Jefferies optimistic about the future

Rob Robertson
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1 Aug 1998

HEARTS manager Jim Jefferies talked yesterday of how he hoped last season's Scottish Cup win would prove to be the springboard for another strong challenge for the league title.

As the closest challengers to Celtic and Rangers last season, Jefferies admitted the fans expected their success to continue.

However, despite a string of high profile summer signings, like Stephen Pressley from Dundee United, Jefferies admitted success would be more difficult to achieve this season for a number of reasons and, although he felt he had more cover in crucial positions than last term, the standard of other Premiership sides through new signings and managerial changes had improved the standard of opposition.

Looking at the league, the Hearts coach said he believed Aberdeen looked in a position to mount a strong challenge along with Kilmarnock and Dundee.

Jefferies said he was consistently looking at new players and was considering making an offer to Dundee United for striker Robbie Winters.Despite his enthusiasm for the challenge ahead he admitted that despite their cup win and third place league finish, in his eyes the pre-season favourities had to be Celtic and Rangers.

Yesterday at Tynecastle Jefferies looked relaxed as he evaluated his side's showing last season and talked of how he was satisfied with their pre-season build up which included two winning games in Ireland, one against St.Pat's who ran Celtic close in the European Cup, a narrow defeat by Metz in France and a 1-0 victory last week over Coventry.

The standard of Hearts' performance on Saturday was such that Coventry manager Gordon Strachan said he felt the Tynecastle side looked in good shape for their league challenge.

Two of the outstanding performances in that match came from young defender Paul Ritchie and David Weir, an effective stand-in for Colin Calderwood during the World Cup and a signing target for Rangers in the close season.

They managed to control experienced strikers Dion Dublin and Darren Huckerby, one of the most impressive players in last year's Premiership, and look in good shape for the coming campaign.

Like his manager, Weir believes that, although Hearts will start as third favourites, teams like Aberdeen and Dundee United have made a number of changes, brought in quality players and would make a strong challenge.

Jefferies also stated the club had still to reach its full potential and indicated that if key players like Steve Fulton and Stephane Adam had not picked up injuries they may have won the league last term: an experience they can build on.

''We had a close challenge last season and some of the players will be kicking themselves because of the way Rangers and Celtic finished their campaign,'' said Jefferies.

''Last year people said we would fall away and they first said we would go by November, then by Christmas but we proved them wrong and did not fall away dramatically: we only let it slip in the last few games.

If we can have consistency this season we will be in contention.

''I told the players at the first day of training they had the talent and ability to mount a serious league challenge and, if they could have the same level of commitment and application as last year, we would do well as we will be a better and wiser team.

The favourites will always be Celtic and Rangers and we will be trying to upset the odds.'' The manager believes that this season the competition for places at Tynecastle would prove healthy and he felt satisfied he had an even better squad of players than last season.

One man who has been missing from the line-up so far is midfielder Colin Cameron.

He is slowly working his way back from injury and may be in contention within the next fortnight and, with that in mind, Jefferies played striker Jim Hamilton in a deep midfield role in the pre-season friendly against Coventry.

''That was an experiment and it is clear that Jim's main role is up front,''said Jefferies.

''However it is good to try these things before the season starts because if we do get an injury to a midfield man during a game it is good to know that Jim can drop back there.''

Taken from the Herald