Levein fears a 'disaster'

PAUL KIDDIE

HEARTS boss Craig Levein today claimed the continued uncertainty over where the club will be playing next season is a "disaster" for him as he attempts to resolve his players’ contractual situations.

Chief executive Chris Robinson’s plan to relocate to Murrayfield has been put on hold while new chairman George Foulkes tries to persuade major creditors Halifax Bank of Scotland and Scottish Media Group to allow the club one more year at Tynecastle.

While the vast majority of supporters have welcomed the ‘pause for thought’, the situation the club finds itself in is hindering Levein as he tries to plan for next season.

He has already been told he may have to slash £850,000 from the wage bill over the summer if the switch to the home of Scottish rugby goes through, a figure which may well rise if Hearts stay put for another 12 months.

While he has opened talks with first-team stars currently at the lower end of the wage scale - Christophe Berra, Robbie Neilson, Robert Sloan, Joe Hamill and Neil Janczyk have all had preliminary discussions about new deals - it is senior players at the opposite end of the salary spectrum who have been left in limbo while the future of the club is discussed.

"I am currently talking to a few of the players about new contracts but I still don’t know what is happening with the likes of Steven Boyack, Scott Severin and Andy Kirk," he said.

"Where we will be playing next season will have a bearing on what happens to them and to be honest the whole thing is a bit of a disaster.

"I will just have to get on with things, though. Jean-Louis Valois, Gary Wales and Austin McCann are already away.

"If we stay at Tynecastle then in all likelihood we will again incur losses and that will have an affect on my budget as we are still servicing debt and the like.

"But it is not my decision whether we remain at Tynecastle or not. Once I find out what figures we are talking about, it’s my job to balance the books and put out onto the park the best possible team."

He added: "I have no idea what is happening and I don’t know how many players I am going to be left with as they can sign pre-contract agreements and there is nothing I can do about it."

Keeper Craig Gordon, meanwhile, will line up against Celtic tomorrow amid speculation that Cardiff City are on his trail as a replacement for former Livingston No.1 Neil Alexander.

"Craig is a young keeper who has done well and is going to be the subject of speculation," said Levein, who is set to welcome back Paul Hartley, Phil Stamp and Mark de Vries against the champions.

"If a big enough offer came in then the directors would have to consider it due to our financial situation.

"I don’t know if Cardiff are in that position and I’m not going to lose any sleep over it."

Taken from the Scotsman