Hearts narrow down list of potential new bosses

HEARTS will have a shortlist of the main names for the vacant head coach's job at Tynecastle by the end of the week.

Chief executive Phil Anderton earlier this week contacted former Wolves manager Dave Jones, who had applied for the job, to inform him that he would not be considered. Jones is now expected to be named as the new manager of Championship side Cardiff City.

Anderton has been sifting through the CVs which have landed on his desk since former manager John Robertson was forced out of Tynecastle earlier this month and he has only a few more to examine before the interviewing process can begin.

Speculation over the names on Anderton's list is ongoing, with former FBK Kaunas coach Valdas Ivanauskas almost certain to be considered given the high regard in which he is held by Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov. Also believed to have rated a mention in the Tynecastle board room are Yeovil Town manager Gary Johnson and Dennis Wise, who recently resigned from Millwall.

"We've drawn up a list of people and we're casting the net quite wide," said Anderton. "We have to find out if the people we are interested in are interested in us. Then we want to draw that down into a shortlist by the end of the week and begin the process of interviewing as soon as possible."

Anderton conceded that his phone call to Jones was nothing more than a courtesy one to put the former Wolves manager in the picture and allow him to pursue other options. One of those is likely to lead to him being installed at Ninian Park before the week is out but Hearts believe they already have enough fish to fry in their managerial hunt.

"We had a whole range of managers and, to be frank, non-managers who contacted us," continued Anderton. "Out of courtesy I contacted Dave Jones to let him know our position, but we're not progressing that. We're not pursuing it."

The task of recruiting an experienced figurehead to fill the new director of football role that Romanov has created appears a secondary issue for the moment to Hearts, Anderton being pre-occupied in trying to find a head coach.

Former Russian coach Anatoly Byshovets had originally been employed by Hearts in that role earlier in the season, but a dressing-room dispute with Robertson and a few senior players saw his association with Hearts severed.

Byshovets' friendship with Romanov has also been soured recently, so it appears Anderton will have another recruitment drive to put in place immediately after appointing his head coach.

Terry Venables had been linked with the post before publicly distancing himself from it, and Hearts know they must have their new management team in place as soon as possible.

Taken from the Scotsman