Hearts Back McPake After Scotland International Debut

Josh McPake has received encouragement from Heart of Midlothian manager Wouter Vrancken after making his Scotland debut, with the winger now aiming to build on his international experience at club level. His progress comes as Hearts prepare for a demanding schedule featuring domestic and European fixtures, according to BBC Sport and The Herald's October 8 reports. McPake appeared for 20 minutes in Scotland's 2-1 Nations League defeat to Slovenia at Hampden on Tuesday night.

The result dealt a setback to Scotland's hopes of reaching the Euro 2028 finals, while the appearance gave the Hearts winger an opportunity to demonstrate his contribution at international level. Vrancken welcomed McPake's involvement and expressed hope that the experience would strengthen his confidence when he returns to club duty. The Hearts manager also praised Aron Benjaminsen for making his international debut with the Faroe Islands.

According to BBC Sport, Vrancken said the extended international break had been useful for players to disconnect mentally and regain energy before the upcoming sequence of matches.

"Nine games in four weeks, if I'm not mistaken. It's a cruel schedule, but we worked hard to get in this schedule. Especially the league phase, three of the nine are European games so we will try to do our best.

We need all the players," said Vrancken, Hearts' manager. The demanding calendar will test the depth of the squad as Hearts balance Scottish Premiership commitments with European competition. Vrancken emphasized the importance of having players available throughout the run of fixtures.

The manager also used the international break to add more detail to training sessions, while identifying areas where his team must improve. He said Hearts need to become more dominant and make better decisions in possession. Malachi Fagan-Walcott, who has been sidelined with an injury since late July, is in contention to return, according to BBC Sport. Midfielder Blair Spittal remains an injury concern and is expected to miss at least the first three Conference League matches.

Vrancken said a decision on whether to replace Spittal in the European squad would depend on discussions with the club's medical staff and the midfielder's recovery. He indicated that Hearts had until Saturday to make a replacement if necessary. Hearts are scheduled to host St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday, with kickoff set for 15:00 BST.

Vrancken praised St Mirren's start to the season and said his side would need to perform at its highest level to extend its winning run at Tynecastle. The manager also discussed James Wilson's move to the Scotland Under-21 squad, saying he had spoken with head coach Tony Docherty, who was pleased with Wilson's performances and leadership. Vrancken expressed sympathy for fellow Belgian Sebastien Pocognoli following his difficult start in charge of Scotland, noting that implementing a new playing style takes time.