David Obua toughs it out to help Hearts cause

DAVID OBUA believes he has acclimatised to the physical demands of Scottish football after devoting extra time to gym sessions at Hearts' Riccarton training complex.

The Ugandan internationalist admitted he took time to become accustomed to the aggression involved in the SPL after arriving at Tynecastle from the South African club Kaizer Chiefs in 2008.

Now, after honing his body in additional gym sessions after training, Obua believes he is much better equipped to deal with rigorous Scottish opponents.

"Over here the matches are a lot more aggressive. I had to quickly get used to the extra gym work and the physical demands, but I'm used to it now after three seasons," he explained, adding that his winning goal at Easter Road last season laid bare the passion of fans in this country.

"We won 2-1 and I got the winner in the last minute. The fans threw stones at our bus. It was crazy," he said.

Obua's long-term future at Hearts remains uncertain as he has struggled to hold down a regular first-team place this season.