Hearts: Patience is the watchword for luckless Craig Thomson

IMPATIENCE is often a hindrance to the development of young footballers, particularly those returning from serious injury. Hearts teenager Craig Thomson, therefore, is an exception to the rule.

• Craig Thomson is working his way back to fitness

Since damaging cartilage in his left knee during December's victory over Celtic, he has done everything by the book of physio Rob Marshall and the Riccarton medical staff. No chances taken, no corners cut.

Many in Thomson's predicament would take it upon themselves to accelerate their first-team return. His debut season at first-team level had gone swimmingly until the injury, but the full-back has tempered his enthusiasm for his own benefit.

A knee operation was deemed essential, causing him to miss Hearts' most consistent run of league form this season under former manager Csaba Laszlo. He has yet to play, or train, under new incumbent Jim Jefferies and had to handle the frustration of watching from the sidelines as his club was eliminated from the Co-operative Cup by St Mirren on Tuesday night.

He will spend the remainder of February completing his rehabilitation before attempting a first-team comeback early next month. Everything is on schedule and Thomson has no intentions of jumping the gun as he nears the end of a long and arduous journey.

"I knew I'd be out for seven or eight weeks in total after the operation," he told the Evening News. "You have to just take it easy to start with, because if you try to rush back it can just happen again. I'm trying to strengthen the muscles back up in my left leg because I haven't been using it. My quad muscle has shrunk so I need to build that up.

"We're taking it week by week at the moment. I'm hoping to be running in a week or two, then I'll try and kick on from there. I want to be back playing in early March.

"I've had the stitches out so we're starting to up the tempo now. I've been doing weights and trying to strengthen the leg, but I still have to take it easy to an extent and try to ease myself in gently. I want back in the team as soon as possible but I can't afford to take any risks."

It was to Thomson's surprise that scans revealed damaged cartilage in the aftermath of the Celtic match. The player's feeling was that he had a mere "niggle" which would subside in the following days. "I didn't think the injury was as bad," he continued. "It didn't feel so bad, but it just shows you that if you have an injury you have to say if you're feeling something. It was just a niggle at the time but the next morning I couldn't walk. It eased off and I felt a lot better but the scan results came back and showed I needed an operation. The physio advised me to get the operation straight away, so I took that advice."

Such maturity should increase the chances of a straightforward comeback for a player who has effected a seamless graduation from youth academy to first-team this season. Thomson's elevation came quicker than expected following the departure of former Hearts captain Robbie Neilson to Leicester City on freedom of contract. His performances earned him rave reviews and man-of-the-match awards, thus ensuring dropping out was all the harder to bear.

In his absence Hearts tried several potential deputies at right-back, including Ismael Bouzid, Marius Cinikas and the most competent challenger, Jason Thomson, pictured. Bouzid is far more at ease in central defence, while the less said about Cinikas' credentials the better.

But the most galling aspect for Thomson was the fact Hearts embarked upon a seven-match unbeaten league run without him.

"A few of my pals said they were glad I wasn't not playing because of the good results. They were just having a laugh because the team was doing really well," he said. "We'd picked up results and climbed up the table. It looked like I'd dropped out and they instantly started doing well. It was just upsetting that I wasn't in the team when they were winning.

"It can just be your luck with injuries and operations, though. Sometimes rest can be enough. Scott Robinson has played a lot of games but it was a tackle that injured him. Even the older players need to take a rest because Ruben Palazuelos hurt his knee recently too. I was going well at the time I got injured. We beat Celtic 2-1 at Tynecastle. It was really gutting getting injured at that point but I've got plenty time to come back." For such a determined and committed player, there is no fear in starting from the back of the queue and attempting to dislodge those already in the team.

"Both Jason and Ismael have done well at right-back, and Marius Cinikas filled in at times as well," said Thomson. "Jason has always been good competition for me but I'm hoping to get my position back once I'm fit. I'm only 18 so I'll just take it easy with the comeback and listen to the physios."

For Craig Thomson, patience is indeed a virtue.