BY IAIN COLLIN – @CCP_sport
HEARTS head coach Robbie Neilson is poised to make a decision on trialist goalkeepers Danny Amos and Viktor Noring in the next 24 hours.
The duo played 45 minutes each in Thursday’s friendly defeat to Aberdeen in a bid to land deals with the Tynecastle outfit.
Amos, the 29-year-old former Hapoel Tel Aviv and Israel under-21 player, and 25-year-old Swede Noring, who was most recently with Lyngby in Denmark, have both spent this week with Hearts at their training camp in St Andrews.
Neilson has indicated Scotland squad goalie Jack Hamilton is set to begin the campaign as the Jambos’ number one following the departure of Neil Alexander.
But, with Paul Gallacher arriving as goalkeeping coach and back-up, the Gorgie side are keen to recruit another custodian to battle with Hamilton for the number one spot.
Whether either Amos or Noring fit the bill remains to be seen but Neilson has revealed he is poised to make up his mind.
He said: “We’ve got them for another day or so and then we’ll make a decision on them.
“The two of them played well on Thursday, so I need to make a decision.”
Perry Kitchen
Meanwhile, Neilson is set to plunge midfielder Perry Kitchen straight back into European action without a summer holiday.
The 24-year-old has been with the United States in recent weeks at the Copa America and, following their semi-final defeat to Argentina, will conclude his international duty with Saturday’s third-fourth play-off against Colombia in Arizona.
The March signing is then due to return to Washington for a couple of days before jetting back into Scotland on Wednesday.
And, with the former DC United player having enjoyed a break prior to his arrival on a two-and-a-half-year deal, Neilson insists he will have no qualms about throwing Kitchen straight back into action with Hearts in Thursday’s Europa League qualifier against Estonians FC Infonet.
He added: “We hope to get him back on Wednesday. Obviously, he finishes up with the third-fourth place play-off and then he has to go back to DC to pick up some stuff, and then he comes over.
“So, he should be here by Wednesday.
“He’s involved, he’s registered for the Europa League, so, whether he starts or he’s on the bench, he’ll definitely be part of it.”
