The winger made his return from a three-month injury lay-off late on under the lights at Tynecastle as his current side lost out 1-0 to Rangers. It’s Aberdeen at Pittodrie next up as the bid to get back to winning ways.
Barrie McKay has opened up on his Hearts injury journey and says he is ready to go against Aberdeen if called upon.
The winger made his return from a three-month injury lay-off late on under the lights at Tynecastle as his current side lost out 1-0 to Rangers. It was Philippe Clement’s third win over Steven Naismith in his short spell in Glasgow with Abdallah Sima the matchwinner. Results across the league meant the Jambos remained in third spot after a run of four wins on the trot before that narrow defeat in Gorgie.
McKay admits the rehabilitation process has at times been tough but having the likes of Craig Halkett and Liam Boyce around helped keep him positive and his spirits high. He’s been back on the training pitch and while he only got five minutes midweek it was ‘good’ to get back out on the turf in front of the supporters. He’s ready to go from the off if called upon by Naisy with under-fire Aberdeen at Pittodrie next up for the capital club.
He told the media: “No player wants to be injured. I believe that if I’m fit then I can help the team.
“It was important for me that I got myself right and when I was called upon again I was ready. We’ve taken our time with it and made sure everything has been done correctly, to the book.
“You just need to get on with it and it probably went quicker, the second time around to what I had in the summer.
“I had good people around me here and kept me positive. I had Craig Halkett, who was injured at the same time, and it’s not nice that you’re all injured but sometimes its nice to have people there with you.
“Everybody just tries to keep everybody positive. You’re going to have days you come in and you can’t be bothered but you need to get on with it and boys like Halks and Boycie will pull you through, and you’d like to think that you do the same for them if they’ve got the down days.
“You’re always going to have the frustrations. Every day you’re working you’re working towards the games at the weekend and we weren’t there for them.
“It’s been great getting back out on the train pitch as well with the lads, and to be back in a squad and getting on the pitch for a couple of minutes. It was good to get back out there.
“I’ve trained quite a bit. I still need to build it up. I got on the pitch on Wednesday but it was only five minutes.
“It’s probably a time where the squad is healthy, it’s not got as many injuries as we’ve had in the last wee while so it’s a chance for me to either build up or if the manager sees that I’m ready then I’m ready to start. That’s his call, a decision that’s up to him.”
Leave a Reply