Heart of Midlothian striker content to kick heels on bench
Heart of Midlothian striker Calum Elliot is a typical football player, keen to play as often as possible.
However, the player says that he is content to remain on the bench as long as his club maintains their good run of form in the Scottish Premier League.
The Edinburgh-based club have won their last four league matches and are bidding to make it five in a row, if their game against Motherwell goes ahead on Sunday 28 November, despite the threat of a referees' strike.
Elliot was taken off at half-time in the 3-0 defeat to Kilmarnock at the end of October, but with Kevin Kyle and Stephen Elliott teaming up to strong effect ever since, Elliot has been forced to kick his heels on the bench after playing just 15 minutes at
first-team level since.
However, the 23-year-old admits that he can't be too disappointed by manager Jim Jefferies opting to leave him out of the side, as Hearts have moved into third place in the SPL table following their recent run of strong results.
He told reporters, "Of course I feel unlucky to be on the bench, but the team is winning so it's difficult to ask why you're not playing. It's been difficult. Everyone wants to play but you have to be realistic. If the team is getting victories that usually
means everyone is playing well. Stephen and Kevin have done well as a partnership and I need to do well in training and score goals in reserve matches.
"I was at Motherwell a few seasons ago (during a loan spell in 2006) and it wasn't the most successful time of my career. But it was a learning curve and has made me a better player. I've just got to be patient and wait for another chance and when that comes
I will have to take it."
Elliot has been forced to watch from the sidelines as his team-mates have overcome Hibernian, Celtic, St Johnstone and Hamilton Academical, scoring eight goals and losing none in the process.
Tags: