Jambos close in on manager

HEARTS chief executive Phil Anderton is closing in on the man he wants to fill the vacant manager’s chair at Tynecastle.

With the club claiming today that the next couple of days could be "important" in the search for a successor to John Robertson, Anderton is stepping up his quest to identify the head coach to carry the team forward in the new Vladimir Romanov era.

The Jambos chief executive has drawn up a short list of candidates and is moving to closer to landing the appropriate individual. The club has always stated they would pay the right money for the right person and former Leeds United manager Howard Wilkinson and ex-Parma boss Nevio Scala have become the latest to be linked with the Gorgie vacancy.

Hearts would not be drawn on the content of the shortlist or specific targets but a spokesman revealed the exhaustive process is moving towards a successful conclusion.

"There has been significant progress in the search for a new manager," he said. "The next couple of days could be important."

Veteran Scala claimed that the Tynecastle club tried to contact him last week, an approach he missed due to business commitments in Serbia and Romania. The Italian has not ruled out adding Hearts to his impressive list of former clubs which include Perugia, Borussia Dortmund and Besiktas. He applied for the Scotland job three years ago but missed out to Berti Vogts.

"I believe Hearts tried to contact me four days ago," he said, "I believe contact can still be made, maybe even in the next day or two. I know about Hearts and Scottish football, so it is something that would interest me."

LEICESTER manager Craig Levein has completed the signing of Celtic goalkeeper Rab Douglas.

The 33-year-old has joined the Foxes on a three-year deal after his contract at Parkhead lapsed following the end of the 2004-05 season.

Taken from the Scotsman