Walker Return Against Dundee?

As long as his knee responds well to treatment during the international break that is!

Jamie Walker could be ready to make his Hearts return, having played a limited role of late due to his knee problem, against Dundee when the Jambos return to action the weekend after next.

With the international break, and the break he was given before that when it was decided the rest would do him good, behind him Robbie Neilson’s told the Edinburgh News he’s hopeful of his return to fitness to face Dundee at Tynecastle when the Scottish Premiership resumes.

‘Jamie is getting some treatment on his knee just now but that will finish up at the end of next week. I’m hopeful we’ll get him back for the Dundee game.

‘He’s progressing well. It’s just a case of rest and letting it respond to the treatment. We’ve got a plan so we’re hoping he’ll be back fairly soon.

‘This is a crucial time of the season coming up and we’ve got a lot of games ahead of us during the winter period. Juanma is out, Arnaud Djoum has a niggle and so does Sam Nicholson, so it’s important we get as many players back as possible.’

Neilson knows Walker’s injury isn’t one you can rush with him keen to ‘make sure it’s right’ before he’s back in the side, with his knee condition related to the ‘Osgood-Schlatter disease’ he had as a child.

When he has trouble with his knee it needs to ‘settle down’ then it’s ok.

Another that is hopefully of soon forcing his way into Neilson’s thinking is Robbie Buchanan, who scored a fine winner in the U20 derby win against Hibernian recently, marking his return from a loan spell with Cowdenbeath with a goal.

He made six appearances last season in the Scottish Championship with him keen on more in the topflight saying, in another interview in the Edinburgh News, he’s hoping he caught the Head Coach’s eye.

‘Three points against the rivals is always good. It was good to get a goal as well. It wasn’t half a good strike, even the play leading up to it was good. You can’t ask for any better than scoring in a derby, even at this level. It’s always special. I’d only scored one goal before against Hibs for the 17s and we won that one 1-0 as well.

‘I’ve come back from my loan hoping to impress and trying to get into the first-team squad and make benches, so hopefully that helps. They had an older team than us but all our young boys were at it.’