Sabah Kerjota admitted that last season was a difficult one as he was on the fringes of the team which came within minutes of landing the William Hill Premiership.
The Albanian winger has, however, begun to make his mark under new head coach, Wouter Vrancken, and he repaid that faith with the game-winner deep into injury time against Dundee at Tynecastle on Sunday.
It was a magic moment for the player who wheeled away from goal and ripped off his shirt to celebrate his first goal for the Men in Maroon.
The memorable strike came after he received the ball on the edge of the Dundee box from a corner on the right, and there was only one thing in his mind, go for goal.
It was an opportunity to score and he did just that with a low, left-foot shot and the player said it was “a great feeling” when the ball went through a packed penalty box and a diving goalkeeper to hit the back of the net.
Minutes later, he was again centre stage, this time in front of the media deep underneath the main stand at Tynecastle.
He explained: “The last year was a bit difficult, but this year we are another team, another coach and a different type of play. This year we can play more with the ball.
“The coach (Vrancken) wants us to be one v one, try to find spaces to do what the wingers have to do. Last year was a physical team.”
Now, the player, who arrived in Gorgie from the fourth division in Italy, is getting more game time and the 25-year-old said: “It is difficult for a winger when you do not play and you don’t score. When you play you get more chances to score.
“I have nothing to say about another year because it was a great team and they lost the title in the last minutes. It was difficult for me but, for the team, it was a great year.”
Having either Jordi Altena or Christian Borchgrevink behind him on the pitch, he argued is good as, according to Kerjota, “they know how to attack” and they leave spaces.
Vrancken did not give Kerjota any specific instructions when he was introduced as a second-half substitute for Calvin Miller, but the coach said well done to the player as the 18,000 crowd left their seats and headed home.
Now he is refocusing and Kerjota is thinking ahead to the Premier Sports Cup, quarter-final clash, at Stenhousemuir, who lead the Championship, on Friday (19.45).
He said: “We are showing we are a good team, we just (need) to keep going. We try to do our best every game, and we just think about the next game.”
FOCUS: Sabah Kerjota (second left) listens to a team talk during training. Picture Nigel Duncan
