When will 23-goal Makenzie Kirk play for Hearts? Steven Naismith explains the situation

January loan move for the teenage striker may be an option

Lashing 23 goals in 18 games for Hearts B team has brought Makenzie Kirk to the attention of many Tynecastle supporters. A prolific scoring record at Lowland League level marks him out as a natural finisher. Fans are now asking when he will gain promotion to the first team.

Son of Andy Kirk, 19-year-old Makenzie is still developing his game but trained with the senior squad at Riccarton this week. Hearts head coach Steven Naismith is cautious about throwing him into Premiership action too early and wants him to polish off some rough edges first.

"When fans see he is scoring a lot of goals, how many have watched a B team game?" asked Naismith. "Mak Kirk's strongest attribute is finishing, arguably the top, as good as anyone we have got at this club. But the other aspects of his game he needs to work on. He's such a good character that he learns. If anything he works too hard - running everywhere and then the ball comes in the box and he's not there. Or the link-up is not there because he is doing somebody else's job.

"For the last year, that's the biggest thing I've tried to turn with him when I've been working with him. His season so far has been really good, improving in all the areas. When he's around the first team he's had a few sessions where we are like: 'That part needs to be better'. Then he gets it. For instance, he was in our training group on Thursday and does really well so it's about keeping him on that upward trajectory."

Kirk has played once for Hearts at first-team level back in April 2022. A January loan for more experience is a possibility but Naismith won't commit to anything until nearer the time. For now, he is watching Kirk add different qualities to his ruthless goalscoring ability.

"In terms of January, we will wait and see because the question will be: 'Will he get much else from the next six months in the B [team]?' If there is an offer and somebody wants to take him higher up, do we challenge him there? The ultimate goal is that he needs to be in the first team. He might go and break records in the B team league but that's irrelevant, really, because he needs to progress and we need to test him to see exactly where he is.

"Like I've said before, I am not going to fling any young kid in just to show we are throwing him in. It can kill a young player as much as it can help them but we want to get as many young players through as we can. A lot of work we've done in the background with the B team - with the boys going on loan, how their working week works in terms of getting around the first-team - is as good as it's been since I've been at the club.

"It's just that last bit that everybody sees on the pitch and getting him there. I think we are in a good place and have some good prospects coming through, so we will see in the next year or two. Hopefully we can get a few of them in the first team."