Hard work is still to be done

By JIM REYNOLDS

22 Aug 1996

HEARTS have a proud home European record to protect tonight when they take on the multi-talented Red Star Belgrade in the Cup-winners' Cup at Tynecastle - but they will need to call on all their experience if they are to progress to tomorrow's draw for the next stage.

Despite a wonderful performance in Belgrade a fortnight ago, when goalkeeper Gilles Rousset and captain Dave McPherson were magnificent in a no-scoring draw, Hearts realise that they still have a lot of work to do before this tie is over.

They can take nothing for granted, but, more importantly, the players themselves know that.

Hearts have lost just once in their last 11 home games in Europe, and John Colquhoun, who also played an important part in Belgrade, would dearly love to add another scalp to an impressive list which already includes the names of Bologna, Atletico Madrid, Dukla Prague, and Bayern Munich.

"Those games were superb, but to get through against this Red Star side would give me more satisfaction than any of them.

It would definitely be my best night in Europe and probably the club's as well," said Colquhoun.

"I think in two or three years' time, the Yugoslavs will be contenders for the Champions' League.

They are that good.

"They were impressive in Belgrade and we had to play very well just to keep them at bay.

Tonight, as with all these types of games, we'll have most of the play and that's when they could be at their most dangerous.

"Thinking you've already done the job can be fatal, but I really don't see that being a problem tonight.

We know how good a side they are, so we know the job is only half finished.

"I don't think Red Star will be as clever at defending as they were going forward, so we have to put them under pressure at the back.

"There were gaps in Belgrade which we didn't exploit, because the team wasn't set up to do so.

I think we'll definitely get chances and it's just a matter of us taking one more than they do." But last night former Dundee United manager Ivan Golac, who is now back home in Yugoslavia and who watched the first leg, believes that the young, Red Star side are now favourites to go through to the first round proper of the competition.

"Although Hearts came to Belgrade to get a draw and succeeded, my view is that the 0-0 scoreline was a better result for Red Star.

Even against a packed defence, with sometimes eight or nine players behind the ball, they made a few chances that should have been taken." Golac, however, gave Hearts manager Jim Jefferies some advice, and that is to play striker Kevin Thomas from the start.

"I've never understood why Kevin hasn't appeared in the first team more often over the years, although I know he has had injury problems," said Golac.

"The Red Star boys didn't enjoy playing against him when he came on in the Belgrade match, and they won't want to see him in the line-up tonight."

Taken from the Herald