ARBROATH SMOKIN’
Armand swaps Turkey for Gayfield
HEARTS hitman Armand Gnanduillet will swap jet-skis for Smokies when the Jambos head north to face Arbroath today.
The French striker was used to soaking up the rays on the Aegean coast in his time with Turkish outfit Altay last season.
There will be sea and sand in Angus, but that’s where the similarities will end from his time in Izmir.
It will be Gnanduillet’s first experience of the North Sea wind that buffets the ground and Dick Campbell’s side will ensure it’s far from a seaside stroll for the league leaders.
That’s no problem for the striker, who has relished the workload since switching from Turkey to Scotland.
He said: “Six months ago, it was very tough.
“I took the decision to go to Turkey so I can only blame myself but it was a tough few months.
“I have been here since January and I have a good feeling getting up in the morning and coming to training. Even if I don’t like to run in training, it’s all right. The weather was the only good thing in Turkey.
“I prefer this culture, playing, scoring goals and giving assists and giving all I’ve got. That’s what makes me happy.
“The work rate is different as well. They don’t really work hard In Turkey.
“When you train hard and don’t get a chance or you only play for five or ten minutes, your mentality starts to come down and you just pick up the pay cheque.
“The biggest difference is they are not very, very professional like here.
“If they play they are happy, but if they don’t play they are happy as well. I don’t like this.
“Life was nice outside football as well because it’s a beautiful country. After training you could go to the beach and jet ski, get some sun and relax.” There will be no relaxing on Neilson’s watch until the four wins
Hearts need to secure promotion are in the bag.
Gnanduillet is looking forward to a reunion with an old friend.
He said: “I’m friends with Clevid Dikamona at Kilmarnock so I talk with him as well. We were together in Le Havre.
“He knows if I play against him I will score! The first time I played against him, I lost but the next time we won 3-2.”
Arbroath defender Jason Thomson insists the game is not a ‘free hit’ for the Gayfield men.
The former Jambo said: “Hearts are well clear so we’re not expected to win.
“You cannot think this a ‘free hit’ for us, and anything is a bonus.
“There are only seven games to go and with where we are at, we’ll be trying to get a result.”