Josh Ginnelly was hanging on every word as Liam Boyce gave him the lowdown on how to lead the line for Hearts.
But it didn’t mean the Jambos ace had to put up with listening to the absent frontman’s music.
Ginnelly revealed he was picking the striker’s brain in the car before his outstanding display in this demolition of Dundee United.
The on-song stand-in just didn’t let Boyce pick the tunes.
Ginnelly said: “On Friday night I was watching all of Boycey’s clips and trying to take in everything I could. It worked well but there’s still more we need to work on.
“Somebody just watching the game doesn’t pick up on the stuff Boycey does. His intelligence on the pitch is crazy. His movement, always occupying two players, staying out of the eyeline of players, that’s why he scores so many.
“We came in together on Saturday. He was giving me little preps and things to do – it worked.
“I was picking the tunes, though. It was me all day – I can’t listen to his Irish music!
“He’s good, he’s probably my closest friend at the club. We just bounce off each other.”
Ginnelly was part of a lethal front three for Robbie Neilson’s side as Ben Woodburn sparked to life along with Barrie McKay.
The win was as impressive as it was important on the back of three draws and the previous weekend’s defeat at Aberdeen.
Snipers claimed the wheels had come off the Gorgie charge after a superb start to the season but they got motoring again, even without their injured striker.
Ginnelly did the business but the 24-year-old admitted he’ll gladly pull over when Boyce is back from his injury lay-off as he didn’t quite realise the graft required to lead from the front.
He said: “I’d happily step aside for Boycey, he deserves it. He’s our main striker, he’s a brilliant player and we need him.
“Boycey is probably the No.1 I’ve played with. From what I’ve seen, he’s got everything.
“Some maybe see him as a target man or whatever but the guy has got everything – top three without a doubt.
“It’s tough. As a player you always think, ‘I’d love to be a striker, you just stand there and score’. But it’s so hard.
“Stopping people switching the ball, pressing, trying to get the team up, it’s tough but I enjoyed it. The times I had chances, my legs were cramping, so I’m annoyed but happy with the result because we needed it.”
Ginnelly was blown over by Woodburn but knows it is still just a glimpse of his potential.
The on-loan Liverpool man kicked off the win when he squeezed his drive under Benjamin Siegrist.
He struck a sublime second for Hearts’ third after Alex Cochrane had volleyed home from Ginnelly’s pinpoint cross and Ryan Edwards rattled a rocket for United.
Nicky Clark’s diving header made it 3-2 just past the hour before Stephen Kingsley and Aaron McEneff struck to reflect Hearts’ dominance in the scoreline.
Ginnelly said: “Ben showed his quality. We all understand each other in training. It was one of the few days all three of us will be on the pitch at the same time.
“We all enjoyed it and to a man everyone was brilliant.”
Ginnelly wasn’t wrong. United made a heck of a game of it but were still flying by the seat of their pants. When Charlie Mulgrew went off halfway through, their number looked up.
Questions had been asked of this Hearts side after their blistering start to the season seemed to have stalled at Pittodrie, losing 2-1 having led at the break.
Ginnelly and Co came up with the answers and the English winger is convinced the Jambos can go the distance this term.
The former Aston Villa kid reckons there’s a mentality change at Tynecastle and they are determined to keep up the pace with the Old Firm.
“Without a doubt,” he added. “No question. We’ve got so much in the changing room.
“It was a massive result against Dundee United. We’re Hearts and if we draw with someone, it’s a bad thing. Apart from Rangers and Celtic, we should be beating teams but it’s not that simple.
“People are all saying, ‘Hearts are falling apart’ but that’s not the case. There are going to be disappointing days – even Rangers and Celtic have their bad days.
“We were all buzzing on Saturday obviously but there’s such a high demand in our group, that we’re more annoyed at the goals we conceded.
“We’ve got a great mentality in the team.”
