Lithuania's top man to boost Hearts

PAUL KIDDIE

LITHUANIA’S Player of the Year Andrius Gedgaudas is one of the quartet of Eastern European stars signed by Hearts until the summer.

The versatile midfielder is one of four FBK Kaunas players who will start training with the Jambos next week having been identified as useful additions to boss John Robertson’s squad following the recent training camp at the club’s football academy at Heriot-Watt.

Fellow-internationalists Saulius Mikoliunas, 20, and 19-year-old Gediminas Vicius also caught the eye, with Under-21 winger Marius Kizys also earning himself a short-term deal at Tynecastle.

Robertson is happy to have the players, whose wages will be paid for by new owner-in-waiting Vladimir Romanov, at his disposal but insists he is not obliged to select them.

"The four are tidy players and might be able to plug gaps in our squad," he said. "I’ve only got a squad of 18 and these guys have been invited over at no cost to the football club. They are in positions (midfield and wings) where we don’t have much cover but we need to get them fit over the next two or three weeks. They are in the middle of their winter break so we’ll have to play them in some reserve games and then take it from there.

"I am under no pressure whatsoever to pick them but they will be there if I need them. These are players who may help us out until the summer. But having them here won’t get in the way of me rebuilding the squad."

Gedgaudas helped Kaunas defend their league championship last season, while he also starred for the national team in their World Cup qualifiers against Spain and San Marino.

The 26-year-old has been with Kaunas since July 2003, having previously played in Poland, Armenia and Ukraine. Talking of his award, the midfielder said: "The season ended on a high for me but I still didn't imagine receiving an honour like this." New loan signing Lee Miller, who was due to be officially unveiled today, looks set to start tomorrow’s league clash against Dundee United on the bench.

Kevin McKenna injured his ankle in the Tennent’s Scottish Cup tie against Partick Thistle last week but trained yesterday and will be available for selection.

"Lee hasn’t played a lot of games recently but has been training most of this week," said Robertson. "Kevin had been struggling with an ankle problem he suffered in the first five minutes at Firhill. He also trained yesterday so we do have some options."

Disappointingly for the Hearts boss, though, is the news that Patrick Kisnorbo will miss the visit of the Tangerines with a recurring knee injury.

"Paddy’s been carrying a knee problem for a wee while," said Robbo. "We’d been hoping his suspension over Christmas would have given him time to shake it off but it seems to come up periodically."

Tomorrow’s clash will see former Hearts target Stevie Crawford make his debut for United and Robertson said: "He is a quality player but we have to concentrate on our own game. Unfortunately for us he signed for Dundee United. We have to focus on our players and get the three points to get us back into the mix in the league."

Robertson, meanwhile, has dismissed reports that he is interested in signing Celtic star Momo Sylla. It was claimed the Tynecastle chief is on the trail of the Guinean international but he said today: "That is definitely not the case. I am busy trying to agree terms with some of my own players at the moment. This is the time of year when agents are trying to sell players."

Taken from the Scotsman