HEART OF GOALS

I signed Lawrence Shankland twice – now Derek McInnes will get the best out of him at Hearts, says Robbie Neilson.

Shankland has finally made a major decision regarding his future. ROBBIE NEILSON has signed Lawrence Shankland twice.

And the former Hearts manager reckons Jamestown Analytics would have targeted the striker this summer if he hadn’t previously scored goals at Tynecastle.

Neilson took Shankland to Dundee United from Ayr United in 2019, then to Gorgie three years later. The prolific forward has scored 68 goals in maroon over the last three seasons, finishing as the Edinburgh club’s top scorer in each of them. After letting his last contract expire, the hitman has opted to re-sign with the Jambos. Shankland, who flew over to join Derek McInnes’ squad in Spain, has now signed a new three-year contract that will last until 2028. Neilson believes Shankland’s outstanding scoring record made keeping him at the club a no-brainer. Neilson told SunSport: “You get a variety of strikers. Guys who hold the ball up and run in behind.

“Shanks is first and foremost a striker. Plain and simple. “You never know who will score goals, but he’s probably as near as you’ll get in Scotland.

“He has done it throughout his career, and the most important thing for me is that the club understands his character. “Sometimes you sign players who are used to playing in front of 2,000 or 3,000 people, and they simply cannot cope with Tynecastle.” “It’s different when there are 20,000 people watching your every move.

But Shanks has been there, done that. “He has scored in the Edinburgh derby. He has scored against the Old Firm. “His goal ratio is outstanding, and I’d be surprised if Jamestown hadn’t noticed him.

“He would have been on their radar if he hadn’t already joined Hearts, given his track record and the fact that he’s still at the top of his form.

“It’s a great bit of business for him and the club.” Neilson, who led Hearts to Championship titles in 2015 and 2021, believes experienced manager Derek McInnes can get the best out of the Scotland international. Neil Critchley frequently played the striker out of position in midfield, and he scored only nine goals last season. Five of the goals came in the final five games of the season, when interim manager Liam Fox switched Shankland back to his more comfortable outright number nine position.

Neilson stated: “Derek is a very experienced manager, and if anyone can get the most out of Shanks, it’s him.

“Derek made it clear early on that he wanted to keep Shanks, and he’ll be glad to get that resolved. “I’m confident he’ll make it clear that Lawrence is the key striker. We’ll see if that’s part of a double act.

“However, if Shanks plays as a 10, as he did at times last season, he loses sight of the goal. “It takes him out of the situation in which he is most dangerous. “If he gets back to playing consistently in the right position, I’m sure the confidence will come back and the goals will follow.”

After keeping his options open during the summer, Shanks is likely to recommit to the club on a lucrative new long-term contract.

Neilson does not anticipate the popular striker to face criticism for taking his time weighing his choices. The 45-year-old, who was in charge of the Tampa Pay Rowdies until April of this year, believes Shanks will swiftly regain his status as a fan favourite in Gorgie.

Neilson stated that both parties sought a longer-term agreement. Shanks likely has 4 or 5 years left at the highest level, so this was a huge decision for him. “Ultimately, it’s a fantastic piece of business for Hearts and himself.

“I’m fairly certain that 99.9 percent of Hearts fans wanted him to stay. “Of course, you get the occasional fan on Twitter who claims differently.

“The vast majority, however, want Shanks there because he scores goals and wins games. “It’s great business and I’m excited to see how he goes next season.” Neilson also dismissed concerns over Shankland’s fitness, despite some armchair critics claiming the striker was not as physically fit as he could have been last season.