FEAR OF FAILURE DRIVES ROBBIE

Hearts defender Robbie Neilson insists the fear of failure will inspire him in the CIS Insurance Cup semi-final against Motherwell at Easter Road.

The 24-year-old has already tasted some domestic success when he helped Queen of the South clinch the Bell's Cup in October 2002 during a loan spell at Palmerston Park.

But, with the Jambos on the verge of their first major cup final since 1998, Neilson is desperate for a Hampden Park appearance in March.

He said: "You want to win things, that's what it's all about.

"We have not been able to get to a final since 1998, it just shows you how difficult it is.

"I was actually at Hearts when they won the Scottish Cup but I was on the ground-staff, it was my first year here.

"It was a good time to be at the club, everyone was on a high. It was magnificent.

"It would be a massive achievement for the club again, good for the fans but especially for the players.

"This is quite a young team just now so a lot of them are looking for their first final."

But Neilson also believes the recent problems off-the-field for the club can be set to one side with the prospect of a CIS Cup final appearance.

The Edinburgh club are in the middle of a convoluted takeover by Lithuanian businessman Vladimir Romanov.

And the club have also lost the services of striker mark de Vries and defender Alan Maybury in January.

Neilson said: "To get to a final would be great for us especially with everything that has happened off the field, that would make it an ever better achievement.

"A lot of very good players go through their careers without winning anything and we are probably not going to get a better chance to get to a final."

Hearts have been boosted with the news Celtic target, Paul Hartley, will be fit for the showdown after missing the 1-0 win over Aberdeen on Saturday with a strained hamstring.

Celtic had a £300,000 bid rebuffed by the Hearts board on Sunday and Jambos' head coach John Robertson insists he will have no qualms about fielding the midfielder at Easter Road.

He said: "Paul Hartley is in the squad. Transfer windows are in place and we just have to deal with them.

"I heard there was a slightly, I mean slightly, improved offer on Sunday, which has been rejected again by the club.

"If I have got this squad to work with until now and the end of the season, I will be happy because we have got quality players."

Taken from sportinglife.com