Latest news with #Penrice
The National
30-04-2025
- Sport
- The National
Halliday: Rangers should sign this Scottish Premiership player
Speaking on the latest Open Goal podcast, Halliday, who has played for both clubs, highlighted how Penrice has excelled since joining from Livingston, firmly establishing himself as a key player in the left-back role at Tynecastle. Penrice has been a standout performer for Hearts, despite the club's struggles this season, and his solid displays have caught the attention of many, including Halliday. At Ibrox, Rangers have been searching for stability on the left side of their defence. Ridvan Yilmaz and Jefte have both featured in the position, but the Turkish international has had his injury woes, while Jefte is still adapting to life in Scottish football. Halliday, who signed one-year extension with Motherwell on Wednesday, believes Penrice would be a stronger option than both current choices at Rangers. Read more: 'I still think they should sign somebody else,' he said. 'I would take Penrice. I think he is better than the left-backs they've got.' Penrice came through the ranks at Partick Thistle, making 114 appearances before joining Livingston - where he had previously been on loan earlier in his career - in 2021. Then after three strong seasons under David Martindale, the 26-year-old was snapped up by Hearts on a pre-contract ahead of the 2024-25 campaign and has been ever-present since.
Press and Journal
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Press and Journal
Aberdeen Tactics Watch: Hearts' approach and what Jimmy Thelin's Dons can learn for must-win Hibs Premiership clash
Alongside the outpouring of joy which followed Oday Dabbagh's Aberdeen winner against Hearts at Hampden, the strongest emotion was relief. For the second consecutive weekend, Aberdeen failed to defeat 10 men in 90 minutes. But thankfully, in the end, we were spared back-to-back semi-final penalty shoot-out exits in the Scottish Cup. Hearts boss Neil Critchley's diamond formation has not been popular among the Jambos support, but he stuck to his guns against Dons on Saturday. Lawrence Shankland's positioning higher up alongside James Wilson and Elton Kabangu often made it a 4-3-3 out of possession, especially as Aberdeen adapted and dropped Leighton Clarkson into their backline. Hearts were very aggressive in their press, often committing six players into the Aberdeen half (as the image above shows). But, early on, they were aided by a number of Aberdeen turnovers – some under pressure, some with reduced teammate availability, but quite a few from basic mistakes. As the Dons had expanded the field while on the ball, losing possession created dangerous situations to defend, and they were fortunate to get away with such mistakes. Their next opponents in the Scottish Cup, fellow finalists Celtic, will not let those errors go unpunished. The most dangerous player for Hearts was left-back James Penrice, who was a consistent threat with his attacking runs and delivery from deep. In the Hearts build-up, midfielder Cammy Devlin dropped into left-back, allowing Penrice to get the ball higher up the field. Penrice was able to get away from Aberdeen's right wideman Shayden Morris a few times. We don't know Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin's instructions, nor how much Morris' attacking sprints take out of him. However, it did seem that had the Aberdeen winger applied the same intensity defending as he did attacking, then he might have been able to win the ball back from Penrice in certain moments. One of the occasions was Hearts' goal, but Reds skipper Graeme Shinnie also shoulders blame for vacating the space Shankland found himself in, and centre-back Mats Knoester may be disappointed he did not get his head on the ball initially. Kabangu and Wilson were clever with their positioning, slotting in between the centre-backs and full-backs and ready to make runs into the channels. This can make the full-backs wary of pressing too aggressively, effectively leading to two Aberdeen defenders marking one Hearts forward. I mention all three of these tactical elements – a high press from the opposition, dangerous crosses from the opponents' left side, and a pacy front two willing to make runs in behind – for a reason. They will all be on display from Hearts' city rivals, Hibernian, when they visit Pittodrie for a must-win Premiership meeting in the race for third place this Saturday. When the Dons were able to get the ball into the zone which I call 'Jimmy Thelin's magic space' – behind the Hearts midfield line – they were able to cause problems. It just did not happen often enough. The two pivotal moments for Aberdeen in the first half were the run which led to the corner for the Dons' goal, and the sending off of Hearts' Michael Steinwender. For the goal, we saw Leighton Clarkson dropping into the defensive line, Shinnie and Jensen moving up and in, effectively creating a 3-3-4. The ball finds Keskinen, and Aberdeen now have a 4v4. Keskinen then got turned, ran at Adam Forrester, and went on to win the corner. It was the same for the red card – the Dons quickly find a man in the 'magic' zone (Pape Gueye) and then release a runner (Keskinen). This makes Aberdeen so dangerous, even in a game in which they are second-best. In the second half, Hearts' change of shape to a 5-3-1 meant Keskinen and Morris were denied the space behind they thrive on. What seemed to be lacking was some nuance around the box to craft an opening – not unlike last week in the second half against Rangers. Thelin has never complained about injuries this season, however, the squad is getting stronger each week with the return of key players in goalie Dimitar Mitov and attacking midfielder Jamie McGrath. On the evidence of Saturday, Dante Polvara also has a lot to offer, while Jeppe Okkels and, of course, winning goalscorer Oday Dabbagh also made things happen where it matters most. Devlin's red card to reduce Hearts to nine men may well be seen as the defining moment of the game, and no doubt it did help. But Aberdeen were making their own statement as extra-time wore on – Most of the attacks, bar the most important one, came from the left side, and the relationship between Shinnie and Okkels. The best example was the Dane's cute through-ball for Shinnie to set up Dabbagh, which was the result of some sharp movement and combinations on the flanks. Shinnie later set up Alexander Jensen with a great cross, and it was Okkels' shot which was saved via another fine through-ball, this time from Polvara. For the winning goal, it was again passing and moving to find the open man, a good delivery, and an overload in the box. It took almost 120 minutes, but Thelin finally got what he wanted from his team.
Daily Record
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
James Penrice dismisses 'weird' Hearts claims despite the story Neil Ciritchley's record tells
Penrice also reflected on an impressive personal season despite the Jambos as a whole missing their targets James Penrice has dismissed 'weird' claims Hearts can't handle big games despite their Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to Aberdeen. Neil Critchley' s record against the bigger clubs in Scotland makes for grim reading, with just three points from 12 clashes against Celtic, Rangers, Hibs and Aberdeen. A late defeat to the Dons in Saturday's cup clash has proved the final straw for a number of fans, who want the board to make a change in the dugout after seeing their side come off second best in another big game. The Jambos ended extra-time with nine men after Michael Steinwender's first-half red card and Cammy Devlin' s second yellow just before Oday Dabbagh's winner denied them a chance at a penalty shoot-out. The club have demanded answers from the SFA over ref John Beaton's call to dismiss the Aussie. But Penrice insists that despite losing, he and his team-mates showed they can perform on the big occasions. He said: 'There were weird shouts in the Press earlier on in the week – 'we couldn't handle big games'. But I don't think anyone walked off that park in a Hearts jersey that was disappointed in their performance. 'Every single one of the boys was brilliant. That's what you need. That's what you need every week when you play with this club. 'You need to put 100 per cent in and that needs to be the first thing. That's what we've got to do going forward now.' After also missing out on the top six, Hearts now face an underwhelming end to the campaign, although they could do with another win to remove any lingering relegation play-off doubts. And Penrice admits they have no choice but to lift themselves. 'Don't get me wrong, it's very disappointing but I think that's your job,' he added. 'You can't always have it easy in football. This is what you're judged on when it is tough. Can you bounce back? That's what us as a group of players have got to do. 'We've got to bounce back now and go and finish these five games strongly because we owe it to the fans as well. 'We've got to win these five games. That's the least we can do. Hopefully we can do that. Despite a disappointing campaign for the club, Penrice has been a stand-out and was named in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year. He said: 'It's a massive achievement for me. I was hoping that didn't get released until after the game. 'It's a massive credit to where I was. Almost a year ago I wasn't even playing football and I was injured. 'It's a lot of hard work that's gone into it but it's not just me, it's the boys in there as well. 'They help for that and I'm very thankful to the club for giving me an opportunity to play.' After arriving from Livingston expecting to be a squad player, Penrice can't help but be pleased with his displays during his maiden season in maroon. He added: 'I've loved every minute of it. It's been a massive jump up for me. I've taken it in my stride and I'm playing with confidence. 'Ultimately, I'd like to be doing a wee bit better than we are. I joined this club to compete in the finals and finish up the higher end of the league and go and play in Europe. 'On that end, it's disappointing. But from a personal point of view, I've loved every minute of it. It's a club I've taken to straight away.'
Scotsman
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
'Least we can do': Hearts' prized guy sets out stall after 'weird shouts' of last week
Left-back continues to excel and is due a Hampden return Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... There can be no doubting the underwhelming nature of Hearts' season, although amidst the gloom has shone one bright light. The decision to sign James Penrice on a free transfer from Livingston has proven to be an excellent bit of transfer business by previous sporting director Joe Savage and head coach Steven Naismith. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Left-back Penrice was one of a clutch pre-contract agreements brokered by Hearts this time last year. And while there was considerably more excitement about the arrivals of playmakers Blair Spittal and Yan Dhanda from Motherwell and Ross County respectively, Penrice has eclipsed them this season. James Penrice has been one of Hearts' strongest players this season. | SNS Group Such has been Penrice's form, it was announced on Saturday morning that he is in the PFA Scotland team of the year for 2024/25. Only striker Sam Dalby of Dundee United is the other non-Old Firm man to win the votes of peers. Penrice saw off competition from Celtic's Greg Taylor and Hibs' Nicky Cadden for that spot. It is another show of recognition for the 26-year-old. Even in defeat, Penrice excels. He was this correspondent's man of the match in the 2-1 Scottish Cup semi-final defeat by Aberdeen at the weekend. He tore up and down the Hampden pitch and made key interventions in defence and attack. While Hearts aren't returning to the national stadium in May, perhaps Penrice should be there in June, when Scotland play Iceland in a friendly. Competition at left-back at Scotland level is exceptionally fierce. Captain Andy Robertson, Kieran Tierney, Taylor and Josh Doig are more established rivals for that berth. But there can be no underplaying the season Penrice has had in what has been a struggling Hearts side. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Hearts 'have got to win these five games' Missing out on the top six of the Premiership two weeks ago means that the best Hearts can do is finish seventh. They have five matches left, starting against Dundee at Tynecastle on Saturday. "We've got to win these five games - that's the least we can do, I think,' admitted Penrice. 'Hopefully we can do that. "Don't get me wrong, it's very disappointing, but I think that's your job. You can't always have it easy in football. This is what you're judged on when it is tough. Can you bounce back? That's what us as a group of players have got to do. We've got to bounce back now and go and finish these five games strongly. Because we owe it to the fans as well.' A defeat by Dundee and concerns about finishing 11th and facing a relegation play-off might become stronger. Hearts have a six-point cushion over the Taysiders, the current incumbents in that position, and a win over them would surely secure safety. Hearts were floored late on by Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup. | SNS Group This is not where Hearts want to be. Penrice certainly belongs in the top six. Given that a year ago he underwent hip surgery, playing 43 games this term at such a high level is a big success. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I've loved every minute of it,' said Penrice. 'It's been a massive jump up for me. I think I took it in my stride and I'm playing with confidence. 'Ultimately, I'd like to be doing a wee bit better than we are. I joined this club to compete in the finals and finish up the higher end of the league and go and play in Europe. On that end, it's disappointing, but from a personal point of view, I've loved every minute of it. 'It's a club that I've took to straight away. The support that everyone around me and the fans have given me and my family in joining the club, it's been excellent." Penrice's PFA team of year nomination Penrice was quizzed on being named in the PFA team of the year. He was slightly bashful in response. "Yes, it's a massive achievement for me,' he said. 'I was hoping it would get released after the game. It's a massive credit to where I was. Almost a year ago, I wasn't even playing football and I was injured. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I think it's a lot of hard work that's went into it, but it's not just me, it's the boys in there as well. They help for that and I'm very thankful to the club for giving me an opportunity to play.' These next five games are a chance to lay some sort of foundation for next season. They will be in the hat for the Premier Sports Cup group-stage draw at the end of the season and have an opportunity to silence some of the doubters who are rounding on head coach Neil Critchley and his players. James Penrice and Hearts head coach Neil Critchley. | SNS Group "There were weird shouts in the press earlier on in the week,' said Penrice. 'We couldn't handle big games, but I don't think anyone walked off that park that was in a Hearts jersey that was disappointed in their performance. I thought every single one of the boys were brilliant. That's what you need. That's what you need every week when you play with this club. You need to put 100 per cent and that needs to be the first thing. That's what we've got to do going forward now." It could be a summer of change at Tynecastle, with the Jamestown Analytics partnership set to bring in new players. 'It's a very exciting project that the club have got with the way they're going about their business with the analytics,' added Penrice. 'I'm sure there will be a lot of changes, but as players you just need to get on with it and see what comes. We'll be going into next season with positivity and hopefully we can start better than we did this season."
Scotsman
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Hearts star senses change is afoot at Tynecastle as he lands major achievement
Watch more of our videos on and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 Visit Shots! now The Hearts star has been talking three objectives that drew him to Gorgie after a strong season was greeted with reward Sign up to our Hearts newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... James Penrice believes changes will occur at Hearts going into pre-season as he looks for more than just personal success. The left-back has been left proud after being named in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year. He is one of only two non-Old Firm players in the XI, the other being Dundee United striker Sam Dalby, as Penrice is recognised for an excellent first season in maroon after joining from Livingston. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad On the team front, it's been a tough season, with bottom six fixtures awaiting post split and losing Saturday's Scottish Cup semi final with Aberdeen. Amid the role of Jamestown Analytics in recruitment, Penrice believes it's an exciting time to be part of the club as he hopes to build towards three of the key reasons he joined Hearts. Three Hearts objectives He said: 'It's a massive achievement for me. I was hoping it would get released after the game. It's a massive credit to where I was. Almost a year ago, I wasn't even playing football and I was injured. I think it's a lot of hard work that's went into it, but it's not just me, it's the boys in there as well. They help for that and I'm very thankful to the club for giving me an opportunity to play. 'I've loved every minute of it. It's been a massive jump up for me. I think I took it in my stride and I'm playing with confidence. Ultimately, I'd like to be doing a wee bit better than we are. I joined this club to compete in the finals and finish up the higher end of the league and go and play in Europe. On that end, it's disappointing, but from a personal point of view, I've loved every minute of it. It's a club that I've took to straight away. The support that everyone around me and the fans have given me and my family in joining the club, it's been excellent. 'It's a very exciting project that the club have got with the way they're going about their business with the analytics. I'm sure there will be a lot of changes, but as players you just need to get on with it and see what comes. We'll be going into next season with positivity and hopefully we can start better than we did this season." Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Clamping critics There were questions lingering over Hearts heading into the game at Hampden over their ability to mix it in big games, having missed two chances to enter the top six, failing to beat Hibs this season in derby action but league phase elimination in the Conference League. Neil Critchley's side more than matched the Dons over 120 minutes into extra time, with Michael Steinwender sent off in the first half and Cammy Devlin dismissed controversially for a second yellow in the additional half hour. Penrice insists a standard has been set. He said: 'There were weird shouts in the press earlier on in the week. We couldn't handle big games, but I don't think anyone walked off that park that was in a Hearts jersey that was disappointed in their performance. I thought every single one of the boys were brilliant. That's what you need. That's what you need every week when you play with this club. You need to put 100% and that needs to be the first thing. That's what we've got to do going forward now. 'Don't get me wrong, it's very disappointing, but I think that's your job. You can't always have it easy in football. This is what you're judged on when it is tough. Can you bounce back? That's what us as a group of players have got to do. We've got to bounce back now and go and finish these five games strongly. Because we owe it to the fans as well. 'I thought we were brilliant. Our shape was brilliant. We caught them a couple of times on the counter as well. For the most part of the game I think they ran out of ideas. They didn't really know what to do. We felt really comfortable actually. We were kind of looking to go into extra time and go and try and get another couple of chances. It wasn't to be and it's frustrating because of the amount of work that the boys have put in. The disappointment of last week and this week. It was a massive week for the club. It is frustrating, but we've just got to get on with it."
