Hearts: Darren's raising the Barr to return to past career highs

Moving to Hearts last summer did not bring the development the defender hoped for. Injury has punctuated his debut season, leaving him with only 11 first-team appearances to date, the last being in December. He has dropped out of the international pool and will effectively find himself starting afresh when pre-season training begins this summer.

Barr, 26, has recovered following a hernia operation last month and hopes to impose himself in Jim Jefferies' team before the season finishes. He could be involved at Kilmarnock this afternoon after a midweek outing in a bounce game.

If he is to establish himself at Tynecastle, it may be in a position other than his favoured centre-back role.

"The gaffer's said to me he likes me as a right-back," explained Barr. "Wherever I can get in the team I'm happy to play, but I like playing centre-half as well. I just want to get myself back in the squad more than anything.

"He said he'd like me later on as a centre-half as well. To be fair, there's a good few defenders determined to get into the team. He knows where I play and he knows what I can do.

"The defenders here are top quality. I've played against Hearts a few times and you just want to aspire to that. I'm 26 now and just want to kick on with my own career. Here's hoping I can stay injury-free and kick on."

International aspirations, understandably, remain on the back burner for now. Barr's class shone through as captain of Falkirk during their SPL days but, after finding himself on the periphery at Hearts, the priority is proving his worth at club level.

"That (Scotland] is a long way away," he said. "I just want to get back in the team so it's not even in my thoughts. I just need to get myself back doing what I was doing. There are two weeks left so if I can get myself back training more and this niggling injury goes, I can be sniffing about.

"It's been a bit frustrating for me. I had a hernia and it's been niggling at me but I had a game the other day. I had a slow start (to the season] then the boys did really well. It's gone on longer than I expected.

"You've seen the size of the squad this season. Boys who have come in have done really well and we've got some wins, so that shows you the depth and quality of the squad."

The last few months have taught him a few valuable lessons, too. "Patience more than anything in a big squad. I'm trying to get more determined as well," said Barr. "I saw a lot of great players at Falkirk, like Russell (Latapy]. At the same time, there's a lot more pressure here to win. That's a good thing and this is a good club."

Lighter moments have been difficult to come by for Barr. Whilst his colleagues were embarking upon an 11-game unbeaten league run, he was either sitting on the bench, in the stand or holed up in the Riccarton treatment room.

His glum face was mirrored by that of Kevin Kyle, another player who has not had injury problems to seek of late. Both players provided a form of therapy for one another whilst travelling to training together each day.

"We've had similar problems. I'm his taxi service and he's been a nightmare," said Barr. "When things have been down that way, you pick each other up. It's frustrating, especially for the big man. He was flying so hopefully he can get himself back fit for next season."

If Barr can join him, it would offer a welcome chance to kick-start his Hearts career a year later than he intended.