Paterson will return ‘better and stronger’ from cruel injury blow

● Hamilton says team-mate has fortitude to bounce back from knee ligament damage and insists Hearts can cope without him

HEARTS

V ABERDEEN

Jack Hamilton has been alongside Callum Paterson on a journey from Hearts’ under-15 side to full Scotland recognition, marvelling at his pace, power and goalscoring prowess every step of the way.

So, the goalkeeper is speaking from a position of knowledge when he asserts that Paterson has the character and fortitude to return “better and stronger” from the crushing injury set-back that has – temporarily, at least – derailed a burgeoning career.

When it was confirmed that the marauding full-back was destined for ten months on the sidelines after sustaining knee ligament damage against Kilmarnock, Hamilton felt his team-mate’s pain as acutely as anyone. The timing of Paterson’s injury was downright cruel, given he was expected to make a richly deserved move to the English Championship next month. His future is now shrouded in uncertainty as his contract expires in June, and he is not due to kick a ball in anger until October 2017.

Nevertheless, his character was summed up on Wednesday night when he tweeted “these things happen in life. I will be back”. That is a defiance Hamilton recognises.

“It’s a massive one for him, and it’s a massive blow for the team,” said Hamilton. “Everyone knows how good Callum is.

“There is nothing we can really say, it’s all about trying to keep him positive. I know it’s hard for Callum, but I know him well enough to be sure he’ll come back better and stronger – and mentally tougher too.

“There was a lot of talk about his future and that is something he will deal with. He was more focused on being here, he wasn’t really looking any further than that. He wasn’t looking at anything else until it actually happened.

“And he’s not going to let a knock like this put him back. He’ll be back. The situation would be difficult to deal with for anyone but Callum is a strong boy.”

Hamilton and Paterson first played together in the Hearts youth ranks and saw their simultaneous rise to prominence underlined when they roomed together on Scotland duty during the most recent World Cup qualifier against England.

Hamilton insists he has been a source of firepower since they were fresh-faced schoolboys, with Hearts now charged with defeating Aberdeen without the man who has scored ten goals from rightback this season. He believes, however, that Hearts will find a way to adjust as they embark on life without their talisman.

“I’ve been lucky to have come through the whole youth setup with Callum,” said Hamilton. “And he was always the same, always terrific. You could tell from under-15s how good a player he was going to be, he was so big and strong. 3 Jack Hamilton insists Hearts have other players who can fill the void left by Callum Paterson. He has kicked on from there and kept getting better.

“Callum is a massive asset to the team, from going and winning headers to scoring goals and giving the boys that wee bit of a lift. But we’ve got other players there who can hopefully step in and do a job just like Callum.

“We’ve got Liam Smith who can come in at right-back and he’s a terrific young player as well and plenty of boys who can chip in with goals.”

A win tonight would see Hearts leapfrog Aberdeen in third place on goal difference, ensuring they head into the upcoming winter break on a high as they seek to build momentum under new manager Ian Cathro.

Cathro stated this week that he was no fan of the hiatus, insisting he would rather see any scheduling shake-ups masterminded by the SPFL focus on ensuring players are afforded a more appropriate summer break.

Nevertheless, Hamilton hopes the fortnight without a fixture will prove invaluable as Cathro looks to get his ideas and philosophies across .

“We have to go into each game believing we can win, which we do. That’s no different against Aberdeen,” added Hamilton. “We’ve got a good squad, we just take things a game at a time and hopefully we will get positive results.

“After that, the break will be an important period. The manager has been terrific, and from when he first came in everything is clear, he lets you know what he wants and he seems really good. We should build a very good Hearts side under him.”

“He’s not going to let a knock like this put him back. He’ll be back. The situation would be difficult to deal with for anyone but Callum is a strong boy”