Hearts hoping Ghana don't ask too much of Kingston

Published on Thursday 20 March 2008 09:39

HEARTS will ask the Ghanaian FA to tread carefully with Larry Kingston next week after the midfielder was summoned to London for an international friendly against Mexico.

Ghana coach Claude le Roy has named Kingston in his 18-man squad for the match at Fulham's Craven Cottage next Wednesday despite the player having gone six weeks without action.

Kingston's last match was his country's African Nations Cup quarter-final victory over Nigeria on February 3. He sustained a foot injury during the game and only returned to full training with his club earlier this week.

Nonetheless, Le Roy is determined to involve the 27-year-old against Mexico, which is causing concern amongst Stephen Frail and the Hearts coaching staff at Riccarton.

Kingston remains touch and go for Saturday's vital SPL fixture against Falkirk and, should he fail to play, would then face the prospect of being asked to play international football without any exposure at club level.

"We'll be in touch with the Ghanaian FA and we'll send documents down with Larry to say he hasn't played since the African Nations Cup. We would ask them to respect that," Frail told the Evening News today.

"If he goes, we want him back in one piece and ready for the next Hearts game. There's not a lot we can do about his international commitments, as long as he comes through unscathed."

Kingston is in contention to play against Falkirk in what would be his first Hearts outing since December last year. The club consider the player vital to their end-of-season run-in and have been slowly nursing him through a rehabilitation programme.

"His injury is coming on although Saturday might just come too soon for him," conceded Frail. "We aren't ruling him out but there will come a point where we have to make the decision." Le Roy views the Mexico friendly as an important part of Ghana's preparations for upcoming World Cup qualifiers, hence the inclusion of Kingston and other stars such as Chelsea's Michael Essien.

"There is no longer a term as friendly in our dictionary," said the Frenchman. "We consider every game very important and if you know Mexico's worth and strength, then you would not want to say it is just another friendly."

Dundee United's Prince Buaben has earned a maiden call-up to the Ghana squad, with Le Roy adding: "It is always important to give new players a chance to prove to all that the door is always open but the ideal way is not to change the team entirely.

"It is only in such games that the levels of new players can be checked and tried for future assignments."