Struggling Calum at a crossroads

May 25 2008 By Gordon Waddell

BILLY STARK reckons next season is make or break time for Calum Elliot's career.

The Scotland Under-21 boss was desperate to see the Hearts hitman end this campaign on a high after a year from hell.

Instead Elliot was stupidly red-carded - his third of the season - in the Scots' 4-1 defeat by a slick Norway side at Rugby Park.

Now the 21-year-old has to rediscover his confidence after an annus horribilis that has seen him booed on to the park by Jambos fans, cheered off it when subbed, score only four goals and suffer humiliation following his embarrassing dancing appearance on YouTube.

But Stark insists the worst thing Elliot can do all summer is feel sorry for himself.

He said: "It's a difficult one and that's why I was so disappointed for Calum because he's had a real hard time.

"We were hoping the freshness of the international game could let him loose and enable him to enjoy it.

"You need to have sympathy, even if it was a bit silly the way he got sent off, because of the way the season has gone for him.

"He's quite a deep boy who, as in life, sometimes takes a bit longer to figure out. His confidence has suffered greatly.

"The way the season has gone, he has dwelled on that. You can't suddenly flick a switch and be all confident again.

"We hoped we'd get a good foothold in the game and involve Calumso his confidence would grow from there. That's the only place he can get it.

"Next season is crucial for him. I don't know what the plans are in Calum's head or even Hearts'.

"It's a long way back for him there although that's not to say it can't be done. People have been in that position before and it would be easy to feel sorry for yourself.

"We desperately wanted him to come out of this game feeling a bit better about himself and it's a shame what happened."

Stark is determined not to completely put a lid on Elliot's natural instincts though.

He said: "Calum puts himself about and is physical.

"If you took that out of his game he would suffer. Against Norway he barged the guy a wee bit and the ref deemed it late.

"Then you just can't slide into a tackle like he did when you're on a booking. You have to be more clever although it was probably a case of all his frustrations from the season boiling over.

"But it's down to him. He has to get a consistency of playing reasonably well and take confidence from that."

Stark's next outing is their crucial Euro qualifier against Lithuania on August 20. A win would move them within two points of top spot.

And with seven regular starters missing last week he'll be hoping to kick off the season stronger.

Steven Fletcher, Ross McCormack, Andy Considine, Garry Kenneth and Mark Reynolds were all in club action while Kevin McDonald and Stevie Naismith were crocked.

Stark said: "We missed a few of them but that wasn't an excuse.

"It's just that especially in the case of Naismith, Fletcher and McCormack they are our top performers and dictate the way we play."