Calem Nieuwenhof Q&A: Hearts role, settling in, Hibs excitement

Good timing to be back involved in the team with this game coming up?

Yeah for sure, happy I’ve got to play the last few games. Last couple of games have been good, we’ve got a couple of wins, we’re finding form at the right time and just trying to bring that into this big game, obviously.

 How long does it take to adjust to new surroundings?

I want to settle in as quickly as I can obviously but coming over it’s a big change coming from the other side of the world and moving out of home. But the coaching staff have put so much confidence in me and Naisy has said the whole way along  ‘we’ve signed you for a reason and obviously we will give you time to adjust’ and I couldn’t be more grateful for how they’ve backed me the past few weeks.

 What's the biggest change?

Probably the change in the game style. It’s so much (more) physical, such a quicker pace of football and especially the teams we’ve played so far are the teams that don’t want to play as much but just want to turn it into a physical battle so that’s definitely very different to back in Australia so that's been the biggest adjustment. 

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Have you been told it ramps up in the derby?

Yeah, I’m sure. I’m looking forward to it. 

What have people said to you about it?

All the boys have said it’s going to be a very fiery match. I think all derbies are going to be like that. I know the fans really get behind it and they’ll want us to go out there and do everything we can to get the three points at the end of the day. All the boys will feed off that and looking forward to the game. 

Can you draw on experience from playing in the A-League?

Back in Australia the derbies were my favourite games. We played a few last season and they always had the biggest crowd and had the most emotion in them and they were the most fiery. They’re the games you want to play in as a player and makes me really look forward to the game tomorrow. 

It's not just an Edinburgh derby but an Aussie derby?

 There’s heaps of Aussies in both teams so I’m sure that will just add to it.

Do you know their guys?

I know a few of the boys over in that team and I’ve played with a couple. I played with Adam Le Fondre back in Sydney and also Lewis Miller growing up, I played with him. We’re (Miller) kind of from the same area back in Australia, he was an age group above me but we’ve always been in and around the same sort of teams so I know him quite well. 

What's it like having all the Aussies from back home here? Do you have your own Whatsapp group?

 Not so much. Normally both of us keep pretty to ourselves, the Hearts boys keep a bit to themselves and Hibs boys keep to themselves as well. I know we’re all just going to go out there and put our best foot forward and try to win the games for our teams.

Lewis Miller got the call-up. How far away do you think you are from an Australia call-up?

I think, to be honest, I’m really focused on just putting my best foot forward in each game and I know that if I do play well and get some consistency over here then that'll put me in the best position to get a call-up eventually. I’m also still involved with the 23s and we’ve got a campaign to qualify for the Olympics which is another big goal of mine but for sure I just want to play as much as I can over here and hopefully keep putting in good performances and that will give me the best chance.

The good thing is that Graham Arnold will be watching because there are so many guys over here?

So many Aussie boys have come over and done super well and are involved with the national team now so I think that’s really helpful. 

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Are Hearts fans starting to see your best qualities in recent weeks?

Yeah, definitely. I feel I'm settling in a lot more recently. I've obviously played deeper in the last few games which is where I’m more naturally used to and more my position. I just want to keep playing week in week out and get as many minutes as I can. And with the team, we just want to get some consistency and we know that if we find some form then we will start climbing the ladder. 

Is it nice to have Cammy Devlin alongside you so he can do your running?

 Yeah, exactly. I think we complement each other pretty well”

Have you settled in Edinburgh?

That too, that’s a massive change compared to Sydney. It’s the first time for me living away from home and I’ve come to the other side of the world to do it. Definitely after the first few weeks I’m feeling more settled in. I’ve had to move my whole life across but I think it’s helped a lot with football but I feel a lot more comfortable. I’m loving the city.

Are you living with other Aussies?

Just myself.

Odel Offiah said how he had got rid of all his green clothes. Have you done the same?

I'm lucky, I don’t think I have any green clothes to be honest.

From your A-League experience, what are you expecting Nick Montgomery to bring to Hibs?

I know back in Australia he did a really great job with the Mariners and the team he created was a really fast paced style of football, really aggressive players. I’m expecting more of the same and I know he’ll be trying to fire them up. I’m expecting a fiery match and I’m sure they will be up for it as will we.

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What is your derby experience?

I played for Western Sydney and our derbies were against Sydney so the Sydney derby. That was good, definitely the best matches in the league, they have the biggest crowds, they are the most intense. Those were the games I loved playing in most.  They definitely got really heated, I think all derbies have that extra emotion in the game. That’s what I’m expecting the most, all the players will go out and be aggressive and fiery and make their mark on the game. That’s something we have to be ready for.

Are you looking forward to the game being more open?

That could definitely play into our hands because we’re a team that wants to play football and we know if we do what we’ve been working on and play the way we want to play that will give us the best chance to win the game. I'm expecting a different style of game to what we've had at the start of the season. I’m really looking forward to it.

Any players giving you advice?

No-one in particular, I’ve heard from the boys it’s going to be a fiery affair but we’re just trying to stay calm and focussed on things we can control. We’re coming off two wins and hoping to continue that.

Have you watched old derbies?

I’ve seen a few of the highlights and seen how passionate the fans are and how much they love it. I’ve just seen what the Hearts social media have been posting, Andy Halliday’s derby heroics. It looks pretty awesome.

Will the weather warnings have an impact?

I don’t think so, all week we’ve been working on how we want to play against them. We know we’ll have to win the physical battle because in a derby that comes first, we have to earn the right to play.

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