BRIGHT FUTURE

Seagulls loanee Alex knows Hearts won’t be only suitors if he keeps matching Souttar’s standards

ALEX COCHRANE insists a loan switch to Hearts has taken his game up a level with standards setter John Souttar driving him on.

Now the midfielder is desperate to bag a deal for next season and reckons the Premiership is the perfect shop window to do just that.

Whether it’s with Robbie Neilson’s outfit, parent club Brighton or elsewhere, the 21-year-old knows his hopes of winning a contract will be boosted if he can impress in the Jambos’ push for third place plus Scottish Cup glory.

Cochrane is nearing the end of a year-long loan in Gorgie from the Amex, where his deal is up in June.

He hasn’t ruled out extending his stay and Tynecastle chiefs are understood to be keen on handing the England Under-20 cap a permanent deal. But Cochrane, who admits he was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the Premiership when he arrived, is focused on improving his game next to the inspirational force of soonto-depart Souttar. He said: “In terms of a contract, there’s nothing I’ve heard of at the moment. I’m sure at the end of the season there might be something. “It’s 100 per cent about putting myself in the shop window. I want to play as many games as I can.

“I will push hard in training, work on my game a bit more and hopefully that will come.

“I’ve played more than what I expected and put in performances that I have been happy with. Some games I’ve had to learn from but that’s football.

“Stephen Kingsley talks me through the game and then after it we speak about things we could’ve done differently.

“He’s definitely someone who’s helped me improve.

“John also sets the standards and knows what it means to be at this club. He sets the standards high, so you have to keep up with him.

“The Motherwell game was one where I sat down and thought, ‘I need to learn from

this and be more assertive with my performance without the ball as well’.

“I felt I got sucked into the way they played. I tried to have a physical battle with players who were stronger and more street smart. It’s definitely been a surprise for me but it’s been one I’ve enjoyed from the start.

“Now I’ve seen the quality we’ve got in the changing room, I’m not surprised where we are sitting because we have a good, strong squad that is hungry and wants to do well in the league and the Cup.

“Hopefully we can kick on, secure third and get a good cup run. There’s been nothing from Brighton. I check in with David Weir, the player pathway manager, every so often.

“He’s been happy with the progress. I’m confident in my ability to get a deal somewhere.”

Cochrane has made 27 appearances and scored three goals from left wing-back since arriving from the Seagulls.

With 12 games to go, Hearts are 10 points clear in the race for third. A win at St Johnstone – provided the game passes a 10am pitch inspection – would further bolster their Euro bid.

But Cochrane and Co only need to look back a fortnight to the miserable home defeat by Dundee for a warning.

He added: “We definitely learned from that game. It’s going to be a tough game but we’ll hopefully get the win.

“The performances haven’t quite been there but we’re still in a good position in the Cup and the league. We need to push on for the rest of the season.

“We’re not thinking that complacency will set in at all. We know it’s going to be hard and we have to keep pushing for every single point because they are going to be vital.”