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Report: Kitchen on his way out of Hearts

Perry Kitchen has gone from captain to player on the way out at Hearts in a short amount of time.

After being stripped of his captaincy in favor of the returning Christophe Berra, the U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder is expected to find a new club this summer, per the Edinburgh Evening News.

Kitchen has fallen out of favor at the club since a managerial change in December after thriving in the first few months after his move to Scotland from D.C. United.

“That’s something for us, naturally he’s not had a great time personally having not been in the side as often as any player would have liked but that’s a personal thing,” said manager Ian Cathro. “These are things that happen as a team evolves, as a team grows and moves on. This is a natural thing and we all move forward. It’s important that the [captain’s] role is a more constant role and it’s also important that we have a number of players who live their lives like that.”

The report mentions Kitchen has a few potential suitors abroad and in the United States, but the player’s preference is to stay overseas for the time being. Kitchen would not be subject to the allocation order if he were to return to MLS.

Comments

  1. If he cannot hang with New Zealand he cannot hang with the Worlds best like Brazil, France, Portugal, Chile, Belgium, and even teams that are not as strong as these teams like Mexico who is good but not great.

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  2. It’s important that the [captain’s] role is a more constant role and it’s also important that we have a number of players who live their lives like that.

    Is there any context to this statement or is this manager just a dick?

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      • I’ve re-read your response and I still have no idea what you’re trying to convey or ask.

    • I think there may have been some personality conflict there. He definitely went out of his way to infer Perry had no heart (hah! get it? – ugh, sorry, it’s been a long day).

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  3. I don’t know how to rate this experience for Kitchen, but as a big DC United supporter it’s not a highlight for a player that i trully respect for how he goes about his business on the field. Going from Captain to out of the club in a matter of months is weird but i guess it happens. Hopefully Perry finds his feet abroad, which is the route it seems he’s sticking with, and i would love to see him in either Germany or the Dutch league but he’s probably more likely to end up in Belgium or another Scandanavian league

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    • I think you can take heart (hah! get it?) in the fact that he was named captain in the first place. Yeah, that guy was fired mid-season, but Kitchen was the heart (hah! get it?) of the team for a while. Not taking too much from a newbie coach deciding that Perry didn’t fit his system and losing heart (hah! get it?) in him.

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  4. Given the second half of the season and finding himself in the doghouse it is not surprising Kitchen is on his way out. It is better for him. Wipe your hands and have a clean slate.

    It should also be noted that Cathro is very wet behind his ears as a manager. He is incredibly young, 30, to be exact and he has not exactly nailed down the whole “management” side of running a squad. He has not quite endured himself to players and fans quite yet. He is learning. He is supposedly has a high ceiling but he is no Julian Nagelsmann right now.

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  5. This guy was 6-6-14 since taking over at Hearts, clearly he’s trying to claim it was the rosters fault not his. They won just twice in the final two and half months of the season and those were against the 10th and 11th place teams.

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      • Isn’t Johnny trying to say that the reason for Kitchen going from captain to out the door is due to the new manager? Then Johnny presents some evidence that the team wasn’t fairing all that well under the new manager – even though Kitchen wasn’t playing. The inference being that Kitchen doesn’t suck, he just doesn’t fit with the new manager.

      • Lil’ Bobby:

        You may not agree with Johnny, that’s your right, but it’s really not that difficult to follow his argument. Of course, true to form, you just tell people they “make no sense” but provide no basis for your position. Hey, you do you. It’s obviously working…

    • Its also entirely possible Kitchen’s behavior/attitude behind the scenes was not up to standard and that is why he is in this situation….
      I’m more inclined to point the finger at the individual if he is not able to give the manager what he is looking for

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      • Two things that Kitchen has always had is a great attitude and incredible work ethic, both on and off the field. I seriously doubt that he was the source of any trouble in those areas. More likely, as some have already pointed out, what he brings to the table wasn’t what the manager wanted in his side. Fair enough, it happens. Here’s hoping he finds a better fit somewhere else.

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