Hearts could be in line for a triple boost ahead of their League Cup semi-final against Rangers on Sunday, according to interim boss Austin MacPhee [Heartsfc.co.uk].
The 40-year-old will take charge of the Edinburgh outfit following the sacking of Craig Levein earlier this week and he may be able to call upon ex-Rangers attacker Steven Naismith at Hampden as well as two others returning from injury.
“Steven [Naismith] trained today,” MacPhee told Heartsfc.co.uk. “Peter Haring did some training today. Jamie Walker did some training today. The rest of them were okay.”
“I felt good about the players today, in particular, the senior players. Michael [Smith], Glenn, Christophe, Steven, who play such a big role. Hopefully, they’ll do that on Sunday. [Steven] could participate.”
It’s remarkable timing for MacPhee that in his first game in charge he may be able to call on three key players who have been unavailable for the majority of the season.
Austrian midfielder Haring hasn’t played at all in 2019/20, and Jamie Walker came on as a substitute in midweek having previously not featured since August.
Naismith is the big one, though.
The 33-year-old is frequently booed by a section of the Rangers support who disagree with the manner in which he left the club back in 2012.
There’s no doubt he brings otherwise lacking quality and attacking threat to this Jambos squad, though.
The Scotland international netted 16 times last season, but injury problems have limited him to just three appearances so far in this.
If he does play, the Gers back four will certainly have more to think about.
As Steven Gerrard has maintained, though, if Rangers turn up and play the way we all know they can, they should have more than enough to make the final [RangersTV].
