Hearts hunt Euro stars....

GEORGE BURLEY'S first signing for Hearts will be a European spy with an astounding reputation for unearthing top Continental talent.

Simon Hunt will arrive in Edinburgh this weekend as the assembling of Burley's backroom team begins.

Hunt will take up the chief scout position and the appointment of goalkeeping coach Malcolm Webster is also imminent.

Hunt operated as chief scout under Burley at both Ipswich and Derby and scoured the Continent for the quality players craved by the Scot to raise the standard at Pride Park.

He brought the likes of exciting Spaniard Inigo Idiakez to Pride Park for nothing.

His remit at Tynecastle will be no different, with the Hearts board convinced that, together, Burley and Hunt can have the same effect and lift the club to the kind of stature where it can challenge the Old Firm's domestic duopoly.

Burley said: "Simon was my chief scout and my international scout and there is no doubt that bringing players in is very important for the club, so that is an area we will definitely have to look at. He travelled internationally to find players and did a great job.

"The coaching structure is something I have to look at and assess the staff we have here already. There is no doubt we need to bring some people in because we are quite thin on the ground, like the squad. I'll deal with that over the next few days."

Hunt had a modest playing career in the lower leagues in England before taking up coaching in Sweden. He remained in Scandinavia whilst working for Ipswich, jetting across Europe and returning to Portman Road with players like the prolific Pablo Counago, who had a record of 31 goals in 51 starts with the East Anglia club.

Hunt returned to England to take up a permanent post in the Midlands when Burley was recruited by Derby. Webster also coached alongside Burley at his previous two clubs and, along with Hunt ,has become a close confidant of the former Scotland internationalist. Webster spent yesterday morning thrashing out a severance package with the Pride Park board and is now ready to join Burley in Edinburgh, which could put a question mark over the position of current goalkeeping coach Peter Latchford.

Chief executive Phil Anderton said today: "We have spoken to George about his backroom staff and that will be sorted out imminently but it is important that the people involved, and whoever it may affect, are informed directly by George."

Anderton confirmed that Burley's two-year Hearts contract does not include anything like the review clause which was the cause of so much uncertainty during John Robertson's final days as manager.

And, with the director of football role also dispensed with upon Burley's arrival, Anderton is clear that he has in place the main man to front the club's ambitions.

He said: "George has signed a two-year contract and I would hope he is here even longer than that. He is the man to take Hearts forward, otherwise he would not be here. He is very visionary and has impressed us.

"I for one can't wait for the new season to start because this is a really exciting time for the club."

Taken from the Scotsman