Hearts decided Lewis Neilson needed to go out and get games in the summer. He’s been getting them as his loan to St Johnstone looks a wise one.
Hearts signed the centre-back from Dundee United as a raw 19-year-old with high hopes for the future. They bided their time with him as they have him a few runs in the team in that first season, playing 16 times overall with ten of those in the Premiership.
It was then he decided he needed to go out on loan and that happened with a season-long deal at Partick Thistle, where he played some games in defensive midfield and earned rave reviews.
The next step was a similar move but in the top flight and that’s where the St Johnstone deal came about.
Craig Levein verdict on Hearts loanee Neilson
The manager who took the 21-year-old to Perth was former Hearts boss Craig Levein.
No longer at McDiarmid Park after his sacking, Levein remains sure St Johnstone can come good and is a big fan of Neilson.
A former centre-back himself, he can see the youngster becoming a top Premiership defender and possibly even beyond that.
Speaking exclusively to Not the Old Firm, he said: “He’s quick, he’s strong and he’s really good on the ball. He’s good at running with the ball.
“I think his defensive side of his game could be a wee bit better but he’s still young for a centre-back. I think he’s got more improvement to come but he’s got a lot of the tools required to be a centre-back in the Premiership and could even go beyond that.
“So I think there is an opportunity there for him. He needs to brush up on a couple of things and I think he’s got a real chance.”
Neilson compared to former Hearts defender Souttar
Levein was director of football at Tynecastle when Hearts signed John Souttar as a youngster from Dundee United.
Souttar had great technical ability at the time but improved his defensive capabilities and physicality and went on to be become a Scotland international while at the club.
He is now a first pick centre half at Rangers.
Levein admits he can see similarities in Neilson but points out he has a long way to go to match those achievements.
He added: “Technically they’re both really good but I think John might just slightly edge that one. Pace-wise I don’t think there’s much between them at all.
“John might be better in the air but, again, when he was 17 John was skinny and played in midfield at times and at full-back. We did the same thing with Lewis.
“But I think Lewis has got to the physical specimen side of it quicker than John did. I think it’s quite a good comparison but obviously Lewis has got quite a lot to do to get to the level that John is at.”