Hearts manager Robbie Neilson has disclosed that striker Craig Wighton still has a role to play for the Tynecastle this season.
The player, who has scored six goals this season, missed out on the squad for the recent 3-1 win over Alloa. However, Neilson has revealed that isn’t a slight on the player’s abilities.
Full squad was an issue
Instead, Neilson disclosed that it was having players returning to full fitness that caused the player to miss out on a place on the bench for the game.
“Very rarely have we had our full squad out this season. Alloa was the first time we had pretty much everyone available” he said (Edinburgh Evening News).
“I was picking the bench and I like to have three or four attacking options, plus one defender, one midfielder and a goalie.
“Still in the plans”
“There just wasn’t a place for Wighty. It was nothing to do with his performances. He is definitely still in the plans for the second half of the season. He has scored some important goals for us recently” Neilson concluded.
Wighton’s last start for Hearts came in the 3-1 defeat to Dundee at the start of January. However, the game against Alloa was Hearts’ first since that match.
The Tynecastle club are back in action on Saturday when they take on Raith Rovers. That is the start of three games in a week, which will see them face Raith again then Dunfermline.
Judging by Neilson’s comments Wighton will feature in those games. He might even get the nod to start for the Championship leaders.