Hearts star explains the tweak by Steven Naismith that is looking to add a new string to his bow

Hearts' Cammy Devlin and Kye Rowles have been picked by the Socceroos for World Cup qualifiers. | SNS

Cammy Devlin says he is working on getting higher up the pitch for Hearts and Australia to make himself a more all-round player.

The midfielder has been with Australia as they take on their summer World Cup qualifiers matches. He is in the squad for clashes with Bangladesh and Palestine, before attentions then turn to pre-season with Steven Naismith’s side.

One thing Devlin has relished under the Hearts head coach is playing slightly higher up in the midfield area. A box-to-box star by trade, the Socceroos man has made inroads into the opposing penalty boxes more often, adding a goal and assist to his name towards the end of last season’s Premiership.

He told the national team’s social media accounts: “I scored a couple of goals in training, I will take it! I have been working on that at club level. The coach at club level, Steven Naismith and the other coaches have been working on getting me higher up the pitch and not only winning the ball back and doing the things I have always been good at, but to make myself more complete is the other side of the game.

“I wasn’t really getting in positions higher up the pitch but I have been working that little bit harder to get higher and hopefully contribute in the final third, which in the last couple of months I was doing that.

“I was really enjoying it. You can look at it one of two ways. When I was injured I was off for the best part of three and a half months and it is obviously so tough.

“When you are in the gym and away from the boys ay Hearts, it’s focusing on other parts of your body to get stronger and making sure if you are resilient and work as hard as you can, you come back in better shape. One of my goals was that with a good couple months left of the season, If I get in the team and perform well, I can hopefully put myself in the position to be back here. Thankfully I am here, I felt I finished the season really well.”