RIX: HOD WON'T STEAL MY HARTLEY

GRAHAM RIX will fight tooth and nail to keep Paul Hartley after seeing the Hearts hero impress watching Wolves boss Glenn Hoddle yesterday.

Hoddle, a long-time admirer of the Scotland midfielder, could be set to test Jambos' resolve with a bid to lure him south during the transfer window.

With Crystal Palace also keeping tabs, Rix is adamant he has no intention of losing the 29-year-old midfielder.

However, he could still be powerless to keep him after Mailsport revealed this month club bosses are ready to sell for the right price.

Rix said: "Paul's a good player. I'm trying to bring in good players for Hearts and every other coach out there is trying to do the same.

"I want Paul Hartley to stay and be successful."

While the future of Hartley will be questioned until the transfer window closes, Rix is confident of completing the signing of Neil McCann this week.

But he warned the Scotland winger he'll struggle to get into the team if his side continues to perform the way they did at Dunfermline.

With on-fire Rudi Skacel safely established in McCann's favoured leftmidfield position you have to wonder where the former Southampton man will play.

Rix added: "There are a couple of Premiership clubs after Neil and there are still one or two details to be ironed out but I'm confident those details will be sorted in the next couple of days.

"But he'll struggle to get into the team on the strength of what I saw today, which is good.

"Neil would be coming in as competition for Rudi. If, for example, Rudi is injured or suspended Neil will play.

"I want competition for places and if they play as they did today, whoever I bring in will struggle for a start.

"I was delighted with the performance, we played really well. We would have liked a clean sheet but we played some great stuff and scored great goals."

Taken from the Sunday Mail