Teamtalk teamtalk

Driver focused on road ahead

Wed 25 Jun, 04:00 PM


Andrew Driver is determined to focus on the season ahead with Hearts after Burnley failed in their attempts to sign him.The Championship side have had two offers rejected and manager Owen Coyle has ruled out a fresh bid for the 20-year-old winger.

Driver came through the youth ranks at Hearts and is now a first-team regular after making his senior debut in August 2006.

He has refused to rule out a move south of the border one day but insists he is committed to the Tynecastle club for now.

"The speculation about Burnley hasn't affected me," he said.

"I haven't heard anything from the club or anyone else so I just need to get my head down and keep working hard and get on with it.

"I'm still only 20, have loads of improving to do, and I'm looking forward to getting back playing again after missing the last bit of last season through injury.

"I am a Hearts player and I want to concentrate on getting fit for the new season.

"I want to do the best I can in my career and I want to improve as much as I can. If I can do that, then maybe the chance will come to play in England.

"Obviously it is a boost that someone is interested and shows I am maybe doing something right but I just want to keep improving as a footballer."

Hearts endured a turbulent campaign which saw them finish in the bottom half of the Scottish Premier League for the first time since the league split was introduced.

The club have also yet to appoint a new manager after majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov launched a search for a new boss almost seven months ago.

But Driver insists the players, who returned for the start of pre-season training today, are determined to make amends for the disappointments of last season.

He told the club's website: "I've been trying to forget about last season without really managing.

"It didn't go very well so we'll be going into this pre-season with extra drive compared to other years.

"We want to get back and show it was a one-off. We have a low average age in the squad and if the team can stick together we can only improve."

More Football News from TEAMtalk

 

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account