By Ben Banks

Copyright scotsman

Hearts have been praised for a key transfer decision – as one of their loaned out players is backed to thrive in the Premiership. The Jambos had a busy summer of incomings but there were some outgoings too from Tynecastle. One of them was Macaulay Tait, who returned to Livingston on a season-long loan having spent the second half of last term with David Martindale’s men, who he helped out of the Championship. It has provided Tait the chance to play regular top flight football to aid his long-term chances at Hearts, with boss Martindale only too happy to have picked the midfielder up again. The Livi gaffer has been pondering whether or not he was surprised to have Tait back in his ranks but reckons Hearts have made a smart decision sending him back out. He said: “Yes and no. I think he could have stayed at Hearts and maybe had some game time, I don’t know. When Derek got the job I got in touch and said, ‘just so everybody’s on the same page, I’d take wee Mac back in a heartbeat.’ For me, Derek and Hearts have done the right thing in Macaulay’s development. “And I’m just delighted I’m the beneficiary of that. I love wee Mac. For me, I think he’s
actually kicked on a wee bit again. He’s not played a lot of Premiership football but he’s taken it in his stride. I love him to bits, the way he goes about his business and applies himself every game, and he’s a really good footballer.” Another player out on loan from Hearts at the minute is Yan Dhanda, who is spending the campaign in Tayside at Dundee. He is still getting up to speed but manager and former Hearts captain Steven Pressley is expecting the playmaker to play a key role once fully motoring. Pressley said: “We gave minutes to Yan Dhanda last week in a bounce game, someone who has joined us but doesn’t have a lot of game time behind him this season. So we’re trying to get people up to speed. We have brought players in who need minutes so getting bounce games in the weeks we don’t have games will be really important for us.” Meanwhile, Hearts icon John Robertson will remain a Ross County first team coach after new boss Tony Docherty appointed Callum Davidson as his assistant manager. The former striker was brought in to assist Don Cowie after their relegation to the Premiership but the ex-Jambo was sacked last month, with Davidson returning to football after time managing Queen’s Park. Robertson now forms part of that backroom. Docherty said: “I’m delighted to bring Callum to the football club. Callum brings valuable knowledge and experience from a successful playing and management career and will be a hugely important member of the back-room staff. We share similar values and ideas relating to the game, and having worked together previously, I’m sure he will have an extremely positive impact and input to the group here.”