Barry Hepburn has swapped Munich for Mount Florida and reckons he has found the perfect location to help take his career to the next level.
The 19-year-old winger scored his first senior goal as he helped Queen’s Park overcome Arbroath to move two points clear at the top of the table. Hepburn, on a season-long loan from Bayern Munich’s second string, is relishing the slick possession-based style of play being implemented by Spiders’ new Dutch coach Robin Veldman.
“It suits me perfectly, getting the ball on the deck and playing out from the back,” said Hepburn. “It’s quite similar to the German style, trying to play the opposition off the pitch. When I first heard about what they are trying to do at Queen’s Park in terms of the playing style and vision, I thought it would be ideal. I was quite surprised that a Scottish team wants to play that way. You see so many other clubs where they just hoof it up the pitch and it’s scrappy. We want to play teams off the pitch and we are capable.”
Hepburn left Celtic as a 16-year-old to join Bayern’s academy and recently signed a new deal with the Bavarian giants which runs until 2025. But the youngster from Bannockburn admits he is enjoying being closer to his family and friends again.
“Bayern are happy for me because they knew I needed to get more playing time,” he said. “That’s what I wanted. It’s also a bonus to come home to Scotland. I’ve been away for three years and I have missed it.
“It was a big step to go to Germany at such a young age and you have to sacrifice a lot. But I’ve learned so much at Bayern. I’ve matured a lot as a person off the pitch. My attitude has been screwed on over there and that’s the main thing I’ve taken from it.”
Hepburn’s 13th-minute opener was scant
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