ROBERTSON FOCUSED ON JOB IN HAND

Hearts' head coach John Robertson remained tight-lipped on hearing that new owner Vladimir Romanov's director of football Anatoly Byshovets might not be arriving at Tynecastle as originally thought.

Since the Lithuanian businessman became involved with the Gorgie club last year there has been speculation concerning what role his right-hand man would be given if and when his takeover of the club succeeded.

Rumours abounded about the possibility of Byshovets acting as the Jambos' chief scout in eastern Europe, taking over a director of football role or indeed eventually ousting Robertson as head coach.

But after one radio report suggested that the former Russian manager would not now be involved with the Tynecastle club, Robertson, who had just watched his side beat Kilmarnock 3-1 in their Tennent's Scottish Cup fourth round replay, said: "I don't know about it and it's not my concern.

"If he's here as director of football or chief scout then that will be great because we'll get some good players.

"But if he's not coming because he wants to pursue something else then obviously that's his choice.

"All me, Donald Park and my staff can do is work on our style of play and good football and try and give our fans the entertainment that we deserve."

Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies, meanwhile, was able to confirm that, after much speculation, first-team coach Ian Durrant had now left Rugby Park to join Rangers as youth team coach.

He said: "There's no deal been agreed between us and Rangers, we've just allowed him to go. He was out of contract at the end of the season.

"Ian intimated that he wanted to speak to them and I gave him permission and it was his last game against Hearts.

"So we wish him all the best and we can't blame him for going. He had a great time there as a player and working with youths is a job he wants to do.

"He's got a great opportunity at a big club with tremendous facilities and who can blame him for going?"

Hearts cruised through on Wednesday night with goals from Lee Wallace, Lee Miller and Deividas Cesnauskis.

They set up a home tie against Livingston in the next round despite a last-gasp Kris Boyd penalty for the home side.

Taken from sportinglife.com