Daniel Stendel wants his Hearts goalkeepers playing a certain kind of way- and that’s absolutely fine by Manchester United loanee Joel Pereira.
The Red Devils stopper has made the most league appearances of any Jambos stopper this term. He’s made 13 Premiership appearances in what has been a disastrous campaign for Hearts.
The Manchester United man is embroiled in a relegation scrap. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
New manager Stendel wants to get his goalkeepers involved in the play by allowing them to build play from the back. That suits the Portuguese stopper as he believes that’s one of his strengths.
He told the Edinburgh Evening News (page 45, 21/12/19): “He likes the goalkeepers to play, in terms of starting with short passes with my feet and being involved with the team.
“That’s great for me because it’s one of my qualities. I have done it well in the past with some of my other teams but obviously you get different managers with different ideas.
Stendel is getting him to play from the back. (Photo by Ewan Bootman/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“I can relate to the new manager’s style of play.”
A surprising challenge away from Manchester United
When Pereira first joined Hearts, he was likely told he’d be starring for one of Scotland’s biggest teams. That much is true, but not in his wildest dreams would he imagine they’d be bottom over Christmas.
In their latest game they slumped to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Hamilton. The sides were joint-bottom heading into this clash but an Accies win leaves the Jambos stranded at the bottom by three points.
Not having the best of times away from Old Trafford. (Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
A Mickel Miller strike followed by a Will Collar trundler which had gone under Pereira sealed a home win. Oliver Bozanic’s header was merely a consolation.
Much work is needed from Pereira and his teammates if they are to escape the drop.