JJ Williams reacts as Hearts show support for their American striker.

JJ Williams is eager to put his recent missed opportunities behind him and show that he can become a reliable goalscorer for Hearts, with the American forward determined to make a positive response when Scottish Premiership action resumes.

The 28-year-old was disappointed after failing to convert chances in Hearts’ recent matches against Falkirk and Kilmarnock before the international break. However, rather than allowing those misses to affect his confidence, Williams is already looking forward to another opportunity to find the net.

The Hearts striker should have plenty of chances to make an impact, with the Edinburgh club facing a demanding run of nine matches in just one month. That busy schedule could give Williams the opportunity he needs to rediscover his scoring touch and establish himself more firmly within the team.

Hearts head coach Wouter Vrancken has made it clear that he is not overly worried about Williams’ recent finishing. The Belgian understands that the striker is still adjusting to a completely new footballing environment after making the move to Scotland for the first time in his career.

Williams joined Hearts towards the end of August after the club reached an agreement worth £100,000 with Rhode Island, his former club in the American second tier. Having spent almost his entire career playing in the United States, this represents a major change for the forward, both professionally and personally.

So far, Williams has featured five times for Hearts and has scored one goal. His only start came in last month’s Premier Sports Cup quarter-final against Stenhousemuir, where he found the back of the net as Hearts secured a victory at Ochilview.

Since then, Scotland international James Wilson has generally been preferred as Hearts’ main attacking option. Wilson has been in impressive form, scoring five times in his last eight appearances for the club. His confidence was further boosted when he scored for Scotland Under-21s against Azerbaijan Under-21s during the recent international break.

Despite Williams currently being behind Wilson in the pecking order, Vrancken believes the American has the right mentality to respond strongly. The Hearts manager has spoken informally with his striker and has noticed how determined he is to improve.

Vrancken explained that Williams does not need anybody to remind him about the chances he has missed because the forward is already extremely demanding of himself.

“I didn’t speak with him in an official way, one-on-one. We just spoke during the day, like on the pitch at times,” Vrancken said.

The Hearts boss believes Williams is already putting pressure on himself to correct the situation. According to Vrancken, the striker is desperate to return to the pitch and take his next opportunity, although there is no reason for him to feel that he has done something seriously wrong.

Missing chances is simply part of being a footballer, particularly for a striker whose job is to constantly create and finish opportunities. Vrancken feels Williams understands that and will use his disappointment as motivation rather than allowing it to become a burden.

The manager is confident that the American will continue working hard and will eventually reward himself and the team with more goals.

Williams’ move to Scotland has also involved adapting to a new culture, different surroundings and a higher level of competition. Most of his career was spent in the USL Championship, although he also had spells in Major League Soccer with Columbus Crew and Atlanta United.

His arrival at Tynecastle is therefore a significant step into unfamiliar territory. Vrancken pointed out that Williams is not the only Hearts player having to adjust to a new environment.

“A lot of our players are like this,” the manager explained. “They come from abroad, from lower leagues, or they didn’t play too much for the last year. You always have to adapt to culture, a new environment, the level of the league, the style of play, it’s all adaptation. It’s like this for JJ.”

Hearts are determined to give their new recruits the necessary support rather than allowing individual players to carry excessive pressure. Vrancken believes Williams has the personality required to deal with the challenge because of his openness and willingness to learn.

The manager also stressed that responsibility for Hearts’ performances cannot rest on the shoulders of one player. Instead, the entire squad must contribute and share the pressure.

“I think JJ has the personality to cope with it because he is very open and eager to learn,” Vrancken added. “We don’t have to put all the weight on his shoulders, of course. This is a collective thing. The weight is on all of us, not only one player. But JJ is eager to come in and prove he is important for the team.”

With Hearts facing a hectic period of fixtures, Williams could soon have another chance to demonstrate exactly why the club invested in him. The American striker now has the opportunity to turn his frustration into motivation and prove that he can become an important goalscoring option for Vrancken’s side.

For Williams, the upcoming Premiership schedule cannot arrive quickly enough.