Jet-setter Kevin tops if he’s given is aiming for treble nod to face Rangers

KEVIN McKENNA has promised Hearts fans another special celebration if he scores against Rangers tomorrow - but it will probably be nothing compared to the scenes back in the family home in Canada if he manages to stick one past Stefan Klos.

The defender is set to return to the Jambos starting line-up for the visit of the CIS Cup finalists after impressing on international duty at the Gold Cup in the United States.

The former Energie Cottbus centre half has hit six goals already this season at club level, while his three goals in four games for Canada helped them to third place in the CONCACAF tournament.

Having already twice found the target against tomorrow’s visitors this season, he would like nothing better than to make it a treble tops when Alex McLeish brings his team to the Capital.

McKenna opened the scoring when the sides met in Gorgie in September, although it took a late strike from Stephen Simmons to secure a 2-2 draw.

The stopper again showed his goal threat at Ibrox when he scored in the 3-1 defeat in Glasgow in December and with the Tynecastle clash going out live across North America and Canada courtesy of ESPN, the 21-year-old knows his Celtic-daft parents will be urging him on to repeat the feat from the other side of the Atlantic.

Although the former Bundesliga player was born in Calgary, his family originally hail from Paisley and have never lost their affection for the famous Hoops.

While obviously anxious to see their son do well for Hearts, Celtic’s result is always high up on their list of priorities on a Saturday.

And that’s why the Gorgie star knows that they’ll be glued to the TV screens back in his homeland to see if he can help the Jambos record a rare triumph over the Light Blues.

"I have scored twice against Rangers this season and enjoy getting goals against them," he said. "But, to be honest, I don’t care who gets on the scoresheet as long as we get a good result.

"I don’t know if I’ll be playing or not, but if I do manage to find the target then I’ll sure try to get over to the fans again.

"My family are Celtic mad and I know they will be watching the game live back in Canada so hopefully it goes well for me and Hearts and we all have something to celebrate. Every time we play a member of the Old Firm they can see it in Canada and they are very keen to see me do well tomorrow."

McKenna has been suffering badly from jet lag this week since flying back to Scotland from California after his starring role for Holger Osieck’s side - he was named in the Gold Cup’s Team of the Tournament along with former Hearts trialist keeper Lars Hirschfeld - but is confident he’ll be ready for action if given the nod by boss Craig Levein.

He was back in his Edinburgh flat in time to see Rangers dump Celtic out of the CIS Cup at Hampden Park on Tuesday night and reckons Alex McLeish’s first Old Firm victory will make tomorrow’s task even greater.

"The win over Celtic will have boosted their confidence hugely and will make it an extremely difficult 90 minutes for us," he said.

"Although the league has pretty much gone for them they’ll still want to win as many games as they can and they certainly impressed on Tuesday.

"I thought Peter Lovenkrands was superb, but we will have to be wary of all their attackers.

"Rangers are starting to play really well and look like they are beginning to click as a team.

"They are now passing the ball better and scoring the goals which maybe they weren’t doing earlier in the season.

"It will be a real challenge for us, but as a young player it is always great to play in matches like this.

"Since I came to Hearts we haven’t really been able to upset either of the big two so maybe we are due them a we surprise. Let’s hope it can come tomorrow."

Hearts have certainly missed the presence of McKenna at the back, failing to win any games while he was away with Canada.

Defeats to Livingston, Celtic and Inverness Caley Thistle were followed by last week’s dramatic draw at Dunfermline, all four fixtures being monitored intently on the internet at his team’s hotel.

"The Gold Cup went well for Canada but, to be honest, I thought the third-fourth place play-off was a bit pointless," he said. "I’d rather have come back to Tynecastle after we lost to the USA, but we still had to play on.

"I was keeping up with what was happening and the results were disappointing. We went though an impressive unbeaten period, but now haven’t won for a few matches.

"Hopefully we can get back to winning ways again - and it would be a real boost if we could do that tomorrow.

"We got a good point last weekend as Dunfermline are tough opposition on their own park and it’s important to try to keep things going now.

"I am happy to be back with guys here and I’d love to be able to play a part, but I’ll have to wait and see how I feel.

"This week has been pretty terrible trying to get back on the right time zone as I seem to have been up all night after falling asleep in the afternoons. Tomorrow’s match has an early evening kick-off but I think it would have suited me better had it started in the morning!"

McKenna has been impressed by the form of fellow defender Lorenzo Amoruso this season and the Italian looks like winning his race to make tomorrow’s match despite needing five stitches in a thigh wound suffered in the extra-time win over Celtic.

He watched in horror as one of the studs from goalkeeper Rab Douglas’ boot caught his leg and left a gaping gash.

Despite leaving the pitch in agony he was able to return and finish the pulsating match - and he’s determined to make the date with the Jambos despite being unable to train since.

He said: "I have had five stitches in my thigh, so I haven’t been able to do anything on Wednesday or Thursday.

"But I still hope to be okay for the game at Tynecastle."

Taken from the Scotsman