LOSING BURLEY CAN MAKE US BETTER
SAYS ROBBIE NEILSON

ROBBIE NEILSON reckons the departure of George Burley from Tynecastle could make Hearts an even better team.

The Jambos full-back admits he was dismayed when Burley was axed at the weekend after only113days in charge.

Neilson, 25, had personal cause to regret the departure of Burley after he inspired a series of displays that were starting to win him wider recognition for the first time in his career.

Neilson has even been touted for a Scotland call-up and he has vowed there will be no slackening off from the standards he has set since the start of the season.

In fact, the former Rangers kid acknowledges there is a perverse irony in that Hearts could reach different heights under a new boss as the players bid to prove their worth all over again.

Neilson is bidding to maintain the Jambos' unbeaten start to the season against Kilmarnock tonight and keep their three-point lead over Celtic at the top of the SPL.

He said: "It's the start of a new era again and hopefully Vladimir Romanov will get a good manager in who can kick it on again and improve us even further.

"I've heard it said that people expect us to be in disarray but we've got to look at it another way and use it to give us another push and make us even more united as a team.

"We must be positive,not pessimistic, and we must use this as another stepping stone to greater things.

"A new manager will be coming in and everyone has to prove himself again, which will improve training even further. Players will be fighting for their positions, which can only help the team Stand-inboss John McGlynnknows Hearts' unbeaten run cannot go on forever but he is determined it lasts as long as possible to give the board the breathingspacetheyneedtomakethe right appointment.

After Kilmarnock tonight, Hearts travel to Easter Road on Saturday and McGlynn knows the clamour for a new boss will intensify if they slip up.

He said: "Depending on who you listen to, the club are not in a hurry and won't be forced into a decision. But that will probably depend on results.

"If we keep getting results they might not be in as big a rush to make an appointment as they would be if they turn.

"No doubt,as soon as we get our first defeat everyone will be jumping on the bandwagon but that's the nature of the beast .

"It's difficult to think of us going through the season without a defeat but hopefully not in the next couple of matches."

Neilson has been a bit-part player in the political intrigue at Tynecastle after Senegalese full-back Ibrahim Tall was brought to the club by Romanov as a potential replacement.

He might have expected to feature immediately but Neilson's form has been so consistent he has been forced to sit on the bench.

Neilson added: "I need to try to stay in the side. Players arrive in your position all the time, no matter your team, but I need only to concentrate on my own game and hope my performances are good enough that I keep my place.This is probably as well as I've been playing in my career but it always helps when you have good players around you in other positions.

"I've no worries about my form in future now the manager has left because I've worked under a few bosses in the past.

"The main thing is to look after myself and as I get older I'm learning more and more so I don't let what's going on affect me."

Neilson admits the players have been shell-shocked by Burley's abrupt departure but believes playing games is the perfect escape.

He said: "We don't want to be distracted by what is going on off the field and Steven Pressley is trying to keep us together"Everyone is professional enough to realise we're here to play football andhaveno other say in whatgoes on.

"It was a big shock to us when it was announced the manager had left and everyone was knocked for six.

"In away, it was good we had a game to focus on right away because when you're out on the park you don't think about these things.

"We'll have played three games by the end of this week and it's good to be able to concentrate on football.

"There is a strong belief in our squad which will carry us through. All that has gone on may have dented the confidence of lesser sides but we have a camaraderie and a strength of unity that will allow us to progress.

"We also want to give something back to the fans who have known difficult times in the past five years. They have stuck by us, especially this season when they have turned out in their thousands.

"It has made a massive difference to us to run out at different venues away from home and in many cases see our fans outnumber the home support."

Tall is set to make his first start as a Hearts player tonight with skipper Pressley suspended.

Midfielder Paul Hartley is also struggling with a back and hamstring injury that saw him limp off near the end against Dunfermline.

He also lifted his Hearts top to show a T-shirt in support of Burley, as did Rudi Skacel, angering Romanov who told the players afterwards it was important they showed public unity.

However, McGlynn has laughed off suggestions the players will pay by being kept out of the side.

He said: "Paul has an injury and is doubtful. If he has to miss out it is because we also have an important derby coming up and has nothing to do with T-shirts or anything like that. Rudi is fit and will start.

"I'm not looking at major changes because what we have been doing so far has been working well TEAMNEWSCONFIDEMUSKILMARNOCK F.C

HEARTS midfielder Paul Hartley is rated doubtful for the visit of Kilmarnock because of back and hamstring complaints.

Interim boss John McGlynn will make a late decision on either Ibrahim Tall or Christophe Berra to replace Steven Pressley, who is suspended after his red card against Dunfermline.

Provisional squad: Gordon, Neilson, Webster , Fyssas, Camazzola, Cesnauskis, Brellier , Hartley , McAllister , Skacel, Pospisil, Elliot, Jankauskas, Berra, Banks, Mikoliunas, Neill, Tall.

KILMARNOCK manager Jim Jefferies is facing an injury crisis. Colin Nish (ankle), Gary Locke (knee) and David Lilley (groin) are all doubtful.

Alan Combe (calf), Simon Ford (thigh), Peter Leven (ankle) and Shaun Dillon (ankle) missed the game against Celtic and are still on the doubtful list.

Provisional squad: Smith, Fowler , Greer , Hay, Johnston, McDonald, Wales, Invincibile, Boyd, Naismith, Dodds, Bell, Wright, Campbell, Flannigan, Adams, Loy, O'Leary

Taken from the Daily Record