Garang Kuol told 'negative' Hearts experience is learning curve as Australia boss urges starlet to show mental strength

The Newcastle United loanee has been included in the Australia squad despite his lack of game time in Gorgie.

Hearts loanee Garang Kuol has been told to keep his head up by Australia boss Graham Arnold after including the Socceroos wonderkid in his squad despite his lack of opportunities at Tynecastle.

The on-loan Newcastle United starlet has made just one league start since arriving in Gorgie in a blaze of publicity in January. Kuol's only start was in a 3-0 home defeat to Rangers at the start of last month and he's been reduced to a series of cameo sub appearances since by boss Robbie Neilson.

But Arnold - who included Hearts' teammates Nathaniel Atkinson, Kye Rowles and Cammy Devlin as well as Celtic's Aaron Mooy, St Mirren's Keanu Baccus and Dundee United's Aziz Behich - has urged Kuol to be patient. He said: "He’s gone to a league that’s a physical competition, the way Scottish football is played.

"It’s going to be a learning process for the kid as well. For Garang, it’s about hanging in there and working hard and having that strong mentality, but this is what a national team camp can do for a young player who is going through a bit of a negative experience at their club - playing for their nation, there’s nothing more proud for him than that.”

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