Hearts boss is green over Euro exploits

BARRY ANDERSON

HEARTS manager George Burley today admitted to a touch of envy that his side are this week sitting it out whilst European competitions rage on across the continent.

Last season's fifth-place finish consigned the Jambos to domestic competition only this term while city rivals Hibs face a critical UEFA Cup first-round, second-leg tie with Dnipro this evening.

Despite Burley's injured players benefiting from extra rest, he'd prefer to be playing.

He said: "I would rather be in Europe than not, to be honest.

"You are dealt the cards you get, I'm afraid. We aren't involved in European competition so it's not a consideration for us. I'm not pleased about it, but we'll just prepare for the game on Sunday.

"We do have one or two problems to look at in terms of seeing who is going to be fit and take it from there."

Burley has injury problems to contend with for Sunday's journey to Falkirk with Takis Fyssas suffering from the knee problem which forced him off against Rangers and Roman Bednar out for up to six weeks.

The manager is hoping that Czech striker Michal Pospisil may be able to at least take a seat on the substitutes' bench.

Burley said: "Fyssas is getting treatment and we will see how he develops. It is a case of wait and see for the moment.

"With the game being Sunday it gives us an extra 24 hours to try to get him ready."

It appears to be the conundrum over who partners Edgaras Jankauskas in attack which is the most taxing for Burley. Calum Elliot and Stephen Simmons are possible replacements for Bednar but the manager is keen to hang on to assess the condition of Pospisil.

He has been out of action since the middle of August with hamstring trouble but, having begun full training again on Tuesday, Burley is hopeful that he may be available to play some part against the Bairns.

He said: "We only have youngsters really as back-up strikers at the moment.

"Michal started training again on Tuesday and we will see how he progresses. It is too early to say whether he will be ready to play any part on Sunday."

Taken from the Scotsman