McGlynn vital to the cause amid all upheaval

Paul Kiddie

HEARTS 3 - 0 DUNDEE UTD

JUDGING by his own comments on the situation, John McGlynn realises he has as much chance of being appointed the new Hearts manager as Chris Robinson does of being granted the freedom of Gorgie.

But, as Vladimir Romanov closes in on a replacement for George Burley, the Lithuanian should ensure there's a place in the new coaching set-up for his caretaker boss who has risen to the biggest challenge of his career in commendable fashion.

The fact that the Jambos remain locked at the top of the SPL alongside Celtic after 14 games is of course down to the foundations laid by Burley during his brief reign as manager.

However, the contribution of McGlynn, pictured below, in recent weeks should also be recognised, the club's former youth coach being handed the unenviable task of sustaining his side's momentum under the most trying of circumstances.

Plunged straight in at the deep end after the shock departure of Burley just hours before the visit of Dunfermline last month, McGlynn has not just steadied the ship but kept it on course for the promised land of the Champions League.

Home wins over the Pars and Kilmarnock were followed by defeat to Hibs, although Hearts only fell behind to their city rivals after the second-half dismissal of Edgar Jankauskas at Easter Road.

That setback was bad enough but for it to be followed 48 hours later by the sacking of chief executive Phil Anderton and the resignation of George Foulkes as chairman rocked the club to its core.

Boardroom upheaval had returned with a vengeance and plunged the club into disarray in the build-up to the Saturday's clash with Dundee United.

McGlynn had tried his best to keep his players focused on the job in hand and judging by the impressive nature of their 3-0 victory, he succeeded.

The club now has two weeks before the trip to Pittodrie to face Aberdeen, the international break offering the ideal opportunity in which to usher in a new boss.

Three wins - with three clean sheets - and a solitary defeat from his four games at the helm will see McGlynn hand over the reins to the new man with the team in much better health than could have otherwise been expected.

The interim boss described the United clash as the "biggest game of my life" - not because he thought his job prospects were riding on the outcome but rather if it does prove to be his last game in charge, he wanted to go out on a high.

Having seen goals from Paul Hartley, Rudi Skacel and Michal Pospisil brush aside the challenge of United, it was a proud caretaker boss who faced the Press afterwards. "I couldn't have asked for any more from the players," he said. "I thought they were different class in every department. If it is my last game then at least I will have gone out on a winning note, much better than had it been last weekend.

"I felt pride and relief at the end of the game as the victory meant everything for us on Saturday. But what was also very pleasing was the performance as it was a top display from the team where everyone played their part and each player deserves enormous credit for doing so well in the circumstances."

With Hearts supporters having to take criticism on the chin another capacity crowd rolled into Tynecastle unsure of just what sort of reaction they would see on the park.

Within four minutes, however, any anxiety had been washed away with Hartley breaking the deadlock in customary fashion.

The architect was Saulius Mikoliunas, the Lithuanian making his first start for over two months since falling out of favour with Burley. He picked up a loose ball in midfield before bursting forward and placing a well weighted pass into the stride of his team-mate and the Scotland star did the rest with a clinical finish past Derek Stillie.

"It was the perfect start, exactly what we needed," said McGlynn. "The tempo we started with was terrific and the goal helped get the punters right behind us which was very important and we gave them something to shout."

The best the visitors had to offer was a good chance for Lee Miller two minutes after the opener. The front man was making his first return to Tynecastle since snubbing a contract from the Jambos after a goal-laden loan spell last season but he looked a shadow of his former self on Saturday and he scorned his chance with a poor header wide of target.

Skacel tested Stillie with a powerful drive after a neat one-two with Robbie Neilson after 21 minutes but four minutes later the Czech Republic internationalist did manage to get the better of the Tangerines' No.1.

His in-swinging free-kick was just asking to be nodded goalwards but the ball evaded both the in-rushing Hearts players and the static United defence to deceive Stillie at his right-hand post.

Gordon Chisholm's side needed to pull something back early in the second period and they almost halved the deficit with a superb curling shot from Barry Robson after 50 minutes. The ball looked destined for the top right-hand corner of Craig Gordon's goal until the Scotland keeper leapt full length to pluck the ball out of the air.

It was to prove an important stop as seven minutes later Hartley turned provider after charging down a ball out of defence by David McCracken to set up Pospisil for a simple finish. United knew it just wasn't going to be their day after Robson was fouled in the box by Pressley. He picked himself to take the penalty but was denied by a superb stop to his left by Gordon, who recovered quickly to save a header on the rebound by Robson.

Pospisil saw a header come back off the bar in the closing stages while the industrious Calum Elliot was denied a goal by Stillie two minutes from time as Hearts looked to round off what could have been a difficult day at the office in style.

"It was nothing to do with the football side of things but teams like United may have thought we were vulnerable," said McGlynn. "I can understand that but the players responded terrifically. I don't think this club can make it any harder for anyone and I think things might get a bit easier from now on in.

"Whether I want this to be my last game I'm not sure. I have said before that I didn't think things could get much worse but they did at the start of last week. Now, though, I think we will go from strength to strength.

"I can only do my best for Hearts and I have done that. If the people in charge are pleased then I'm delighted with that. I've been here a while and would like to remain in any capacity as I feel there are big things to come at Hearts."

Romanov is not scared to take tough decisions he feels will benefit the club. Strange things have happened at Tynecastle recently but surely McGlynn cannot now be regarded as surplus to requirements, irrespective of who comes in to the hot seat.

Taken from the Scotsman