Cameron Devlin could not think of a better way to move past the heartbreak of recent months than earning a World Cup call-up with the Socceroos. The hard-nosed Hearts midfielder experienced a crushing blow when his Scottish club lost to Celtic on the final day of the Scottish Premiership, surrendering the league title in devastating fashion. The situation worsened when Celtic fans stormed the pitch after the victory, turning an already nightmare day for Devlin and his teammates into an even more distressing experience.
A Painful End to a Promising Season
“It was horrible, to be honest,” Devlin admitted. “I didn’t envision the last game of the season going the way it did, both in terms of the result and the scenes you all would have seen. That’s not what football is about. Obviously, they won the game and were the champions. But just the way it all happened, with some of the decisions in the last week and stuff, it puts a sour taste on the ending to what was such a good season for such a special club.”
Devlin, who turned 28 on Sunday, expressed his frustration as he recalled the chaotic scenes. “It’s just frustrating the way it finished, with all the fans running onto the field. None of the players got hurt, but it wasn’t nice and it never is. At the end of the day, we didn’t quite get it over the line, which is something that will take a while to get over. But I’m quite fortunate that I get to come in here, and a World Cup is a good thing to help forget about things back at the club.”
First Socceroos Minutes Under Popovic
Devlin earned his first minutes for the Socceroos in nearly two years, and his first under coach Tony Popovic, during Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Switzerland. “I had to remind myself I had to go out there and really stake my claim,” Devlin said. “I had 10 minutes to do the best I could to put my best foot forward, like I always try to do.”
Devlin has been a fan favourite at Hearts, enjoying sensational form, but he is now off-contract. Despite the uncertainty surrounding his club future, he refuses to let it distract him from the World Cup. “It’s hard because obviously I know I’ve got a massive decision to make,” he explained. “This (World Cup) is the pinnacle for any sportsman. So to be focusing on someone else at the moment is probably not the right thing to do. Obviously, it’s hard because my future, I’m not sure what’s happening at the moment.”
Strong Bond with Hearts Coach
Devlin maintains a strong relationship with Hearts coach Derek McInnes. “Me and him have such a great relationship, and we’re speaking regularly at the moment, which is really good. Hearts is such an amazing place. I feel so at home there. So it’s something that I actually don’t know at the moment. And like I said, I’ve got a World Cup to focus on. So that’s my main priority at the moment.”
