Hearts urged to appoint new manager quickly

STAND-IN Hearts chief John McGlynn today urged the Tynecastle board to make a rapid appointment of a new manager.

While acknowledging it is a vital decision for the directors to make, the stand-in boss has insisted it would be "disastrous" if the club dragged its feet in replacing the recently-sacked John Robertson.

With pre-season training scheduled to begin at the end of next month and the Jambos appearing no nearer to unveiling their new head coach in a restructured coaching set-up, time is of the essence, according to McGlynn.

"It is a very important decision for the board to make but I hope they make it quickly," said. "We can't afford to have the new man coming in just a week before the start of pre-season, for example.

"That would be disastrous as he will need to get players in, get to know the ones already here and the players themselves will need time to get to know each other.

"That is all key to the gelling process before the competitive action begins."

Although still without a permanent figure in charge of team affairs, Hearts have begun a clear-out of first team stars.

Tepi Moilanen, Phil Stamp, Kevin McKenna, Ramon Pereira and Neil Janczyk are among those not to be offered new contracts - McKenna is returning to Energie Cottbus in Germany - leaving a number of places to be filled in the summer.

"Whoever comes in here will have to work quickly on bringing players in as there is no doubt we are short of numbers," said McGlynn, who has been handed the first-team reins in tandem with Steven Pressley until tomorrow's end-of-season clash with Aberdeen.

"The squad will need a considerable influx of new players in order to cope with the rigours of an SPL season. We will need a strong squad and, while we need quantity, we also need quality.

"The new man will have to assess things very quickly and ensure we have strength in depth for the challenges which lie ahead.

"We are short of numbers and have been left with something like just 11 players, including young left-back Lee Wallace."

McGlynn, meanwhile is attempting to field as strong a team as possible for the trip to Pittodrie.

Stephen Simmons and Saulius Mikoliunas are showing signs of improvement and could be involved, although David Cesnauskis, Marius Kizys, Mark Burchill and Michael Stewart are unlikely to make it. Jamie McAllister (knee) has already been ruled out.

With Aberdeen desperate for a win in the hope that Hibs crash to Rangers at Easter Road, a scenario that would send the Dons into Europe, McGlynn anticipates a stern test for his side shorn of the leadership qualities of the suspended Pressley.

"All our matches against Aberdeen this season have been competitive and tomorrow won't be any different.

"We haven't had the results which some of our performances have deserved this season so it would be good to finish the campaign with a victory."

McGlynn was full of praise for the job done by Jimmy Calderwood and Jimmy Nicholl and believes Aberdeen will be a force to contend with next season.

"The two Jimmies have done a great job since leaving Dunfermline," he said.

"It has been well documented that Aberdeen were struggling before their arrival and now they are on the verge of Europe.

"They are recognised as one of the big teams in Scotland, and while teams can sometimes go through spells when they are not competing at the levels expected of them, I'd imagine Aberdeen will be up there alongside the likes of Hearts again next season, challenging for third place."

Taken from the Scotsman