Pospisil: I'll stay and prove myself at Tynecastle

HEARTS star Michal Pospisil today vowed to prove his worth to the club in the New Year after insisting he has no intention of quitting Tynecastle next month.

The 26-year-old has rubbished reports which surfaced yesterday claiming the Czech front man would demand a move should he fail to feature in the forthcoming home games against Falkirk and Celtic.

Pospisil's agent was quoted as saying his client was unhappy under new boss Graham Rix. He claimed that a solution would have to be found when the transfer window opens should he not be involved in the games against the Bairns on Boxing Day or when the Celts visit Gorgie on New Year's Day.

The striker, though, has assured fans that is not the case.

While admitting the supporters have yet to see the best of him since his £300,000 move from Slovan Liberec in the summer, Pospisil is determined to rectify the situation by forcing his way into the first team.

"The report is ludicrous and I am deeply disappointed my agent's comments have been stretched to the point where people would believe I may even consider leaving the club at this time.

"I don't think the fans have seen the best of me yet. I know I can play better and, hopefully, I can show everyone that in the weeks ahead.

"I hope to play better in the New Year and, hopefully, we will be up there challenging for a Champions League place as I want to contribute to the future success of Hearts.

"I want to help the club to hold its position and win something at the end of the season."

Pospisil was dropped by Rix after 45 minutes of his first match as manager against Aberdeen at Pittodrie and, although he subsequently fought his back into the starting line-up, the striker didn't make the bench for the weekend 1-0 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox.

He has stressed, however, that there has been no fall-out with the head coach.

"The manager dropped me after the recent game at Pittodrie. I didn't play well in the first half and he made the decision.

"I was angry at that but I then spoke to him and he explained the situation and there isn't a problem between me and the boss.

"What happened is in the past. He is the manager, I am a player and I respect his decisions."

The former Czech Republic Under-21 star, who has netted three times in an injury-hit campaign, has his own special reasons to be involved in Boxing Day's match against John Hughes' outfit.

"My girlfriend Gabriela is over for Christmas and she'll be at Tynecastle. She's been a couple of times already and has really been impressed by the atmosphere so if I'm involved it would be fantastic to score with her watching."

Rix, meanwhile, has backed his players to respond to their Ibrox disappointment in appropriate fashion against Falkirk.

Pressure has been growing on the team and their head coach with the poor display against Rangers following hard on the heels of the woeful performance in drawing 0-0 at home to Inverness Caley Thistle.

But Rix is confident his men have what it takes to come through this sticky patch.

"We have got to respond quickly and there is no time for us to feel sorry for ourselves," he said.

"The players have had a lot to contend with, as has everyone connected with Hearts. But we have got to stick together through this, the players, coaches, staff and supporters."

Taken from the Scotsman