Beni Baningime spent the majority of last season in a Hearts team that would have been among the favourites to lift any 5-a-side title across Scotland.
The only problem was that quintet of Jam Tarts were holed up in the treatment room rather than on the pitch as the Tynecastle club lost their grip on third place. Baningime, Liam Boyce, Craig Halkett, skipper Craig Gordon and Gary Mackay-Steven were never to be seen after Christmas with the former Everton playmaker himself not having kicked a competitive football since March 2022 after suffering a devastating ACL tear in his first season at Tynecastle.
One by one the Jambo crocks are returning though with Baningime and Boyce back in full training ahead of the squad flying out to Marbella for their warm weather pre-season boot camp today. And with Halkett not too far behind, the Congolese playmaker reckons the Jambos will soon be back in good shape to not only put the turmoil of the last few months behind them. But to prove that they really are the third force in Scotland.
Aberdeen may have won the the £5m Euro group stage golden ticket by finishing best of the rest behind the Old Firm as Hearts’ form went off the edge of a cliff in March and April. And the Dons have moved quickly to strengthen with five additions in the summer transfer window as opposed to Hearts who have yet to secure a single signing.
But Baningime reckons the Jambos will still be in a stronger position once the crocks return - with a hunger to make up for lost time fuelling his own ambitions under new bosses Frankie McAvoy and Steven Naismith assisted by Gordon Forrest.
He said: “That five with me, Boycey, Skip, Halks and Gary Mackay-Steven is a crazy team! A few seasons ago that was a group of players that were starting the majority of the games.
“We’ve been a big miss, no doubt about it. It’s good now that one by one we are starting to come back.
“I’m an ambitious guy. The table doesn’t say we’re the third best team in Scotland. But if you look at the team and the number of players we were missing through the majority season and who can come back in and make a difference then I believe we will get third again.
“That’s the aim and hopefully we can achieve it. Fans should be excited because Boycey’s back, I’m back and there’s a few more players who are internationals that are coming back. We’ve all got that drive and determination to get back to third.
“Steven Naismith, Frankie McAvoy and Gordy Forrest - the three of them have been great. The way we play, very exciting, forward pressure. It’s a little bit different from when I was back fit with the old gaffer. But those three can take us to the next level."
Losing their grip on third means Hearts will have to go through qualifiers if they’re to enjoy a repeat of their Conference League group stage exploits last season.
They’ll enter at the third qualifying round stage - on August 10 and 17 - with Baningime hopeful he will be back pulling strings in the midfield by that point.
It’s six years since his only Euro experience saw the former Everton ace learn a lesson from the likes of Nabil Fakir and Memphis Depay when he was thrust into Europa League games against Lyon, Atalanta and Appollon Limassol as a fresh-faced teenager.
But he’s desperate to get back onto that stage having had to watch the Jambos’ clashes with Fiorentina and Istanbul Basaksehir from the sidelines last season.
He said: “That Everton experience was great. I believe I can play at that level. You have to work hard for it. But being at this club gives me the opportunity to go and play at that level - the Conference League or higher is where you want to be.
“There’s really big teams there but we will try our very best to get back into the groups. Even when we play Celtic and Rangers - great teams with great players - if you have fear then you have no chance. Hopefully we can qualify for the groups again.”
Hopes Baningime might return after the winter World Cup were dashed as his knee refused to keep up with early rehab timelines. But with the support of Boyce and former Jambo John Souttar, both of whom have suffered ACL injuries, he got through his darkest days. And he said: “World Cup time was the plan but my knee just wasn’t functioning.
“It was taking a long time. With these injuries if you’re not right then you just can’t come back because you’re just making it worse and you’ll end up back in surgery.
“When Boycey did his first one it was quick as he was back in six months. But he told me sometimes you get lucky and your knee functions and you’re back as if nothing happened but other times it takes a while. I know John Souttar was 15 months as well. That’s a long time. It just depends on your body.
“But it’s good. Me and Boycey are back and just being eased back in. But yeah, I think I’m back.”
