Hearts boss Robbie Neilson insists he will not rush Garang Kuol's development and admits it will 'take time' for the Newcastle United loanee to become a regular starter. The former A-League wonderkid has so far made just one start for the Scottish Premiership since joining on loan in January.
Newcastle confirmed the signing of Kuol in September last year, and the young forward went on to earn a wildcard pick in the World Cup squad for Australia. The 18-year-old came off the bench twice for the Socceroos in Qatar, and then made a handful of appearances for Central Coast Mariners before making the move to St James' Park.
The Magpies fielded loan enquiries from a number of clubs for the January signing, with the teenager himself ultimately deciding to swap Tyneside for Tynecastle. Kuol made his full debut against Rangers earlier this month, with three further appearances coming as a substitute.
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Neilson was quizzed over the club's strategy with Kuol and fellow mid-season recruit Yutaro Oda, who had been playing in Japan until the end of 2022. The former MK Dons boss has stressed patience when it comes to their introductions to the team, citing their lack of experience in the Scottish top-flight.
He told Edinburgh Evening News: “He [Oda] is in a different continent in a different culture playing a different style of football. We have an interpreter getting the language across to him so that he understands what we are trying to do.
"It's going to take time. He just needs to take his 20 minutes here and 30 minutes there. It's the same with Garang. He is a young kid so there are certain games he will start and others when he will come on. It's about development for both of them.”
Kuol was an unused substitute in the Scottish Cup victory over Hamilton on Friday night, with fellow Magpies prospects Lucas De Bolle and Dylan Stephenson featuring for Academicals. Neilson believes the circumstances of the blood and thunder tie could have actually proven detrimental to the Newcastle loanee's development.
The Hearts boss added: “We just played a Scottish Cup tie on a Friday night on astroturf, it was bucketing down with rain, a 200-miles-an-hour game. You can actually end up hindering young players like that by putting them into those situations."
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