Kid class Aaron is bullet-proof at Stendel’s Jambos
Daniel Stendel took aim at two of Hearts’ most experienced players as he began his purge of Craig Levein’s Tynecastle squad.
But Austin MacPhee insists Gorgie wonder kid, Aaron Hickey, is bullet-proof.
The Jam Tarts freed 35-year-old Republic of Ireland internationalist Glenn Whelan, while club captain Christophe Berra was told to look for a new club after a series of underwhelming performances.
However, one player who has caught new gaffer Stendel’s eye in a good way is teenage full-back, Hickey.
The German believes the 17-year-old – with whom the club are attempting to negotiate an improved contract amidst interest from England – is destined to get even better.
And that is a judgment the Jam Tarts’ head of recruitment, Austin MacPhee, can get behind.
“The remarkable thing about Aaron is that most young players are raved about because they come into a team that is doing really well, and that gives them the confidence,” said MacPhee.
“Aaron has come into a team that is not doing really well. And yet he has stayed in the team and has had to get in the car – if he even has a car – and go home off the back of defeats.
“He has had to play in a stadium where the players aren’t necessarily in the best place. Yet, he has consistently taken the ball and played well.
“Very rarely does a young player come into a team that is not over-performing and stay in the team.
“That’s because, naturally, you change things because the team is not winning.
Aaron has been a constant.
“He has incredible resilience for a young guy. I see him as being a bit different in that respect.
“I don’t think he is too affected by the outside world. There have also been games where it hasn’t gone perfectly for Aaron.
“But his resilience after a mistake has been fantastic.
“I have seen that in a few games. That tells you a lot about his character.
“He has seen it as a motivation, not a reason to shy away from the game.
“I think he is a fantastic player.”
MacPhee missed out on the Hearts manager’s job after Craig Levein’s sacking, but has taken on a recruitment role while the club search for a new director of football.
However, his day-to-day experience working with the Jam Tarts’ squad gives him a unique insight into the individuals new manager Stendel has at his disposal.
In Hickey, MacPhee – who also assists Michael O’Neill with the Northern Irish national side – sees a very special talent.
“He is so young that he could play in a lot of positions. He could end up being a Sergio Busquets (of Barcelona) kind of figure,” said MacPhee.
“He reminds me a lot of Jonny Evans, who I have seen in training. The way he defends and always wants the ball as a defender.
“Jonny has spent some of his career at left-back, at centre-back and also defensive midfield.
“Even the way Aaron moves, he reminds me of Jonny. It will be interesting to see where he ends up, but he is certainly a young player I would hang my hat on.”