HEARTS BOSS DANIEL Stendel’s latest comments on Glenn Whelan will make for ominous reading for Irish football fans.
The 35-year-old Dubliner has been a regular for Mick McCarthy’s Ireland side during their Euro 2020 qualifying campaign, but Whelan now appears surplus to requirements at his club.
The former Stoke player has made 17 appearances in total for Hearts and featured in the first three of Stendel’s games in charge for the club, who are currently bottom of the Scottish Premiership table.
However, the experienced midfielder, who has 91 Ireland caps and only joined the club on a one-year deal after being released by Aston Villa in the summer, was left out of their squad for their loss to Hibs on St Stephen’s Day, while he also won’t be involved for Sunday’s clash at home to Aberdeen.
And asked about the player’s absence, Stendel — who was appointed earlier this month following Craig Levein’s sacking in October — appeared to question Whelan’s leadership qualities and suggested he would not be part of his plans for the remainder of the campaign.
“I can say he is a good type,” he told reporters. “He wants to take the responsibility but I have seen only three games. Do you have the feeling he is a leader in this group? It’s not Glenn’s fault — but a real leader in the centre of the pitch? Sorry. Maybe I missed it. Michael Smith tries to take responsibility on the pitch.
“Before I came here, they signed some players who have experience and are the right age to take the responsibility but maybe they are not fit at the moment or they cannot handle the situation at the moment.”
With a vital play-off semi with Slovakia coming up on 26 March, Whelan may now need to find a new club in January as he bids to feature for the pivotal clash in Bratislava, with the winner of the match set to play Bosnia and Herzegovina or Northern Ireland in the final on 31 March.
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