View from the pitch has Hartley focused

BARRY ANDERSON

ONE momentary glance from the centre of midfield to the centre of Tynecastle's main stand should provide Paul Hartley with all the necessary motivation for continuing his dominant form for Hearts.

As a supporters' icon and habitual goalscorer, Hartley commands first-pick status with George Burley as he did under John Robertson and Craig Levein before him. By contrast, Neil MacFarlane has been relegated from Hartley's central midfield companion to suited and seated spectator in just four games, largely a consequence of the Frenchman Julien Brellier's arrival.

That such a competent player has been rendered so surplus to Burley's requirements he has not even warranted a seat on the substitutes' bench for his club's last two outings must act as a cautionary note to all currently in possession of the jerseys. One slip and apparently it's into the stand with you, for strength in depth is ubiquitous at Hearts these days. Hell, MacFarlane wasn't even permitted his slip. After a typically dependable display in the opening-day 4-2 win at Kilmarnock, Brellier signed and it was "au revoir" to big Neilly. Hartley has looked on in sympathy at MacFarlane's situation. His awareness of his colleague's abilities and the fact that Burley is choosing not to utilise them only serves to heighten the 28-year-old's determination to maintain his own standards.

As the only Scotland internationalist in the Tynecastle midfield, and in view of his penalty-box potency and luminary existence amongst the club's following, perhaps the likelihood of Hartley being demoted should be considered rather more remote than that of certain other Hearts players. Nonetheless, as long as MacFarlane sits gazing at proceedings from the stand, testing the water with Burley would not appear to be a wise option.

"Over the past couple of seasons we have had to cut back in terms of players and wages," Hartley points out, "but the new manager has brought a lot of very good players in and there is so much strength in depth now. Boys like Neil aren't even getting on to the bench so that tells you the kind of players we have in reserve. If you aren't playing well you won't get in the Hearts team."

MacFarlane, below, may well benefit from an outing against his formative club this evening as Hearts visit the National Stadium to meet Queen's Park in the CIS Insurance Cup, Burley likely to rest some international legs after the early-season exertions.

The midfielder's relocation to a seat beside the supporters for the weekend visit of Motherwell is almost guaranteed, though. After four straight victories and three clean sheets Burley will have little alternative but to revert to the side which by and large has afforded Hearts such a reverberating start to their league campaign.

"We have started the season pretty well but it is still early doors and we can't get carried away," continued Hartley. "It's been four wins, and good ones at that. Aberdeen on Saturday were difficult opposition for us but I thought we fought really well and deserved to win, albeit we could have scored a few more goals.

"There is no jubilation at the moment. We want to be in the top three so we will have to continue making progress. It will be a long time before we can start shouting about challenging for titles."

Tonight's cup encounter will also see Hartley not a million miles from where he started out in football, at Glasgow's Mill United Boys' Club. They nicknamed him Zico, and few could dispute that he has brought his own piece of flair to Hearts since arriving back in Edinburgh in 2003.

This season he has possibly been usurped in the popularity stakes by the hitherto unfamiliar face of Rudi Skacel. The on-loan Czech is already threatening to overshadow Hartley in the goalscoring stakes after four goals in his first four appearances and the subsequent instant adulation of Gorgie regulars.

"Absolutely terrific player," says Hartley commendably of a colleague who looks like a real find for Burley. "He's been on a great run and we look like scoring goals from all over the place. Other players are chipping in with goals compared to last season when the onus was on myself.

"I scored four in four games last season myself so I know exactly what a scoring run like that can do for a midfielder. It breeds confidence and you begin to think you can score in every game even though you're not a striker. Rudi is a onfident player and he's excellent to play with." In finally signing a contract extension until 2008, Hartley intends to be surrounded in maroon by players of Skacel's calibre for some time to come, although until the transfer window closes in eight days' time Hearts remain open to the frightening prospect of losing the Czech should Marseille receive an acceptable offer to buy him on the back of his exciting from in Scotland.

Hartley understandably wouldn't welcome that scenario, but he has been overcome by the recent relief brought by ordaining his own future. "I'm just delighted to be staying here," he said. "I always said that I am enjoying my football here and if the contract was right for myself then I would sign it. Thankfully I have signed it so I can put that issue away now and concentrate on my football.

"This is the place to be just now, and not just because of what is happening up front. The back four and the goalkeeper have been outstanding. Three clean sheets is not easy and I think that is a sign of our progress so far. Even on Saturday I couldn't think of a clear-cut Aberdeen chance, and that is because our defence didn't allow them one. And then you've got Michal Pospisil coming off the bench and he had some strike for the second goal. Michal has been unfortunate because he hasn't played that much and is maybe a wee bit short of fitness. When he is in top condition the competition for places is going to be fierce."

Not fierce enough to realistically force Hartley into the stand. But doubtless that's what MacFarlane thought after the Kilmarnock game...

Taken from the Scotsman