I hope Vlad knows what he's doing

PAUL KIDDIE

WHEN he first heard the news that Hearts were looking for a new manager, Gary Locke thought it was a joke. For this life-long Jambo, however, George Burley's shock exit from Tynecastle was no laughing matter.

The Kilmarnock star - who is battling to beat a knee injury in time to line up against Hearts in the SPL at Tynecastle tonight - was driving back from training in Ayrshire on Saturday afternoon when the stunning news broke over the radio.

The 30-year-old's initial reaction was that somebody was playing a cruel hoax but the realisation that his former club had lost the services of one of the game's most talented coaches despite sitting at the top of the SPL with an unbeaten record, slowly began to sink in.

"I was heading back from training when I first heard and I couldn't believe it to start with," he said. "I thought it was a joke and then our goalkeeper Alan Combe, who's a Hibee, rang to wind me up about what had happened.

"It's a totally bizarre situation and like every other Hearts fan, I'm wondering just what's going on. We've been left guessing and it doesn't look like we'll ever know the real reason for the split.

"While I was sad to see it happen to the club, I have to say that having followed them for as along as I have, it didn't really surprise me. You just never know what's round the corner at Hearts and I'm sure all the other supporters are feeling the same. We have to believe Vladimir Romanov knows what he is doing."

What is next round the corner for the Gorgie outfit is the visit of Locke's Kilmarnock side, as Jim Jefferies' visitors become the latest team to try to halt the Jambos juggernaut.

Hearts shrugged off the shattering loss of Burley to ease past Dunfermline on Saturday and bring the curtain down on the first quarter of the SPL season with their unbeaten record firmly intact.

The 2-0 victory, conjured up via first-half goals from Rudi Skacel and Michal Pospisil, was testimony to the players' professionalism and character. While being managerless may leave some teams vulnerable, Locke believes the astonishing turn of events at Tynecastle will make the hosts' an even more formidable unit to overcome this evening, even without the presence of influential skipper Steven Pressley.

"I thought they would have been vulnerable against Dunfermline on Saturday to be perfectly honest but they turned in a very professional performance," he said.

"They did the same last season when all the crowd protests were going on and they deserve great credit.

"They have now gone through the first quarter of the season without losing a league game and, after what's happened, they'll want to show their character again and will be even more determined to keep that run going.

"We always find it difficult going to Tynecastle and getting a result and I'm sure we're in for one hell of a battle this time." When he's not pulling on the blue-and-white strip of Killie, Locke is a keen follower of the fortunes of the club he used to captain under current Rugby Park boss Jefferies.

The current plight of the Jambos doesn't give him any satisfaction and while he would love to see stability return to Tynecastle with the appointment of a quality manager as soon as possible, Locke's focus tonight will be most certainly on adding to Hearts' woes.

"I've always been a Hearts fan but the main thing for me tonight is to get three points in the bag for Kilmarnock," he said.

"I know the Hearts fans and players will be desperate to see their unbeaten run go on even further, especially with the derby against Hibs coming up on Saturday, but the only thing which will concern me at Tynecastle is playing as well as I can and getting a good result for Kilmarnock."

Tonight's visitors turned in a creditable display against Celtic on Sunday at Rugby Park, although Stilian Petrov's strike was enough to take all three points back to Parkhead as Gordon Strachan's outfit trimmed the Jambos' lead at the top to three points.

The Killie players will head east with confidence after that performance, although Locke is well aware his team-mates will be lining up against the team of the moment.

Despite the bewildering events of the weekend, another big Tynecastle crowd is expected to descend on Gorgie tonight, something Locke hopes will galvanise both teams.

"The atmosphere in the stadium has been different class this season and it must be great for the players to be playing in front of big crowds like that on such a regular basis," he said.

"We gave a good account of ourselves against Celtic on Sunday but the bottom line is that we didn't take any points from the match. We want to get back to winning ways so it should be a cracking game as Hearts are flying at the moment on the field."

Czech Republic internationalist Skacel gave fans their first glimpse of goal-scoring prowess when grabbing his first of the season as Hearts defeated Killie 4-2 on the opening day of the season.

The 26-year-old, in tandem with Scotland star Paul Hartley, has made a big impression on Locke this season but it's not just in midfield where the Tynecastle side's strength lies according to the Rugby Park ace.

"The lad Skacel has been absolutely fantastic since joining in the summer," said Locke.

"Paul Hartley has been in good form and there's no doubt they have a good midfield.

"To be fair, though, right through the team they are strong and they don't carry any passengers as their displays have shown. But we are not a bad side ourselves and are looking forward to the game, as I'm sure the manager is.

"It is going to be a tough match for us but it would be great if we could bounce back from the weekend defeat from Celtic and end Hearts' unbeaten run of games."

Taken from the Scotsman