I'm giving physios a heart attack trying to get back ás quickly as Boycie

Jambos ace Beni targets early return from horror knee injury

- ROSS PILCHER

BENI BANINGIME believes he can follow Liam Boyce's example and come back from a ruptured cruciate just six months after getting injured.

The Hearts midfielder has been sidelined since his season ended during a 2-0 victory over Livingston in March.

The initial prognosis was a nine-month absence and that's what the Tynecastle club's medical staff are working on.

But players being the way they are, the desperation to get back playing makes it difficult to manage expectations and keep their own timelines in check.

Baningime readily admits he's been a nightmare in that regard, with the physios having to hold him back and make sure he doesn't push himself too hard.

Since the injury, he's been heeding the advice of teammates who've gone through similar.

John Souttar knows better than most how hard the road back to fitness is as do Stephen Kingsley, Peter Haring and Boyce.

Boyce had a relatively quickfire return to action after suffering the same injury for Burton Albion in August 2017.

The Northern Irishman was back playing by the end of January and Baningime is taking inspiration from that.