If I was Robbie Neilson I’d have been waiting for Barrie McKay at the Oriam’s front door on Monday morning with freshly inked new terms in hand.
After reading his brilliant piece in the Sunday Mail , I’d be trying to get his signature on that bit of paper there and then!
To see Barrie saying he’s open to extending his stay at Hearts was superb.
And the fact he says he is playing with a freedom and enjoyment that he’s not had for a while is credit to Neilson and the coaching staff.
I can relate to what Barrie means when he explained he’s not finding it a chore. Every fan will think it must be great playing football every day for a living. They’re right to an extent.
But at the same time it’s a job, it can be a strain and sometimes it can really get to you. Especially if you’re in and out a team or don’t feel like your face fits.
The fact Barrie is enjoying his football again is a credit to everyone at Hearts.
His assists are bettered only by James Tavernier this season and he finally got off the mark with that sensational goal against Livingston too. But just generally he has been brilliant.
Longevity is lost in the game now. But if Barrie stays medium to long term in Gorgie then he has the chance to go down as a proper Jambos icon.
Hearts fans never forget players who were good for them, who helped bring success to the club.
That’s what Barrie has the chance to do. He can put himself in the Hearts history books if he keeps these levels of consistency up and if he can add some silverware too that would be the icing on the cake.
I’ve no doubt his displays will have caught the attention of other clubs. But the grass isn’t always greener and if you are enjoying playing where you are then more often than not it’s best to stay.
To this day I still regret leaving Hearts for Ipswich.
I’ve gone over it before in this column but it was the wrong decision, even though Ipswich were a great club playing at a really good level in the English Championship.
It just wasn’t a patch on what I had at Tynecastle and I was so lucky to get the chance to return.
If Hearts are to do anything consistently over the next three or four years then players like Barrie are pivotal to that.
It’s about having them signed on long-term contracts and then building around them.
You look at Liverpool – they have Jordan Henderson, Andy Robertson, Trent Alexander-Arnold – the nucleus of the team is always there.
Hearts have to do the same. And getting the likes of Craig Gordon, Craig Halkett, Stephen Kingsley and Michael Smith on new terms shows that’s exactly what they’re doing.
Adding McKay would really be a statement of intent.
On the park Hearts are approaching the biggest fortnight of their season. Games away to Ross County then the back-to-back derbies in the league and Scottish Cup semi mean it’s make or break time.
These are exactly the games you want to be involved in.
It’s hard not to get ahead of yourself as a supporter right now. It’s only right that the fans are allowed to dream of lifting the Scottish Cup.
Third place should be a canter but if they could go on and win the Scottish Cup too then I would be calling for a knighthood for Robbie!
I was critical of them at times last season but what they have produced this campaign has been outstanding.
Bearing in mind they have just come out the Championship then if they were to finish third and win the cup then they would go down as one of the greatest Hearts sides ever. It would be astonishing.
