SOME words of support from Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou have made Newcastle United winger Garang Kuol even more determined to take the positives from what has proven to be a difficult loan spell in Scotland so far.

The teenage star joined the Magpies in January after bursting onto the scene in Australia but Newcastle's plan was always to send the youngster straight out on loan to benefit from regular football and being in and around a first team environment.

Hearts won the battle to sign the 18-year-old but the spell in Scotland has been, in the words of Kuol's national team boss Graham Arnold, "tough" so far.

Kuol has only made one start for the Scottish Premiership side and six further appearances from the bench.

But Newcastle won't be overly concerned. The plan was always to ease the youngster into British football and the winger will head out on another loan next season, when he'll hopefully kick-on. Although he hasn't played much football, Kuol says his time in Scotland so far has been a beneficial learning experience.

"Everyone you [play against] is here to fight. There’s big boys everywhere,” said Kuol.

“But I feel like game by game, I keep adapting to the level of physicality. It’s definitely getting better, my physicality. I’m tracking my food, my weight every day, I’m just trying to stay focused on doing all that stuff, because it does make the difference.

“It’s been good to get that experience in. Training with the top players every day, with men - I think that’s the key to developing.

“The most important thing is what happens in training, and what happens when I get my opportunity on the pitch. That’s where all my attention’s going. I’m just trying to get as much minutes as possible, and that’s up to me, and what I do. Hopefully, I can get some stats up on the board.”

Kuol was boosted by a quick chat with Celtic boss and fellow Aussie Postecoglou earlier this month.

He said: “It was very brief.

“He just said, ‘I hope you’re settling in well, and keep working hard. I’m happy to see you’re working hard, and hopefully, you can keep doing well.’

"It’s good for him to show that he cares about other Aussie players in the league, and that he’s there for them. It was a very good moment.”

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Kuol is currently away with Australia for Socceroos' 'Welcome Home' series which will see Arnold's side twice face Ecuador, their first games since reaching the last 16 of the World Cup.

Arnold thinks the international break will do Kuol the world of good.

He said: "Garang, at this moment, I think it's good for him to come back and be in camp and be around the boys, and we pick up his energy a little bit.

"He's had a bit of a tough start at Hearts. The Scottish game, and the way that it's played, is completely different to Australia, so it's going to take a little bit of time for him to settle in with that and obviously learn that.

"I know the expectations of the kid are always very, very high, and going to Hearts I can imagine that was exactly the same, so it's a learning process for Garang and making sure that he can deal with it and we can be here to help him deal with it.

"I could either let him go with the Under-23s, or bring him here with us, because the Under-23s will have camp at the same time in Italy.

"For him to come back to us and again to be part of the Socceroos squad that did well at the World Cup, and give him one of the first chances, is important for him as well."