I'm here to stay

STAND-IN Jambos boss John McGlynn has his heart set on defeating Celtic on Sunday - and staying at Tynecastle.

In the wake of John Robertson’s sacking, the Gorgie youth coach has been asked to take charge of team affairs, assisted by captain Steven Pressley, for the last two games of the season.

And today he staked his claim for an extended role within Vladimir Romanov’s revolution, saying: "I love the club, I love the players I’m working with. I’m very happy here and would like to continue."

McGlynn is one of the unsung heroes at Hearts, his endless hours of work with the club’s youngsters having seen the likes of Christophe Berra, Lee Wallace, Jason Thompson, Gary Tierney, Calum Elliot and Craig Sives all burst into the first team over the past year. Whether his talent at nurturing some of the country’s top youngsters will count for anything as owner Romanov continues his Tynecastle shake- up though, remains to be seen. But McGlynn, who still has a year left on his contract, would be happy to continue.

"People may have been happy with the work I have done but that’s not to say the new people coming in will have that same opinion," said the man brought to Tynecastle by Jim Jefferies in 1996.

"They may want to bring in their own folk but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it."

McGlynn and Pressley were handed the reins after assistant boss Donald Park followed his pal Robbo out the door.

With Celtic visiting Gorgie on Sunday in a game which could decide the SPL championship, McGlynn and Pressley took their first training sessions yesterday as they worked on a formula to repeat their shock win over the Hoops at Parkhead last month.

"Phil Anderton came in and had a chat with the boys yesterday morning and explained the situation," said the 43-year-old, who had a brief stint in the Tynecastle hot seat in the build-up to the UEFA Cup clash with Schalke this season after Craig Levein’s exit.

"The boys were a bit down at that point but once they got out onto the training ground they were very professional and showed a superb attitude and the session went very well.

"We need to try to win our last two games and hope Aberdeen lose their last to in order to finish above them in the league.

"That’s a motivation but Celtic coming to Tynecastle is always a huge match for Hearts."

Mark Burchill is nursing a thigh problem but should recover in time to face his old club.

The club’s superstore, meanwhile, began its end-of-season sale today.

Taken from the Scotsman