McGlynn: Hearts youngsters are in a hurry under Murray

Published on Thursday 6 March 2008 09:33

JOHN McGLYNN knows the youth set-up at Hearts better than most, having spent over a decade with the club.

However, he insisted today that the credit for the conveyor belt of talent currently emerging from Tynecastle must go to unsung hero John Murray.

No fewer than six players who came through the ranks at Tynecastle under Murray and McGlynn were in the starting line-up for last weekend's 3-0 win over Inverness.

It was a convincing victory over the Highland outfit – and a sure sign that the youth set-up at the club is in fine working order.

Despite talk of the number of foreign players currently on the books in Gorgie, Robbie Neilson, Lee Wallace, Christophe Berra, Eggert Jonsson, Andrew Driver and Calum Elliot all played a key role in the 3-0 victory against Craig Brewster's side.

Academy director Murray has worked with the Gorgie club for 13 years and, in that time, has brought a host of rising stars through the system and Raith Rovers boss McGlynn knows no-one will have had more pride when looking at the team sheet at the Caledonian Stadium than his former colleague.

McGlynn said: "Obviously I know almost everyone who has come through the youth ranks at Tynecastle over the last ten years or so, and I still have a good relationship with Stephen Frail, John Murray and Darren Murray.

"And a lot of credit has to go to John Murray in particular for the work that he has done on the youth set-up.

"It was fantastic to see so many of the boys who came through the ranks in the side which beat Inverness at the weekend – and I think John would have been very proud to see so many of the products of the youth set-up involved.

"If you look at the starting line-up, there were six of them – Eggert Jonsson, Christophe Berra, Lee Wallace, Andrew Driver, Calum Elliot and Robbie Neilson.

"Until recently, they also had Craig Gordon in their side, he's Scotland's No.1 goalkeeper and they sold him on for 9million.

"That's a great return from your youth system, no matter who you are. In fact, I don't think there will be many teams in the country who could say the same thing."

And McGlynn believes that Wallace is certain to go on and establish himself as one of the mainstays of the Gorgie side's starting XI over the coming seasons.

He has seen the young Edinburgh-born defender flourish over the last couple of seasons and believes that only the signing of Greek left-back Takis Fyssas slowed his progression down, adding: "John Robertson gave Lee his first chance in the side and he took it with both hands.

"Unfortunately, for him Takis Fyssas came in, which was great for the club to have someone with his experience on their books, but it meant that things kind of slowed down for Lee for a little while.

"But in my opinion, he was always going to break back into the team and I think he will make that position his own. He's not a one-footed player either, though, and he is very athletic, he has really developed in the last year or two.

"He's a great player to have in your team because you know that he will always give you 100 per cent."

McGlynn left Tynecastle in November 2006 to become manager of Raith and the Stark's Park side are in action against Peterhead this weekend hoping to make it two wins in a row after a disappointing spell which saw them lose four on the bounce.

The Rovers manager will be missing Marvin Andrews, who is again troubled by the knee injury which threatened his career while with Rangers, and on-loan Hearts striker David Templeton. The youngster took a heavy knock on his thigh during last week's game against Alloa and is expected to be ruled out for at least the next fortnight.

However, the frontman, who was farmed out to Fife in January, has netted three goals in eight games for the Kirkcaldy outfit and McGlynn has been delighted with his contribution.

"David has got good technique and ability and he has done a good job for us so far," said McGlynn.

"He has only really played a handful of games for us so far but he has scored three goals in that time, so that's not a bad ratio by anyone's standards. "He's done very well and, obviously, it has given him a taste of first-team football and he knows that the results mean a lot to everyone at Raith Rovers."

A win this weekend would see Rovers stretch their lead over fourth-placed Peterhead to eight points and strengthen their position for a First Division play-off place.

After a disappointing run of four defeats, they got back to winning ways with a 3-2 win over Cowdenbeath last weekend and McGlynn continued: "We went through a bit of a sticky spell last month when we lost four in a row.

"That's the first time that has happened since I have been in the club and hopefully that's the end of it.

"We got the victory last weekend and winning breeds confidence and, if we take the three points this Saturday, it would help us extend the five-point gap we currently have over Peterhead, although they have been playing well lately.

"Hopefully, no-one will remember those four defeats come the end of the season and we will be celebrating promotion to the First Division."