The Hearts Euro fix driving James Penrice on top 6 D-Day as Jambo admits 'it's all on this'
The next two games are massive if Hearts are to keep their Euro hopes alive - starting with today's trip to Motherwell.
James Penrice admits his first taste of European football this season was nuts - especially the seven-hour flight to Azerbaijan to play a team from Belarus.
But the Hearts full-back is desperate for another dose of Jambos jet setting by booking a return journey to continental competition. And he knows they need to go the extra mile over the next few weeks if they’re to ensure those hopes aren’t grounded for another year.
Penrice played in all eight games as Hearts travelled to Plzen, Baku, Brugge and Copenhagen in the Europa League qualifiers and ultimately the Conference League proper. It started well with a win over Dinamo Minsk in neutral Azerbaijan.
But the former Livingston ace has bittersweet memories after the campaign ended in disappointment after a home shocker against Moldovan minnows Petrocub. That’s left Penrice and his team mates with a burning feeling of a missed opportunity needing rectified.
Hearts need to beat Motherwell today to guarantee a top six finish and with that the chance to challenge for the Euro spots. Then next week’s Scottish Cup semi final against Aberdeen opens the door to a second chance with the winners of that competition going directly into the Europa League play-off.
And the 26-year-old said: “I want to experience what I experienced this season. It was my first time, a lot of the boys down there have done it a couple of times.
“I was buzzing with any game we played in Europe, I was so up for it. It's a great experience, not just for me but my family as well, coming to their games. A couple of family members went to their away trips so it's a great experience for them and I would obviously love to have that again.
“What was my main memory of Europe? Probably the seven hour flight to Azerbaijan to be fair! That was the longest flight I've ever been on. But, aye, that full trip was a bit nuts.
“We made a good start to the campaign and then had a poor end. So definitely we would love to fix that.
“Our focus right now is just on getting into the top six. We've not looked any further forward, it's all about this game. Everything's on this. We need to go there and win. There's no going there and sitting in or hoping something happens in the other game. It's just take care of ourselves.”
Hearts will be without James Wilson for this afternoon’s do-or-die clash with Well in Lanarkshire after the teenager picked up the first red card of his career against Dundee United last week. But if the striker was looking for an arm round the shoulder from his team mates he was to be disappointed.
Penrice said: “I was calling him a thug! To be fair his young brothers are down there in the academy too so we're asking them and they think it's a red card too.
“There's been a couple of jokes. You've got to laugh about it now. It's done. He'll probably be disappointed but he's a young boy and he's got so many more years in the game. I'm sure he'll be fine.
“He’ll be missed though. He's asserted himself well and he's a regular now. He's a Scotland cap as well. He's had a brilliant season and I'm very impressed with him.”
Penrice is a strong candidate for Hearts player of the year after his move from Livi. But he’d rather grab team gongs than any personal accolades come the end of the season.
He said: “I came here to win stuff and play in big games and it's obviously brilliant if the club are doing so well because it means the boys are doing well.
“What's more important to me is that the club are doing well than the personal praise. I joined Hearts to play in big games. We've got the one next week and then we've got this one here. The next two games for us are like cup finals.”