BY IAIN COLLIN – Capital City Press
Hearts legend John Robertson has tipped Gavin Reilly to be a smash hit at Tynecastle next season.
With the newly-promoted Gorgie outfit closing in on a deal to sign Spanish striker Juanma, Reilly was this morning confirmed as Robbie Neilson’s latest summer recruit.
The 22-year-old is agreed his switch to Tynecastle some time ago but the technicalities of the deal delayed his arrival from Queen of the South.
However, Robertson, Hearts’ all-time record goal-scorer, believes the youngster’s all-round game and willingness to improve will ensure he is a success in the capital.
The 50-year-old, speaking as he launched ‘John Robertson’s Summer Fitness Challenge’ on the power plates at Fitness Studio EH1 in the capital, said: “Reilly first and foremost can score goals. When you’re looking at a forward, that’s what you want, that he scores goals.
“But I’ve been very impressed with his work-rate and also his attitude. He’s got a tremendous attitude; he wants to learn, he wants to improve and he wants to come up a level and prove he can play at the highest level.
“That’s massive. When you get that, that’s superb. That’s part of the make-up of players that Craig Levein and Robbie Neilson are trying to attract, people that have the right attributes and that are the right sort.
“They may not always go for a player who is a name, because they may feel he doesn’t have the right attributes, the right attitude, the right work-rate, the right dynamics to join the group.
“They’ll go right into their background, they’re very methodical, and they’ll get the right sort to come into the group and do very, very well. I think that’s what Reilly gives.
“I’ve seen him playing for the last couple of years with Queen of the South. He scores a lot of goals, he works his tail off in every game, he never gives anybody a minutes’ peace.
“He can drop off and play in the hole, he can come from deep, but when you put him up front he’s a handful.
“That’s the kind of attitude we’re looking for and that’s the kind of player Craig and Robbie feel they’re maybe lacking in the group, and that’s what Reilly brings.”
