Jags boss would like to prepare birth of Hearts kid Conrad Balatoni
Young Hearts defender Conrad Balatoni lined up for a permanent moving to Partick Thistle. Jackie McNamara as Jags boss would prepare a swoop for Leeds-born Balatoni so the player has to be freed early from a contract that would be ended at the end of the season. The 20-year-old, whose loan spell at Firhill would be ended next month, is one of a group of players which include Jason Thomson, Calum Elliot , and Janos Balogh. This week, they told that their services are no longer required at Hearts.
McNamara said that Conrad’s contract at Hearts was up in the summer and his loan deal would be ended here in a month and we desire to keep him beyond that. We really want to see what happens with Hearts but I would keep him at Thistle. Balatoni does not make a single first-team appearance for the Jambos. At Thistle, he is in his second loan spell and he has played more than 30 games in the First Division.
Last week, Balatoni’s rate of improvement had impressed McNamara because the scorer of the opening goal during a 2-1 victory over Livingston. “Although Conrad still learns but I like what I know and see in him,” McNamara said. In the last couple of matches he is excellent and he is a very good player although he is still learning from the mistakes he have been made earlier in the season.
