NEW-LOOK HEARTS ARE A MYSTERY - JEFFRIES

Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies has admitted Hearts' eastern European spending spree has made them the great unknowns of the Bank of Scotland Premier League.

The two sides kick their seasons off at Rugby Park on Saturday, with the home side more or less the same set of players as last term.

It is a completely different picture at Hearts however, with new manager George Burley having signed Rudolf Skacel, Edgaras Jankauskas and Roman Bednar on loan deals in the past few days.

All have impressed in various other leagues but are also unknown entities as far as Scotland is concerned.

Jefferies admitted: "We don't know an awful lot about them. We have had their games watched and we have seen bits and pieces of them.

"It will take a bit of time before anybody, not just us, gets to know what their strengths and weaknesses are but going by their pedigrees they have made some excellent acquisitions."

One man Jefferies does know well however is Burley himself, with the former Scotland defender even having played under him.

He said: "When I was manager at Falkirk we were going for the championship at a time when George had just lost his first management job at Ayr United.

"He was still playing at the time and we had a couple of injury problems so I pulled him into training and he played a couple of games for me.

"We crossed paths when Bradford played Ipswich and last season and we played a friendly against Derby, where he did a terrific job."

Expectations are high at Tynecastle as major shareholder Vladimir Romanov expects a challenge to Rangers and Celtic to be mounted as soon as possible.

Jefferies said: "He (Burley) has a good track record down south but now he has got to try to be a success here.

"Hearts have big expectation. They want to challenge the Old Firm and have already come out and stated they want to do that.

"So that will put a bit more pressure on them."

Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon expects Burley to sign another shot-stopper to add to the competition for the number one berth.

Burley only has youngster Jamie MacDonald as back-up to the Scotland international at the moment.

Gordon said: "I am obviously happy playing first-team football and that's what I want to do.

"But I think there will more than likely be a new goalkeeper coming in at some point.

"If it's not this week, it will be fairly soon. I have got competition at the moment with young Jamie MacDonald.

"He is only 19 but there is a great deal of potential there.

"But I expect a more experienced guy in place and he will be someone that I will have to fight for the jersey, but I am looking forward to it."

Taken from sportinglife.com