Burley pulls the plug on Hearts friendlies

HEARTS boss George Burley has ditched two of his side's pre-season friendlies this month.

Hearts had been scheduled to send a first-team squad to Kirkcaldy to face Raith Rovers on Tuesday, July 19 while Hartlepool had been lined up as the Gorgie outfit's last opponents before the SPL kick-off with a friendly arranged for Victoria Park on Monday, July 25.

However, amid concerns at the number of pre-season matches arranged prior to his arrival at Tynecastle, Burley has pulled the plug on both games.

He said: "There were nine friendlies arranged before I came here and that is far too many in my opinion.

"I have spoken to Raith Rovers, who we were due to play the night before facing Middlesbrough at Tynecastle, and have cancelled that match. We will no longer be playing Hartlepool either. That was scheduled for the Monday before the start of the league and I'd prefer a clear week to get in some good preparation for the start of the new season.

"We are now down to seven friendlies which is more than adequate as far as games go ahead of the new season."

The cancellation of the Hartlepool fixture means the Jambos last action ahead of the SPL opener against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Saturday, July 30 will be the clash against Hull City at the KC Stadium the previous Saturday.

"Nine games was far too many but seven we can just about cope with given the size of the squad," said Burley. "Training is just as important as playing and playing game after game is not ideal. We need time to work on the training ground as well."

Burley took his charges to the swimming pool yesterday for a change of scene and he insists it's vital to add variety to training.

"In any pre-season you have to work hard but it is important the players enjoy it as well and I think they are," he said.

"There is a lot of work with the ball and not just running. It is important to do something different as just running around a track or up and down hills can be soul destroying."

Taken from the Scotsman