Braveheart Burley can fit the bill as king of Tynecastle

IT HAS become the mantra of Hearts officials and club sources. Attracting a new head coach, they all say, is about landing the right name rather than a big name. The failed pursuit of Sir Bobby Robson and a shortlist of failed coaches - former Perugia boss Nevio Scala has been mentioned - has induced scepticism that this can be achieved. Yet George Burley's resignation from Derby County last week has been cause for renewed optimism in Gorgie.

Following the ruthless removal of John Robertson last month, Hearts' handling of their hunt for a head coach has been protracted and shambolic, costing owner Vladimir Romanov and his cohorts the supporters' goodwill and the services of on-loan Lee Miller, who claimed he plumped to join Dundee United because of the uncertainty as to who would take over.

But Burley could prove Hearts' get-out-of-jail free card if chief executive Phil Anderton can succeed in persuading him that he is the man to head up a brave new dawn at Gorgie. This he will attempt when the pair meet to discuss the position this week.

Derby County chairman John Sleightholme had accused Burley of being disingenuous about his reasons for leaving the club. The Scot cited "an ongoing issue" that had proved "impossible to resolve". Sleightholme, however, put his departure down to having another post lined up.

Initially, pundits had speculated that Millwall was his most likely destination, but Burley has since privately intimated that he has no interest in moving to the New Den. Little wonder, with the London club currently in ferment after a programme of budget slashing under unpopular new owner Jeff Burnige, a process which prompted the departure of Dennis Wise.

Consequently, a return to Scotland - with a club making all the right noises about having the kind of transfer funds in place that will allow them to challenge the Old Firm - would represent a potentially more fruitful challenge for Burley.

Despite spending most of his three decades in the game south of the Border, the Cumnock-born 49-year-old retains great passion for the old country. He also retains his passion for building football teams. His efforts in two seasons at Derby, which followed an impressive eight years in charge at Ipswich, suggest he would be a superb capture for Hearts.

Burley is a man who has always been capable of making a little go a long way - £30m worth of debt at Derby did not prevent him transforming the fortunes of the Championship club. After Derby escaped relegation by just a single point in his first season, he wheeled and dealed them all the way to the play-offs last month. He did so by plucking, seemingly out of nowhere, outstandingly successful free-transfer signings such as Grzegorz Rasiak and Inigo Idiakez.

Whoever does come in at Tyne-castle, they will quickly realise the seriousness of Hearts' ambition, says chairman George Foulkes, whose take on the loss of Miller is that the striker was motivated by money because "anyone in their right mind can see Hearts will be a top-three side next season".

The clock is ticking, but as yet it is far from a timebomb.

Scotland defender Christian Dailly, 31, has signed a new contract to play for West Ham in the Premiership next season.

Dailly missed most of last season with a knee injury, but returned in time to score the opener in Scotland's 2-0 World Cup win over Moldova last weekend.

England's women bowed out of Euro 2005 at the group stage with a 1-0 defeat to a commanding Sweden side at Ewood Park.

They went into the game knowing a draw could take them into the last four but always looked like exiting the tournament after the

Swedes took the lead in just the third minute when Victoria Svensson's corner hit Katie Chapman at the near post and fell kindly to Anna Sjostrom, who tapped home from close range.

Taken from the Scotsman