Jonsson can shoulder leading role for Hearts

EGGERT JONSSON finds himself fastracked into the role of Hearts captain at the tender age of 22. He is not overwhelmed, simply motivated to fulfil his new responsibilities with due diligence.

Whereas others of a similar age are still finding their first-team feet, the aimiable Icelander has been promoted twice this month and is now his club's on-field lieutenant. Marius Zaliukas, pictured below right, was appointed club captain only last month following Michael Stewart's departure but is now engaged in a contract dispute with the Tynecastle hierarchy. Lee Wallace, the vice-captain, is sidelined with knee ligament damage. Jonsson, a quietly assured footballer, is the natural choice to assume the reins.

Inspiration has been plentiful throughout his five-year Hearts career, with iconic figures like Steven Pressley, Paul Hartley and Craig Gordon all having preceded him as captain.

As a sage-like teenager, he gleaned much expertise from senior figures and will employ every ounce of knowledge to ensure he does himself justice as on-field leader. Additionally, he can call upon some significant footballing experience of his own. He first sampled senior football aged 15 with Fjardabyggd in Iceland and has managed over 100 appearances for Hearts. He is also a full internationalist with his country having progressed through the international youth squads and started both the recent European Championship qualifiers against Norway and Denmark.

Add that to the plethora of managers and coaches he has encountered both at club and international level, and you begin to understand why the player is confident in his own skin and not daunted by his new role at Tynecastle.

"I knew we'd lost two good players, the captain and vice-captain. I was vice-vice-captain if you like and all of a sudden I'm leading the team," he says.

"It means more responsibility so I need to be more vocal and take control for the team. I'll try to do the best I can.

"We have other big, experienced players who are influential in the dressing-room as well. They will be there and have something to say, so that will help us through.

"I know I have to be more vocal. I always tried to be vocal before, especially on the training pitch and during games. That's where you need to be vocal, more than in the dressing room. You need to give advice if players need it, but the important thing is that you lead by example on the pitch and give all you've got to drive the team forward."

He possesses a hint of Scottish twang amid the Icelandic accent but Jonsson is unlikely to resort to stereotypical screaming and bawling to get his message across.

"Aye. If people need to be sorted out then I'll do my best," he continues. "I'm not going to go around caning anyone, I'll try to have a positive approach.

"Everyone makes mistakes so I'm not going to go around and, if a player makes a mistake, slag him for it just because I'm captain. I'm not like that. I'll always try to give positive feedback. It's not the mistake you make, it's how you react after it. That's what makes you a good player."

That measured attitude has already taken him far in his chosen field. Several English Championship clubs have visited Tynecastle to watch Jonsson in action, perhaps impressed by his versatility as much as the sensible head on those broadening shoulders.

He has filled every outfield position in his time with Hearts and never once offered a humph of discontent let alone a complaint. Inwardly there is a steely determination to succeed no matter the assignment, whether it is left-back, holding midfield or centre forward.

If he is ever to leave Hearts, be sure it will be for top dollar. His current contract runs until 2012 and the club's owners consider him a highly prized asset in the same bracket as colleagues like Wallace and Andy Driver. In some respects, it seems they have been priming him for the skipper's role virtually since he arrived in 2005.

Jonsson watched and admired Pressley, marvelled at the knowledge and achievements of players like Takis Fyssas and Edgaras Jankauskas and then became a first-team regular with Gordon as his captain. He will not model himself on any one luminary, though.

"I'm not going to compare myself to someone like Steven Pressley. He was here a long time and was a great servant to the club. In recent years, he's probably the best captain there's been here. He left and other players came in and were good captains.

"I don't think I'm going to have to change myself just because I'm the captain. I've got this band around my left arm but I'll just be the same guy I've always been. We've had some good captains in the past and I managed to learn things from them. When I first came to Hearts there were many leaders. Steven Pressley and Paul Hartley were great leaders. Takis Fyssas knew everything about football, then there was Craig Gordon.

"All these players were influential and were experienced professionals. It's only when you think about watching them that you realise you have to learn from them and use that to benefit yourself.

"Even though Lee isn't on the pitch he's still in the dressing room. He can use his influence in there. We are both young players who have been at Hearts for a long time. We know the club and how it works. We've been playing regularly for a long time now."

From fresh-faced 15-year-old to youth academy pupil, to first-team mainstay, to full internationalist, to club captain. Eggert Jonsson has achieved a lot in his career already. Hearts' choice of deputy captain has sense and sensibility written all over it.