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McGlynn praises player focus

Hearts boss John McGlynn is thankful that the wage issue at Tynecastle will not distract his players heading into a hectic Christmas period.

Last Updated: 16/12/12 at 13:58 Post Comment   

John McGlynn: Hopes that off-field problems won't affect players

John McGlynn: Hopes that off-field problems won't affect players

Twice he saw his side take the lead on Saturday, but ultimately had to settle for a point in an open and entertaining SPL encounter with St Johnstone in Perth.

While the overall bleak financial picture at Hearts continues to loom over the club like a dark cloud, for the meantime the bills have been paid and it's allowing the players to concentrate on their football.

"Everyone's got their wages, they are all up to date." McGlynn said after the match.

"To be fair to the players they have been tremendous, they took that wage deferral and they've all just been getting on with it.

"However, it does help that in the run up to Christmas that they got their wages on time, with young families to look after.

"It's better from my point of view that I don't have to worry about where their heads are with regards to being paid. Everything is perfect."

McGlynn's side certainly made the perfect start in Perth, taking the lead through a John Sutton header 14 minutes in. The visitors had looked lively prior to the goal with Sutton and Gordon Smith impressing again as the two man strikeforce.

Another beneficiary of the switch in system to a 4-4-2 is Andrew Driver.

The left-midfielder restored Hearts' lead - sweeping home from close range following a Sutton flick-on - after a defensive error from Marius Zaliukas had allowed Rowan Vine to level the scores.

Driver said: "As a wide man it gives you more options up the park and I like having the security that, if you're under pressure, then you can knock the ball into the channels.

"I like playing in it, and hopefully if we keep the results going then we can keep playing that system.

"It was a pretty end to end game. Their attackers gave our defence a torrid time, but I think on the whole the 2-2 draw was a fair result."

One of the St Johnstone attackers who continued to impress was striker Steven MacLean. He and Vine both linked up well with their supporting players as the hosts became increasingly dominant at the attacking end the longer the match went on.

MacLean got the goal that earned his side the point - the striker could not miss after Murray Davidson resisted the temptation to go for goal and squared the ball for his team-mate.

However, MacLean felt unfortunate not to grab the winner as well.

He said: "I travel with him [Davidson] to games, so it was about time he laid on a goal for me.

"I'm forever towing him about so he owed me one. I've been on at him for weeks to provide for me.

"When (Gregory) Tade went through on the goalkeeper, the ball came to me and I think it ricocheted off my shin. It was going in until Ryan McGowan came from nowhere and cleared it off the line.

"That's just our luck of late. We just need to keep doing the right things and there's a team going to come here soon and get a right battering."

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