BY ALAN TEMPLE – @CCP_Sport
Hearts star Jamie Walker admits he was left red-faced when his blue hair was revealed to the world.
Walker decided to plump for the bold change of style during a visit to a friend’s house and made the dangerous call to let his mate do the honours, resulting in a startling new look.
While the 22-year-old attempted to keep a low profile, his stunned Hearts teammates were not so shy – and goalkeeper Neil Alexander tweeted a picture of a sheepish Walker.
The nippy winger moved swiftly to rectify the damage.
“A few people will have seen that unfortunately. I’ve changed it back now,” smiled the notably dark-haired Walker. “I didn’t think it would be a good look long-term – the blue hair. As soon as I got it done, I wanted to change it back.
“I thought I would get it done on the spur of the moment, one of my pals did it. I would’ve left it, but we have a team night out in Newcastle at the weekend and I’m not going down looking like that!
“I was just round at my friend’s house. I’ll not be doing it again any time soon. It was only for a couple of days. The boys were laughing when I walked in to the dressing room but I didn’t get too many looks around Edinburgh . . . I wore a hat.”
Perhaps boredom can account for Walker’s errant decision-making, given he is currently confined to the sidelines due to an injury which has plagued him since August’s visit to Dundee.
Initially prescribed rest, the complaint has not cleared up and he has started just eight matches this season, robbing Hearts of one of their most potent attacking threats and stars of last term.
He is now undergoing a treatment known as Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy which fires pulses of mechanical energy into the affected tissue. It also, according to Walker, resembles a hairdryer.
“I’ve had shockwave therapy over the last few weeks but I’m still a month or so away from coming back,” continued the former Scotland under-21 international.
“It is basically wee shocks being sent into your knee which helps the knock, but it’s still a bit sore, so I am taking it easy. It’s something which is relative to my injury and thankfully it seems to have helped.
“It’s like a big hairdryer! It sends the waves straight into the knee and breaks up the tissue and helps it heal. Hopefully I’ll be back training but some days it is sore, some days it is okay. I just need to take it as it comes and hopefully I am back sooner rather than later.”
Surgery
Walker, however, admits he may be required to go under the knife in the long-term, albeit he is unwilling to write off two months of the current season.
“There is surgery I can get,” he continued. “That involves getting the bone shaved which helps things smooth out. “But that means two months out so it could be an option – at the end of the season.
“If it doesn’t go away then I’ll need to play through the pain barrier for this season and get it done at the end of the season.”
Walker can at least draw solace from the fact his teammates are doing the business on his behalf, with the Jambos currently riding high in second spot in the Premiership following a run of seven league matches without defeat.
“I’ve had problems with my knee in the past which didn’t help. I’ve had long lay-offs before – I did my metatarsal – and I just need to try to keep my head up and work hard in my rehab,” added Walker.
“I’m okay at watching the games – thankfully the lads are doing well and hopefully we’ll stay near the top of the table.”
