Hearts: Templeton is honoured to be winning awards but would rather let his feet do the talking at Tannadice

CRADLING the Clydesdale Bank SPL Young Player of the Month award, David Templeton looks almost bashful.

Part of the attraction with this exciting winger is his unassuming nature, illustrated by the fact he is surprised to be recognised as the league's most prominent youngster for a second consecutive month.

Templeton is also keen to force his way back into Hearts' starting XI at Tannadice tomorrow. He was disappointed at being rested for the midweek Scottish Cup defeat by St Johnstone as Arvydas Novikovas assumed his left-wing slot. The 22-year-old knows he must continually prove himself worthy of inclusion but isn't afraid of the challenge.

He doesn't do hype and he doesn't rest on laurels. What he does do is burst a gut every day at Riccarton and in every game when selected. It is a somewhat fruitful approach which, allied to his pace, dribbling skills and finishing prowess, has transformed the player from a peripheral figure at Hearts to a first-team regular on the verge of international recognition.

Yet Templeton doesn't buy into the euphoria, perhaps a consequence of living in Glasgow away from the excitement he frequently creates in Edinburgh. "I don't have a big mantelpiece, I'll need to try and build one," he smiled after being asked about two young player awards in a row for November and December.

"I was actually quite surprised to win this to be honest. I thought at St Mirren I didn't have my best game. I did quite well for the last 20 minutes but I was terrible for the first 60. I played pretty well in the Aberdeen game and Inverness as well. I wasn't expecting to get the award because of the St Mirren game.

"I'm quite surprised how well I'm doing. I knew that, if I got a chance, I was capable of this. Last season I was injured quite a lot and I needed a chance near the end of the season. I got it and this year I've been able to keep my spot in the team. The manager gave me a few games at the end of last season and I did quite well. I did well in pre-season so I think pre-season was what managed to keep me in the team."

As for hype, living in the west helps him avoid it. "I don't really bother with it, I just try to blank it out and concentrate on my football. I stay in Glasgow so you don't get many people noticing you. There are a few people but not like if I was staying through in Edinburgh."

Templeton is likely to be reinstated for tomorrow's trip to Dundee United with Novikovas reverting to the substitutes' bench. But that brings its own problems. SPL managers are conscious of the threat posed by arguably Hearts' most potent weapon and have begun making plans to nullify him.

The sight of two – perhaps more – markers in close attendance as he sets off down the wing is something Templeton may need to grow accustomed to. He is determined that stifling tactics will not inhibit his panache.

"I would like to play well all the time. In some games it's hard, some teams double up on you and make it difficult but I just want to try and find a way to play against that and try to keep being consistent," he explained. "I've noticed it (man-marking) in a couple of games. If that's going to keep happening I need to try and find a way to play against it.

"I didn't really have the best of games against Hibs the other week. Steven Thicot played well against me and I found it hard to get going. Nothing really came off for me so the gaffer was right to take me off. Arvydas came on and set up the winner."

If Templeton can fathom a way past his markers and manage to thrive again for the remainder of January, he could well secure himself a place in Craig Levein's Scotland squad for February's Carling Nations Cup match with Northern Ireland.

His unpretentious side emerges again when asked about the prospect. "It would be great to get called up to the national team. If not, I'm still young and trying to concentrate on playing for Hearts. If it doesn't happen now then hopefully it can in the future," he said.

"I played at under-17s, under-19s and under-21s for Scotland. Of course it would be good getting called up, it would do my confidence a lot of good. If not then I'm happy just to concentrate on playing each week for Hearts. I just have to keep playing well.

"Last season I wasn't playing at first-team level so I wasn't getting selected for the Scotland Under-21s and I can understand why. I only got five minutes at the end of the campaign and I was quite disappointed. Everyone else had been doing well so I couldn't really argue."

Neither did he question Jim Jefferies' decision to rest him on Tuesday, despite feeling inwardly frustrated. "Like every footballer I just want to play every game, especially in the Scottish Cup. I was dying to play to try and help get a good result but obviously the gaffer decides. It's up to him, I can't really argue.

"We played poorly against St Johnstone. Hopefully tomorrow we can get back to winning ways and play the way we were playing in the previous seven games. Hopefully that defeat was just a one-off.

"Everyone is just concentrating straight on the league now. All the players wanted to try and get a good cup run going, especially with the Old Firm drawing each other. That gave us a good chance but, given the way we played, we didn't deserve to go through."

In football, and in life, you tend to get what you deserve. Despite his own shock, David Templeton has reaped his rewards from the SPL sponsors over the last two months. More accolades are sure to follow.