Liam Boyce reveals his Hearts European demons - 'that's what I want more than anything now'

Asserting that there is nothing like European nights under the lights, even when watching from the sidelines, Hearts striker Liam Boyce is hoping he can play a more integral role this season.

Liam Boyce was given another late cameo for Hearts in the 0-0 draw against Kilmarnock.

The Northern Ireland international was a frustrated observer as the Gorgie club sampled Europa Conference Leagye group stage football last term, stuck in the stands recuperating from a cruciate injury, while his squad mates had home and away ties against eventual finalists Fiorentina, Istanbul Basaksehir and RFS. But it is not just those missed games that are playing on his mind – it is also the missed header in last season’s Europa League play-off and the subsequent missed opportunity for the club to progress in the loftier competition.

Now, though, the 32-year-old striker is on the road back to full fitness – picking up minutes in the club’s first three competitive outings thus far this season – and he has some wrongs to right. “One hundred per cent, that’s what I missed last year,” Boyce said after coming on as a sub against Kilmarnock. “We won two games out of the six but every game you could feel the atmosphere build all day and in the night time games – that's my favourite time to play – the atmosphere was unbelievable. We will need that again to help us through.”

Trailing Rosenborg 2-1 from the first leg of the Europa Conference League third qualifying round, he believes the team are capable of turning that around and ensuring another prolonged interest in Europe thanks to a spot in the group stage. “That's what I want more than anything now,” said Boyce. “For me that was the hardest thing about last year. When you’re watching the league games you know that you’re ages away. But you don't get the chance to play in European group stages that much so we need to realise what an opportunity it is. I definitely want to get back in because I didn't get the chance last year.”

Boyce says he is still haunted by this miss against FC Zurich in last year's Europa League play-off match.

He would also like the chance to exorcise the ghost of the headed opportunity he passed up against FC Zurich, prior to picking up his injury. That was in the Europa League play-off round and, like this week, the Tynecastle side were hoping to make the most of home advantage to overhaul a 2-1 deficit. “I missed a header,” recalled Boyce, “but if we had gone 1-0 up I think we would have battered them so we need that same start and that same positive energy going into the game, and we need to get forward and cause them problems because once you get chances you can hear the roar coming and that just keeps you going, and going, and going. If I get another header, hopefully I will score it this year.”

Recognising the value of a packed Tynecastle for the Hearts players, he doesn’t necessarily think it will unsettle the visitors. But he does believe the team are capable of doing that now that they have sussed out their rivals. “I’m very confident,” he said. “We know we have a good squad and if anything last year we were conceding sloppy goals and that’s what was costing us games. But the positive we can take from [the Kilmarnock] game is that we defended really well.

“Even a big tackle or something like that gets everyone going and that’s the moments you love because you hear the fans and that gives you an extra boost. We just need a lot of those moments and need to make sure we get into the right areas to take advantage.

"I do think that the crowd will give us a boost but [Rosenborg] will be used to it. They are a big club and they've played in the Champions League before. In the first game they were really well drilled and that surprised us in the first half, and how quick they were on the counter-attack. Any time we gave the ball away they were three on two and we were running back towards our own goal.

“We are now more aware of that and that is probably what they will come and try to do because they were good at it. The onus is on us to go and win the game – they don’t have to – so we know what we will have to do.”

The late contribution from Lawrence Shankland in the Lerkendal Stadium last week has aided Hearts and given them momentum going into this Thursday’s match. It has also rendered the task more achievable in the minds of those involved. “That was a massive moment,” said Boyce. “If you’re two goals behind and if you are coming home, you are still confident going into the game and still believe that you can get something but to just be one goal down is a massive difference. Towards the end of the game we had figured them out a wee bit and we were causing them problems as well so that is another positive. We seemed to adapt more and figured out their weaknesses and hopefully we can do that sooner in the games from now on.”

Admitting to impatience as he nears a complete return, Boyce managed to get on for the final six minutes in that head-to-head – it was the same in the opening league match against St Johnstone – but cranked things up a level with 31 minutes against Kilmarnock on Sunday. On each occasion he has made a positive impact and he would love to do so again on Thursday. “You sometimes feel like you are further ahead than you actually are and it’s only the last five days or week or so in training that I have started to feel like myself. I want to play 90 minutes but it’s not as easy as that. I know I just have to be patient but when I get the chance I will help the team in any way I can.”