Valois adds to Levein's problems

MARK BONTHRONE

HEARTS’ injury problems continue to mount ahead of tomorrow’s trip to face Rangers at Ibrox with boss Craig Levein revealing Jean-Louis Valois could miss the game.

The Frenchman was forced to cut short a training session yesterday morning after hurting his back and his condition was due to be assessed today.

Valois was one of the more experienced players Levein hoped to have available to him and should the former Luton star be forced to miss the game in Govan it would be a huge blow, with Steven Pressley already ruled out through injury and both Alan Maybury and Andy Webster suspended.

There was, however, better news on the injury front with Levein revealing that Mark de Vries could be fit enough to take his place among the substitutes.

The Dutchman picked up a hamstring strain during the club’s CIS League Cup defeat at the hands of Dundee a couple of weeks ago which forced him to miss the trip to play Dunfermline at East End Park a few days later.

He returned for the weekend’s 2-1 win over Kilmarnock but suffered a recurrence and was substituted with just over an hour played. He returned to training yesterday, however, and with the Jambos squad already stretched Levein admitted that he could name the former Dordrecht striker on the bench.

"Jean-Louis Valois hurt his back in training yesterday so we will have to wait and see how he is. We will have a better indication if it’s anything serious when he comes in today.

"Marc de Vries did some light training yesterday which was good but having said that he did the same before last weekend’s game and then had to be taken off so again we will have to see.

"He definitely won’t start the game although there is a chance that he could be on the bench."

Meanwhile, Levein has tipped any youngsters thrown into the fray at Ibrox to be able to handle the occasion.

Levein has already admitted that Christophe Berra could come into the frame to make his first start for the club while there could be one or two others filling places on the bench.

The Hearts boss though has no concerns over their ability to handle the pressure of a game against the SPL Champions. "If you want to be a professional footballer you have to be able to handle games like this. We play in the Premierleague and as part of that you have to go to places like Ibrox. They will have the experienced guys helping them through."

Taken from the Scotsman