Hearts meet Scala, Burley next

HEARTS hope that their month-long search for a new manager will reach a successful conclusion this week. Phil Anderton, the Edinburgh club's chief executive, met Nevio Scala in London yesterday and has other meetings scheduled for today, notably with the former Derby County manager George Burley.

Even before meeting Anderton, however, the 57-year-old Scala, once the boss of Parma, made it plain that, provided he was convinced he could work with the Hearts board of directors, he would be eager to take on the challenge of closing the gap on the Old Firm.

"I'm very interested in the job," Scala said. "It's now a case of discussing all aspects of the situation.

"There's a lot for myself and the Hearts people to discuss. If we come to an agreement and they offer me the job, great. If not, then I'll just carry on like before.

"I have certain principles in the way I work: there must be good lines of communication between me and the board. Celtic and Rangers have dominated Scottish football for years, but if a club's got plans, gets its thinking and its finances right, then you can make a success of it."

Scala, who won the UEFA Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup during a highly successful time in charge of Parma, was on the shortlist for the Scotland job four years ago before it was given to Berti Vogts. He has since maintained a certain level of interest in the national team, at least to the extent of knowing how many Hearts players turned out for Walter Smith's side in the World Cup qualifying match against Belarus last week.

"I have noticed that they have four guys in the national squad, and with the league not starting until August, I'd have enough time to get to know the players and the qualities they have to offer. Challenges have always excited me, and this is one that I would accept with great enthusiasm."

Hearts would not comment last night on how the talks had gone other than to confirm that they had taken place, but the two parties appear to be on course for a happy marriage. Hearts want a prestigious manager, and Scala, who has been out of football since leaving Spartak Moscow last August, is itching to become involved in the game again.

The only obvious difficulty to be overcome should Scala be offered the job is his lack of hands-on knowledge of the Scottish game. "We are looking at the European management structure with a director of football and a manager, but the principal criterion will be experience in and knowledge of British football - and if possible Scottish football," George Foulkes, the Hearts chairman, said recently.

"If we first appoint someone to one of the posts who does not have that experience, we will want to appoint someone who does have that experience to the other job."

Burley, the other leading candidate apart from Scala, would clearly compensate for the Italian's lack of local knowledge. Having managed Derby County and Ipswich Town Burley has relevant experience of English football, while as a former Scotland player he is also well connected north of the Border.

It is hard, however, to envisage Burley and Scala working together. Both would be far more suited to the job of manager than they would to the post of director of football, and neither would be willing to be assistant coach. Hearts therefore appear to be facing an either-or scenario.

The remaining problem of who to appoint as assistant coach would have been solved instantly, according to Scala, had not Paul Lambert just ended his playing days at Celtic to begin his managerial career at Livingston. "It's a shame that he's taken the Livingston job," Scala said of the player with whom he worked at Borussia Dortmund. "I would have hired him immediately to help me out at Hearts."

Meanwhile, Hearts have announced ambitious plans to increase their average home attendances and season-ticket sales. The aim is for the latter to go up from the present level of 7,500 to 10,000, and for average gates at Tynecastle to soar from 12,200 to 16,250. Prices for next season will be announced on 27 June, when the marketing campaign to sell season tickets is launched.

Taken from the Scotsman