BY DARREN JOHNSTONE – Capital City Press
Hearts midfielder Prince Buaben admits the international break has come at a good time for him after playing through the pain barrier.
The 27-year-old has started all six of the Tynecastle outfit’s opening six matches of the Premiership campaign despite being hampered by a hamstring strain that he first suffered during pre-season.
Head coach Robbie Neilson even praised the Ghanian for putting the team before himself after the Buaben had to be substituted in the recent victories over Ross County and Partick Thistle.
And after playing in the weekend’s first defeat of the season at Hamilton, Buaben is hoping a two-week break will help him get over the problem.
Buaben said: “Hopefully I can get two week’s break during this international period. I will get rested and come back hoping I can help the team.
“As a footballer, when you’re at a place that you’re happy, you just want to do anything you can for the club.
“If you’re unhappy you don’t want to put yourself in a situation that might not benefit you.
“At the moment everything is going pretty well for us and even if I’m injured and I’m perhaps only 50/50, I still want to do what I can for the club.
“The gaffer has asked me to do a job and I’ve just been trying my best.
“It’s part of football, you need to keep your head up and keep going.”
Hearts, meanwhile, will today discover if their appeal against Callum Paterson’s controversial red card has been successful.
The right-back was ordered off by referee Willie Collum for a tackle on Darian MacKinnon in the 77th minute of Saturday’s 3-2 loss to Accies.
At the time of Paterson’s dismissal, Hearts were 2-1 in front and on course to maintain their flawless start to the campaign.
A disciplinary tribunal will convene at Hampden today to decide whether to downgrade or even overturn Collum’s decision to show Paterson a red card.
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