Jamie McCart has been forced to sit on the sidelines while Hearts have continued their fine form, but he could play a key role in Sunday’s key clash with champions Celtic at Tynecastle (15.00).
The 28-year-old defender, who made his first start of the season in the 1-0 win at Dundee, confirmed he was fit and ready to go if required and he told the media that the club have suffered what he called “an unfortunate week”.
Cammy Devlin and Lawrence Shankland are both out for around two months and said that was “terrible” news for the two of them, both “massive personalities” in the dressing-room. You want them around the place, he added, and they have continued to play their part in keeping spirits up post their Scottish Cup exit.
McCart argued that injuries happen in football and that is part of the reason the Men in Maroon have a big squad. Other players have been waiting for a chance come in to take the opportunity. He is one of them, eager to make his mark.
The squad, he said, have shown throughout the season that they are tight-knit and a strong group, even when results have not gone their way.
Changes could be required for Sunday, with players not appearing in their regular slots. In fact, McCart could be drafted in at left-back and he declared: “Anywhere you get asked to player you would happily do it.”
Hearts, of course, will also be minus influential midfield player, Beni Beningime, on Sunday and McCart, a former Celtic player, who has also appeared for Inverness Caley Thistle, Alloa Athletic, St Johnstone and St Mirren, said you could underplay the importance of the game against The Hoops.
However, he added that Hearts have already travelled to Parkhead and earned a “brilliant result”. They also played The Hoops at Tynecastle and recorded another “brilliant result”.
McCart (pictured at a media briefing by Nigel Duncan), who joined the Jambos in January 2025 from Rotherham United on a deal until 2029, said it would be naive to underplay Sunday’s fixture, but added: “We have to focus and take it as another game.”
Looking back, the penalty shots defeat by Falkirk at Tynecastle last Saturday in the Scottish Gas, Scottish Cup fourth round was a blow, but McCart, who won the League Cup and Scottish Cup with St Johnstone in the 2020-2021 season, added: “The Scottish Cup is something you want to be a part off, and winning the Scottish cup is brilliant, and for a club like Hearts it is massive.
“It was a disappointing result, but if you want to be a good team, and a consistently good team, you have to bounce back.”
Hearts now have 16 games in which to win the Premiership and McCart said: “The manager stressed, and we all feel as players, the position we are in, you generally have to think one game at a time. Anybody in the league can beat anyone so, if you take your mind off at all it at all, it can come back to bite you.”
