Time for Heart-searching.

Jordan faces up to life in the premier division

james traynor

29 Sep 1990

THE DUST has settled on the Skol Cup semi-finals and the sight of Terry Butcher coming and going at Ibrox as normal over the past couple of days suggests all is quiet again on the Govan front in the wake of the big fellow's omission from the midweek game against Aberdeen.

Reality, in the shape of the premier division, where everything is drowned out by the sound of clattering hooves, awaits.

Reality is something new Hearts manager Joe Jordan has had to face up to this past week, his first in charge.

It was not the most productive period of his career.

Jordan had hoped to assess his playing staff, but injury and illness continue to handicap the club and he was unable to see all the forces at his disposal.

He watched Dundee United, this afternoon's opponents, lose to Celtic in a thrilling cup semi-final last Tuesday, and although he knows how the Tannadice side play he is restricted in how best to deal with them.

He will have to wait and see how many players are available for selection but still out are Neil Berry, Gary Mackay, and Scott Crabbe.

A few others, Craig Levein, Derek Ferguson, and John Robertson, are borderline cases.

The latter suffered a blow to the head during last week's match at Parkhead and because he was unconscious for a minute or so the decision on whether or not he plays will be entirely a medical one.

He has been training, however, and is anxious to resume normal duty.

Levein and Ferguson trained yesterday for the first time in days, but Jordan must be reluctant to risk both against United, whose talented youngsters are determined not to let defeat become a bad habit.

Their manager, Jim McLean, also has problems and is particularly concerned about Freddy Van der Hoorn, who has had a bout of flu since the semi-final.

According to McLean, the defender looked dreadful when he stopped by Tannadice yesterday, but a shortage of experienced players and the lack of an obvious replacement for him means a gamble could be taken.

United's casualty list also includes Miodrag Krivokapic -- whose injured toe is causing alarm because it isn't healing as quickly as it should -- David Narey, and Michael O'Neill.

McLean does not anticipate an adverse reaction following the disappointment of their cup dismissal and has told his players, particularly the younger ones: "The cup is over and you are top of the league.

There is nothing to be gained by looking back."

Rangers and Celtic, on the other hand, must stop themselves from looking forward to their cup final at Hampden in a month's time because only total concentration will see them through their matches today.

The defending champions are at home to Motherwell, who have been known to make life difficult for Rangers, while Celtic head out to Paisley and a match with St Mirren.

Tickets for today's Ibrox game (which kicks off at 2pm after a minute's silence in memory of the supporters who died on their way to Dundee last Saturday) and for the return leg of the European Cup first-round tie against Valetta next Wednesday, will be on sale at the stadium ticket office from 9.30am until kick off and Rangers' manager Graeme Souness is appealing for patience among the supporters.

"Motherwell can be difficult and I would ask the fans not to let any impatience be transferred on to the pitch.

I'm looking for us to keep a clean sheet tomorrow," he said.

0 Souness, who has added Scott Nisbet and John Spencer to his squad, confirmed a bid had been made for Derby County's Mark Wright, "but not at the £2.5m price quoted," he stressed.

Incidentally, former England captain Butcher is not in the Ibrox squad for today's game and he won't play in the reserves, either.

It seems he is being left to continue his fitness programme, and only a foolish man would say Butcher's career is over, although his absence from the team again might fuel speculation that he will be leaving.

Motherwell's manager Tommy McLean sees this game as a platform on which his players can shine.

However, two of his first-team squad, whose identities he preferred to keep secret, have been trying to shake off the effects of a stomach virus and it is expected only one of them will make it.

The Celtic team coach will contain the 13 who were on duty against Dundee United in midweek as well as Dariusz Wdowczyk and John Hewitt, but there is still doubt about the fitness of Paul Elliott, who was injured in the game against United.

A final decision will be made after the player, who did manage to train yesterday, has been checked over this morning.

Billy McNeill has been heartened by the response of his players in recent weeks and he says the priority now is to string results together.

"The team has been changed, but we have never lost sight of the need to produce good football and also to win."

The manager was pleased, too, when keeper Pat Bonner yesterday signed the new contract he had agreed in principle with Celtic last week.

The Republic of Ireland goalkeeper will be at Parkhead for at least another three years.

"We couldn't be more delighted,' said McNeill.

"We have been negotiating for some time and now it's finally done.

This is better than signing a new player."

Even though he is without Gudmundur Torfason and Norrie McWhirter, St Mirren manager Tony Fitzpatrick remains confident his team can upset Celtic again.

"I think we took five points from them last season and we are looking forward to this game.

Tickets have been selling well since Celtic's win in the cup and there will be a good atmosphere.

This kind of game is the reason we are all in football in the first place."

Aberdeen will allow another of their young players, left full back Scott Harvey, to sample the real thing when they travel to McDiarmid Park, where it is the intention to wipe out the memory of their Skol Cup defeat.

"We are all disappointed and now we have to make amends," said the manager, Alex Smith.

He will play Ian Cameron, a player dogged by injury since last season, in the reserves today and give him another outing on Monday night in the hope that the talented winger can be available for the return European Cup-winners' Cup tie against New Salamis and next Saturday's match against Rangers.

Stuart Rafferty has not recovered from injury and will miss Dunfermline's game against Hibernian at East End Park.

His place will be taken by 20-year-old Scott Leitch.

Taken from the Herald