Hearts debut convinces Barasa to join club

SENT off at Ibrox on a previous visit to Scotland, Hearts' new right-back Nerijus Barasa admits he was "young and stupid" in those days. The Lithuanian international says he is older and wiser now and hopes to play a part in the Tynecastle club's push for honours during the latter part of a season which still has the potential to be among the most memorable in the club's history.

Barasa, 27, has been signed from FBK Kaunas on loan until the summer and made his debut as a second-half substitute in the win over Dunfermline on Saturday. His brief taste of SPL football was enough to convince him he has joined a league of a decent standard and was an altogether more enjoyable experience than his last visit to a Scottish club ground.

It was during an earlier spell with Kaunas that Barasa suffered the ignominy of being sent off against Rangers in a Champions League qualifier in 2000. The player is determined to create a more positive impression at Hearts.

"Of course I don't want to be remembered in this country for that red card," he said yesterday through an interpreter. "I was young and stupid then.

"I am very happy to be back in Scotland and happy to be at Hearts. I had an offer from my previous club, Kryla Sovetov Samara [from Russia], but the Hearts offer was more definite, so I thought, why not?

"Vladimir Romanov offered me the possibility [of signing] and then Graham Rix spoke to me.

"I actually had an offer to join Hearts last year but because of personal circumstances I couldn't do that. I then came over at the start of the month to train with Hearts and I really liked it.

"I like the facilities, the coaching staff and the players as they were really friendly. I have been speaking to my international colleagues, Deividas Cesnauskis, Saul Mikoliunas and Edgar Jankauskas about the team. Before I came I spoke to them to check how they are getting on and to ask them about the facilities. They said it was fantastic here and that they really liked it. They really like the city, the players and coaching staff."

Barasa's signing is similar to other Hearts deals. Romanov, the club's majority shareholder, arranges for the player to sign for FBK Kaunas, his Lithuanian team, who loan him to Hearts. The same system allowed Hearts to sign Jankauskas and Roman Bednar in the summer.

Barasa was deployed in the right of midfield against Dunfermline but prefers to play at right-back. Robbie Neilson has been an ever-present in that position in the league this season but can now expect competition from the experienced Barasa.

The new signing has played over 20 times for Lithuania and featured in the 1-0 victory over Scotland in Kaunas in 2003 and the 1-0 reverse at Hampden five months later. Rix has been looking for cover at right-back and will be delighted to strengthen a squad he described as "threadbare" earlier this month. Barasa is Hearts' second signing of the January transfer window following the acquisition of midfielder Lee Johnson but is unlikely to be the last.

Neil McCann is expected to rejoin the club today and talks are also at an advanced stage with the Bosnian midfielder Mirsad Beslija. Hearts also have an interest in the Liverpool striker Neil Mellor and the Benfica midfielder Bruno Aguiar.

The Gorgie club are looking to strengthen as they push for honours on two fronts. They trail Celtic by seven points in the league, and although they know a second-place finish brings the tantalising prize of a place in the qualifying rounds of next season's Champions League, Hearts haven't given up hope of winning the title for the first time since 1960. The Scottish Cup also remains in their sights with Rix's side facing a fourth-round tie against Aberdeen at Tynecastle next month.

Taken from the Scotsman