ridiculous, things like the gym and hydrotherapy room. You have all the facilities here to help you improve as a footballer.

‘England have St George’s and that’s supposed to be unbelievable. To have somewhere all the Scotland teams can come and train, it can only help develop better players.’