On loan Hearts stars may face recall

18/12/19: SC - “It’s a conversation we’ll have to have with Hearts to see where we’re at in terms of extending the loan deal, if that’s possible.”

The loan of the two Hearts players to Dunfermline is likely to be reassessed by the capital club’s new manager Daniel Stendel but Stevie Crawford maintains that Dunfermline will be understanding of their situation but while making sure they are doing the right thing for Dunfermline as well.

Eighteen year olds Harry Cochrane and Anthony McDonald have been on loan to Dunfermline since 31st August and although Harry has made seven starts and five appearances off the bench and Anthony, after recovering from a back injury, has been an unused sub in the last three Pars matches. Stevie did not rule out them returning to their parent club:-

“There’s been communication with Hearts. There’s always the chance of loan players having to go back in January because the other club might have players possibly going back to their parent clubs.

“I’m not going to divulge what the communication has been but we are working behind the scenes so we know what’s out there and available should something happen and players move on or players get called back.

“The fact there’s a change of management, Hearts might want to have them back. That would be something out of our control.”

That is very much something Stevie is trying to prepare for if that turns out to be the case. He continued:-

“It’s a conversation we’ll have to have with Hearts to see where we’re at in terms of extending the loan deal, if that’s possible.”

Daniel Stendel has hinted that he was keen to have a look at the two loaned out players in training rather than definitely recall them. Stevie understands and can see why Hearts would maybe want that to be the case.

“We’ll work with Hearts. We want to have a positive relationship with clubs and I understand that things have changed at that end, so it’s being respectful of that.

“You never know, going forward, it might be that we can use them again for bringing in someone on loan or maybe signing a player from them.”

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