SUSO SANTANA wanted to be just like his hero Raul as a youngster – but he's determined to build a reputation of his own in Scotland after signing a three-year deal with Hearts.
The 24-year-old put pen to paper this week, joining the Tynecastle club from Tenerife, although he spent last season on loan at Fuerteventura.
The midfielder knows that fellow Spaniards such as Rangers' Nacho Novo, new Hearts team-mate Ruben Pal
azuelos and Marc Crosas of Celtic have carved successful careers in this country and hopes to do the same. However, but he insisted that he's not looking to anyone else for advice.
He hasn't been in contact with any of his fellow countrymen plying their trade in Scotland so far, speaking only with his family and agent as the final details of his move were agreed.
The determination from the right-sided player is clear to see and he's set on becoming his own man at Tynecastle with sheer hard graft at the top of his priority list. Speaking through an interpreter, he said: "I have not really spoken to any of the other Spanish players in the country, although I spoke for a long time with my agent.
"Obviously, Nacho Novo is a name that is well known in football, his career since he has come here has been well documented in Spain. And there have been others who have come here to play their football, Marc Crosas and others.
"But for me I just want to work really hard to make my own career as successful as possible in this country.
"I grew up watching Raul (pictured below] and I would love to model myself on him. There are a lot of Spanish players in this country but he is the one who stands out for me. From a very young age, I have followed his career, right through the youth divisions of Real Madrid."
However, Suso – the name which is likely to emblazon the back of his Hearts strip this season – doesn't yet speak any English, and he concedes it will be helpful having fellow Spaniard Palazuelos in the Tynecastle dressing-room.
"That will very much help me. I am looking forward to having Ruben's help and support over the next few months," he admitted.
The player himself admits that he loves to run at opponents one-on-one and bagged nine goals from his midfield position with Fuerteventura in the last campaign.
And he believes that he has enough physical strength and guile to allow him to settle right into his new surroundings.
He's seen Scottish football on television and is well aware of the tough-tackling, hit-and-rush reputation of the game in this country.
But he's not going to let that faze him and has already started looking ahead to the club's Europa League campaign, and the possibility of helping his new team finish high enough in the SPL table next May to ensure they qualify again.
He added: "Football is football and the physical aspect of the game in this country does not throw me, it is something that I will have to work very hard at.
"That is all I can really do at the moment and hopefully goals will come with all of that hard work.
"Taking on the opposition one-against-one is my favourite thing to do, that is the fun part of football.
"I know that it is a very physical league here in Scotland and that is not something that worries me. I am hopeful that I can adapt quickly. I would like to think that I could come here and help the team to qualify for Europe again next season but we have not played any football yet so it is too early to say what will happen.
"At the moment, the aim is to work as hard as possible and help the side finish as high in the league as we possibly can. For me, it is all about working hard for the team and, if that can help the team to qualify for the league stages in Europe this season, then that would be good."
Suso first heard of Hearts' interest back in November last year but, despite not hearing anything concrete in the interim period, insisted that he was never worried the move may not materialise.
"It was around November or December time when I first heard that Hearts might be interested in me but it wasn't until two weeks ago that there was anything concrete.
"Coming to Scotland to play with Hearts was not a difficult decision, obviously it was a very important decision, but it was not difficult.
"My aim now is to adapt as quickly as possible to life in Scotland.
"I did not worry when I had not heard anything from Hearts, I have always been very calm about it and my representative has always kept in touch with me over any developments and contract situation – there was no need to rush."
The full article contains 848 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
