Lee McCulloch reckons Lawrence Shankland is a greater participant now than the one he labored with at Dundee United.
The Scotland worldwide joined Hearts this week on a three-year deal. A year-long stint in Belgium was delivered to an finish after Germinal Beerschot suffered relegation from the Belgian Professional League. They paid £1million to take Shankland from Tannadice final summer season, however now he’s again within the Scottish Premiership with the Jambos.
After Ellis Simms’ mortgage spell ended and he returned to Everton, with the possibility of bringing him again for a second stint slim, Robbie Neilson moved to signal Shankland as his new quantity 9. That ought to ease the load on Liam Boyce ’s shoulders. The Northern Irishman has been the Tynecastle crew’s high scorer in the previous few seasons, however was heading into this season as the one senior striker on the books, with teen Euan Henderson as again up.
“He positively has it in him, it'd take him a bit little bit of time to settle as a result of it’s a brand new membership. I’m greater than assured he’ll are available and do effectively for the crew,” mentioned McCulloch..
“In my view, Shanks brings extra than simply objectives to a crew and that’s what the supervisor will likely be asking of him. You possibly can’t overlook we’ve nonetheless obtained Liam Boyce , who I believed was super in opposition to Preston throughout the week. I believed he was certainly one of our higher gamers and greater than able to scoring objectives.
“I feel the competitors for locations is there now. If it’s two of them taking part in or simply the one – that’s the supervisor's name – they’ll each be able to go. Boycie can play in a unique positions as effectively so it’s not as if it’s two of them for one place. They’ll each be determined to play, though Shanks is only a bit behind fitness-wise.
“He’s been capped for Scotland, he scored as effectively. He’s a pure goalscorer however he’s a very good soccer participant, which lots of people get away from due to his objectives and that’s all everyone talks about. He’ll are available when referred to as upon and I’m greater than assured he'll do effectively.
“I’m delighted to be working with Lawrence once more, we labored with him earlier than for a protracted time frame. He proved himself at Ayr United after which at Dundee United. It’s good to have him on the membership.
“He’s a implausible man within the dressing room. He’s grounded, laborious working and hopefully he’ll are available and I am greater than assured he'll do the enterprise on the pitch.”
Shankland solely managed 5 objectives in Belgium, with Beerschot usually deploying him in a wider function. That is probably not his recreation, however McCulloch reckons it would have helped develop different facets of his recreation that possibly wanted work when he left United final August.
“I feel he's extra developed, he just lately had a child as effectively in order that helps individuals develop up a bit faster,” mentioned the Hearts assistant coach. “It’s good he’s skilled totally different soccer, an actual good commonplace of soccer overseas in Belgium.
“He’ll come again extra skilled, positively. Having spoken to him, he’s hungry to get on the pitch and assist the crew.”
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