Craig Halkett on 'bullied' Hearts claim and making comeback - Q&A

The centre-back spoke to the media after the 2-1 defeat to Aberdeen where he was asked about his recovery from a long-term injury, finally returning to first-team action, and Naismith's scathing post-match criticism of the team's display.

Here's everything Halkett had to say...

That must have been a tough one for you but it must have been nice to get on?

Yeah, it was a nice feeling. It has been a long road since last Christmas Eve so it has been a lot of hard work, but thankfully that’s me past that stage now and I’m fit and ready to play.

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It seemed like the game was yours and then it slipped away?

We started the game well and we knew that was going to be important coming up here. That’s what we spoke about all week – the importance of a good start. We got that goal and we took the lead, but we took our foot off the gas a wee bit and we got punished.

Is this just a blip that you need to write off?

We have been on a good run. The narrow defeat to Rangers, these types of games happen, but today was really disappointing. It’s one we will look back on because we want to know why this has happened and to make sure it doesn’t happen again. We will work on things to make things better, but we have got another tough game next week. We will have a look at it over the next few days and then put it to bed and go on to the next game.

You’ve been a member of Scotland squads in the past, do you have ambitions of going to the Euros?

It’s somewhere way, way, way at the back at the moment. I am just concentrating on keeping myself fit for Hearts and playing as many games as I can. I’ve watched the team over the past six months and they have done really well to qualify for a tournament. It’s not really been in the front of my mind to be honest. All I am concentrating on is Hearts at the moment.

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The manager said that the team was soft and that the team were bullied, how does that make you feel?

He’s said that and it obviously isn’t what we want to hear, but I think it is important that the manager is honest and he tells you what he thinks. I think everyone can take it on the chin. We were in a winning position but then gave two goals away and ultimately lost the match. Whether we were bullied physically, mentally – whatever it was, it wasn’t good enough. As players we need to take it on the chin and work hard to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

How did it feel when you were on the sidelines and about to come on?

It was great. It’s been 11 months since I last played a game so it has been a lot of hard work, a lot of sweat and tears to get me back in this position. It was a good feeling. It’s ended in disappointment because of the way the game went but in a few weeks when I’m looking back, just getting some minutes in my legs can only be a good thing.

What have the past few weeks been like when you know you’ve been close to returning?

It was fine. I think everyone has been transparent – myself, the coaching staff, the medical staff – about where I was at. I’m old enough and I’m not daft, I know the boys have been doing really well. It wasn’t the case where I hit my milestones and expected to go straight back in. I knew where I stood and it was just about being ready when the time came. Today was disappointing but the last few weeks have been good.

The manager said the team had been bullied, do you find that insulting or hurtful?

Neither, to be honest. We are all grown men and if the manager thinks an individual or the collective hasn’t been good enough and that’s the way he feels, then you have to take that on the chin. Ultimately we got beat in the game so somewhere along the line we have not been good enough. It is one of those ones where you have got to use or bring something from within to make sure it doesn’t happen again. He’s not digging out anyone individually or picking anyone out, it’s just as a collective. I think we need to take that on the chin.

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Do you think he said that to provoke a reaction?

It’s a word [bullying] that is used quite a lot to be honest. It just kind of generalises a lot of things that can happen in a game, whether it is physically or the way you are playing. I think as long as the boys take it the right way and use it to get better, then it can only be a good thing.

What’s the next milestone – getting more minutes, or starting games?

Just more minutes. Like I said before, the team has been doing really well. It’s just one of those ones where I need to work as hard as I can until the manager says that I am ready to come back in. It’s just about getting the head down this week, working as hard as I can, and then seeing what happens.

Did your recovery go as expected?

Yeah. I think with the knee, it’s been nine, ten, eleven months out. I think I would be very surprised if any one person was out for that long without any hiccups. Thankfully the ones I had were just minor, a couple of weeks with small muscle strains and things like that. Thankfully it was nothing to do with the knee, so it was pretty smooth sailing.