Kingston wears heart on his sleeve

GHANA - the first black nation to break free from colonial rule as a 'Wind of Change' swept through Africa - last week marked the 50th anniversary of its independence from Britain. Meanwhile, Ghanaian free spirit Laryea Kingston has stormed into Scottish football like a maelstrom.

In the space of just five games, Hearts fans have seen the two sides of Kingston: commanding performances, brimming with skill and energy on the one hand; but on the other, a disciplinary record that has, far too often, had referees pulling out cards and coaches pulling out their own hair. Kingston is a paradox. A fierce and combustible character on the pitch, yet an extremely amiable and laid-back character off it, one who commands so much respect back home that he has acquired the elder statesmanly moniker of 'Bra Laryea'. A player considered by many to be as vital to the national cause as Michael Essien, yet whose club career has been played out in the margins.

It took Kingston less than half a match to find the measure of the Scottish game. An assured debut against Dunfermline, albeit on the losing side, was followed by another influential display against Inverness; then came that terrific free-kick against St Mirren, before he set up both goals in a 2-0 win at Fir Park and was by common consensus man of the match. Making such an impact in a team dogged by instability and performing below par, says much for his ability. His presence even had some Hearts fans posing the previously unthinkable question: 'Hartley who?' But then came the flipside: that double red card at Aberdeen last weekend which will sideline him for two games, probably more.

"My style exactly suits the style in Scotland," the 26-year old said in a thoroughly upbeat interview with Scotland on Sunday ahead of last weekend's trip to Aberdeen. "Many people have said I should play in England, and that's my aim one day. But the style of football here is the same. The game here is very fast, but I expected that. I was ready for this emotionally, so it has been no problem for me."

Subsequent events at Pittodrie suggest that is not quite true. Having picked up a first yellow for consistent fouling, he got a justified second for a reckless challenge on Barry Nicholson. Off he went, but not before a launching a tirade against referee Steve Conroy, in which he allegedly accused the latter of being racist and which earned him a second red. Kingston has since issued a public apology for the outburst but that is unlikely to prevent the SFA from throwing the book at him and dishing out an extended ban.

To those who have followed his career, the latest incident is not a huge surprise. This is not the first time Kingston's talent and commendable work ethic have been undermined by disciplinary issues. "He is regarded by some as a hothead," says BBC African football correspondent, Durosimi Thomas. "This has been a problem in his career."

The Pittodrie affair stirred memories of another dismissal last January that cost him a trip to the World Cup. An altercation with Senegal's Habib Beye at the 2006 African Cup of Nations earned him a harsh record four-match ban that ruled him out of the Black Stars squad for Germany.

"That was a big blow for me, and, to be truthful, for the nation," reflected Kingston. "When I was suspended, lots of people were crying. They knew they had lost a big player. I don't even like talking about it. I worked very hard in the qualifying campaign and played a big part. But I know that Ghana will be at the next World Cup. I'm still young, and I know God will help me achieve that dream."

Kingston's arrival at Tynecastle was prefaced by confusion over his position. Central or right midfield? Attacking or defensive? There was even talk of him being deployed at right back, where he started out as a teenager with Ghanaian club Great Olympics a decade ago. Though generally deployed on the right for his country, his preference is for a central role. "My favourite position is defensive midfield, but I do have an attacking mentality. I can go forward and surprise the opponent."

Hearts supporters keeping an eye on events at Brentford's Griffin Park on February 7, ahead of his club debut, were treated to early evidence of that. As Ghana crushed their West African rivals Nigeria 4-1 to end a 15-year jinx, Kingston was the undisputed star, scoring the opener - a 30-yard piledriver - and running the show with his constant movement and pinpoint passing, to leave more feted midfield colleagues Essien and best friend Stephen Appiah in the shade.

It was against Nigeria eight years ago that Kingston first rose to national prominence, when, aged 18, he helped hosts Ghana lift the African U20 crown, scoring the only goal of the final. "He was the star at that tournament. That game against the Super Eagles made him a hero," says Thomas.

Surprising then that Kingston's club career has largely comprised a tour of assorted hinterlands and hotspots. In 2000, he spent four months in Libya with Al-Ittihad but left when they failed to honour his contract, returning home to join one of Ghana's big two - Hearts of Oak. In 2003, he spent a year in Israel, first with Maccabi Ahi Nazereth and then Hapoel Tel Aviv, before moving to Russia and spells with Krylia Sovietov, Terek Grozny and latterly Lokomotiv Moscow on loan. "I'm happy to have had all these experiences," he muses. "In life, you need to know as much as possible."

His own positive memories of Russia - particularly his first season at Krylia Sovietov - were not shared by his wife and three kids, who are due to join him in Edinburgh later this month.

"They didn't like it, to be honest," he says. "There was a lot of racism there, and they experienced that. It was very hard for them. Last season my wife said she would divorce me if I stayed there. I had to listen to her. But they are very happy to be coming here."

The 'R' word. If Kingston's experiences in Russia have made him sensitive about the issue, it would be understandable. Racist attitudes are commonplace - bad in Moscow and worse in the provinces - and the sizeable African diaspora, whether poor students or well-paid footballers, have long found themselves facing abuse. But accusing Mr Conroy of similar tendencies was a severe case of badly misplaced ire, as Mrs Conroy would presumably affirm.

It also showed a distinct lack of 'respect' - a word that features regularly in his own rhetoric. "In Ghana they call me 'Bra Laryea'. It is a sign of respect. You normally use it to address someone older than you," he explains. The title, he says, refers not just to his modus operandi on the pitch but to his standing within family and community. "I support my mum, and all my brothers and sisters. I do everything I can for them. It's a very big task. I'm the breadwinner of the family. And it's not just family members - a lot of people come to my door with their problems and I always try to help."

Speaking to this paper last weekend, Kingston was happy to wax lyrical about every aspect of his new life. "Edinburgh is a great city, a great place for football. It's quiet and the people are friendly. Already, I get asked for my autograph, which is not a problem. I respect everyone, I never act important."

The Ghanaian, who attributes his tank-like physique to a demanding extra-curricular programme in the gym before and after regular training sessions, believes the regimen at Hearts is a lot more sophisticated than the one he encountered in the Russian premier league. "Here, there is more tactical and technique training. In Russia we spent more time working on the physical side. Players there don't have the same physical qualities, so they put more effort into that."

By all accounts he is already a popular dressing room presence at Tynecastle, and has formed a particularly close bond with Calum Elliot, whom he describes as "a great talent". Hearts have an option with Terek Grozny to trade in his six-month loan deal for a three-year permanent contract and Kingston claimed last week he'd be happy to oblige.

Before Pittodrie, the biggest threat to such an outcome was the likely advances of Premiership predators. Now, Kingston's main task must be to persuade Hearts that last weekend's fiasco was a blip. While passing up the chance to keep hold of such a talent would seem foolish, equally there would be little point in retaining such a rich asset - he is reportedly the second highest earner behind Craig Gordon - if he is rendering himself ineligible on a regular basis.

Hopefully the influence of disciplinarian Anatoly Korobochka will come to bear, because when Kingston returns from suspension, opposing midfielders will doubtless be doing their best to yank his chain. Then again, having survived Chechnya, Libya and Israel, one would like to think maintaining a cool head in the SPL would not be beyond him. "Adapting to a new place is always difficult," he muses. "If you can do it, you can show you are a special person." Hopefully, he'll get a second chance to prove he can, and he is. Until then the jury remains out.