Adam recovery set to give Hearts an extra boost

HEARTS striker Stephane Adam is set to hand boss Craig Levein more good news when he returns to training next week.

The Frenchman has been sidelined since suffering a recurrence of a hamstring injury against Dundee in November but has been progressing well.

He is back running and should be able to participate in training next week.

His improvement will come as another major lift for Levein, who saw his team register their fourth win in five matches with yesterday’s comprehensive 2-0 victory over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park.

"Stephane is back running again and he should be back training with the rest of the guys next week," said the Hearts boss.

"It will be good to have him back but recent history has shown that we cannot afford to rush him into things too quickly.

"We will keep a careful eye on him."

Goals from Gary Wales and Ricardo Fuller sealed a comfortable win for the Jambos in Perth, Hearts now having taken 13 points from a possible 15 as they continue their climb up the SPL.

"I was delighted with the result and the performance against St Johnstone," he said.

"It could have been a potential banana skin for us and if we had taken our foot off the gas we could have had problems.

"I felt on Saturday against Hibs the players panicked a bit and we gave possession away too easily.

"However, yesterday was a much more controlled display. Alan Maybury probably had his best game for us, while Stephane Mahe always does a great job. The lads up front were also magnificent but, to be fair, I thought that every one of the players did well."

Although Fuller bagged his fifth goal in as many games yesterday, Levein reserved special praise for Wales who notched his second strike in three games as Hearts continued their impressive recent run, the Perth triumph following hard on the heels of another excellent away win over Dundee United on Boxing Day.

"Gary still has a lot to learn, but he has been working exceptionally hard to get back after a serious injury and we are beginning to see those efforts pay off," said Levein.

"He just needs games to help him, but if he keeps listening and working as hard as he is then he has a great chance of improving." He added: "For both of my strikers to score against St Johnstone was very satisfying.

"Fuller is the sort of guy who will try different things and I am sure Gary Wales was screaming at him to square the ball before he shot home for the second goal.

"If he scores then he takes the credit, if he misses he takes the stick. That’s what being a striker is all about."

Meanwhile, Lothian and Borders Police today confirmed they will be taking no action against Hibs star David Zitelli after the Frenchman’s alleged verbal attack on Hearts fans at the end of Saturday’s derby.

The Frenchman was said to have sworn at the home supporters behind the Hibees dug-out after John O’Neil’s last-gasp equaliser, forcing police intervention.

But the Match Commander at Tynecastle, chief superintendant Charles Michie, said: "No specific complaint was made to us and I am not aware of the incident in question."

Taken from the Scotsman