It’s time for Sean to shine

Craig Levein reckons Sean Clare will kick on at Hearts after a tough education about life in Scotland.

The former Sheff ield Wednesday kid faced a steep learning curve in his first season at Tynecastle.

The 22-year-old arrived in the capital amid much fanfare after the Jambos fought off competition from a host of rivals to seal a £170,000 deal.

But he struggled to adapt to the frantic nature of Scottish football and found himself either shunted out to the f lank or utilised behind the striker.

The Hearts manager reckons Clare is ready for a fresh start in a deeper position following his baptism of fire last term.

Levein said: “Sean understands the game more than he did when he arrived. Every league has its own idiosyncrasies. You always have to understand what’s important.

“Sean took a long time last season to understand that the ball changes hands more in Scotland.

“The game up here becomes more about anticipation and reading second-ball situations.

“We had conversations about it and I have noticed in our pre-season matches already that Sean is much sharper.

“I always planned to play him in central midfield Now he understands and has an awful lot to offer.”

Clare was left playing catch-up from the outset as he was recovering from foot surgery when he joined Hearts.

He didn’t make his first start for the club until a 0- 0 draw against Hibs on October 31.

Levein said: “Sean didn’t have a pre-season – that didn’t help his mental sharpness. It’s different now because he knows what is required.”