TEAM SPIRIT KEY FACTOR IN TITLE TILT
Eckersley reveals harmony at Hearts
ADAM ECKERSLEY had high expectations when he arrived at Hearts. What the defender didn’t anticipate was how warmly he would be welcomed into the Tynecastle fold.
Now at the eighth senior club of his career, the 29- year- old has experienced his f air share of dysfunctional dressing rooms but he insists the place he currently hangs his hat is the best he has ever experienced.
The defender, who started out at Manchester United, is loving life at the Championship l eaders and believes harmony in the squad has been a key factor in their title charge to the summit.
Eckersley has plied his trade at United, Royal Antwerp, Brondby, Barnsley, Port Vale, Horsens and AGF Aarhus and admits he has been i n situations where not everyone has been singing from the same hymn sheet.
Robbie Neilson’s side could extend their lead over Rangers at the top to a massive 12 points if they collect a win in today’s visit of Alloa and take home a victory from Tuesday’s rearranged trip to Cowdenbeath.
And Eckersley reckons a strong bond between all the players has been crucial to their blistering form.
‘I expected big things from Hearts before I signed but what has exceeded my expectations is that, of all the dressing rooms I have been in, this is the most friendly,’ he said. ‘ I have been in a l ot of dressing rooms but this one is quite special. Even when players are not playing they are supporting the guy who is. We have a very strong team spirit and I think that’s the difference.
‘I don’t know why that is, maybe it’s because the squad is so young. There aren’t too many older heads in there, it’s just a very down to earth, young squad and I think we gel really well with each other.
‘There are never any problems in the dressing room, there are no big egos in there. I have been in what I call selfish dressing rooms where a lot of players don’t want the best for the guy in front of him.
‘But this dressing room is different and I think that’s helping massively. It has to be a well oiled machine and that’s what we’ve got in t here, everyone is a team player.’
Eckersley, who has shared left-back responsibilities with Kevin McHattie this season after joining in August following a spell in Denmark with AGF, admits the only threat posed to the dressing-room harmony is prankster James Keatings, though he’s unlikely ever to have the chance to put one over on boss Neilson.
‘ The wind- up merchant is James Keatings — he’s a little b******!’ he joked. ‘ You can’t turn your back on him for a second.
‘The gaffer and the coaches don’t venture down to the dressing room all that often.
‘The only time they do is when t hey are coming down to training. They leave it to us.’