WHEN it comes to incentives, some players respond to the carrot, others the stick. Christian Nade has been spurred on by both at different times this season.
The carrot dangled at the start of Csaba Laszlo's reign was a place in his manager's plans if he could lose the excess weight and improve his fitness, the stick remains the verbal kind meted out by opposition fans.
Before the campaign had even kic
ked off he was subjected to his own specialised training regime in a bid to shed the bulk which has seen him lampooned by supporters since his arrival in Scottish football in August 2007. On the pre-season trip to Germany, while his colleagues were shuttled from the hotel to training on the team bus, Laszlo commandeered a bike for the burly Frenchman and forced him to cycle the 40 minutes there and back.
"I've not always been the big guy," says the former France U-21 international, with a rueful smile. "I used to be faster! But I've got some problems with my body just now – my hamstrings have been tight for the past seven months, my groin, my pelvis - so I can't really sprint. That means I've had to work on other qualities like being able to hold the ball up better.
"Missing a bit of pre-season was hard, but I worked out on that bike for two hours a day, maybe even more. It was tough because it's better to work with a team – on your own you never go at 100 per cent because you don't have someone there to compete with."
That competitive nature seems to come to the fore against Aberdeen, who play hosts to Hearts on Tuesday night as the tussle for third place continues. In his two season's with the Gorgie outfit, Nade's goalscoring exploits could hardly be described as prolific, yet, of the eight goals netted, three have come against the Pittodrie side.
"I'm not sure what it is about Aberdeen, but some teams you just do better against," says the former Sheffield United striker. "I do like playing against them, though, maybe because they don't like me. And if they don't like me, I don't like them, so maybe that's what makes me do better."
In his mind a grudge match, it brings out the goals which have otherwise been slow in coming. He accepts that, but says that the formation and lonely role up front should be considered in mitigation.
"It's hard because when you're playing like that up front you have to play for the team and sometimes you forget to play for yourself. I'm still a striker and I should be scoring goals, so although the team has been good it's not good enough from my point of view. It's frustrating not having a partner to look for. It's OK when I keep the ball, but when I lose the ball it's always my fault. Even with two or three players against me, if I lose it it's my fault and all the team have to go back. That's hard. But maybe I should play a bit more for myself."
It is ten games since Nade got on the scoresheet – in Hearts' 2-1 win over Aberdeen in February – but he has been handed another incentive. With Calum Elliot back in the fold and Mike Tullberg fit, Nade has had to come off the bench in the past five games and while he isn't moaning about the situation, he would like to regain a starting berth.
That's the carrot. He expects Aberdeen to provide the stick.
The full article contains 610 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
