HEARTS today strongly refuted reports of a split in the squad as head coach Graham Rix attempted to move on from the issue of team interference by Vladimir Romanov.

After a five-strong contingent of Tynecastle players met with their Lithuanian paymaster on Saturday evening and apparently reached an amicable outcome, it was reputed that a split had emerged in the dressing-room.

Some players were said to be against confronting Vlad on the team selection issue.

However, Rix and his assistant coach John McGlynn have instantly shot down that suggestion, insisting that the weekend loss to Aberdeen has seen the players united in their determination to atone.

"We are a team and we're all in this together," said Rix. "It's important to me that the players are fully behind me. If you think I'm annoyed by Saturday's result you should have seen the boys in the dressing room."

McGlynn added: "The players realise we didn't perform on Saturday and they are united in their disappointment. There is no split in any way.

"The players will respond to this positively.

"We have said before that we are a big scalp now and you only have to look to Dundee United drawing with us in midweek and then losing to Motherwell on Saturday to see that teams try to prove a point against us. There has always been a good spirit here.

"We are not the only team who will have setbacks and I'm sure on Saturday you will see the evidence of our togetherness. It's a matter of galvanising again."

Rix, who met Romanov on Friday night, is now seeking to draw a line under the whole team selection affair.

"What's gone is gone," he said. "I could talk about it for 14 hours but it's not going to change anything. I've now got to turn round and look towards the next game. I have to.

"I'm concerned about the way we performed on Saturday, but I'm confident with my own position. It's not a problem for me. The guys would be the first to admit that we didn't perform against Aberdeen.

"But we are not the first football team to have an off day."

Meanwhile, recovering strikers Edgaras Jankauskas and Roman Bednar are likely to take the penultimate step in their rehabilitation process by playing some part in Hearts reserves' meeting with Aberdeen tomorrow at Forthbank Stadium in Stirling.

Bednar has been troubled by a persistent knee injury and has not played since the defeat by Rangers on December 17, whilst Jankauskas has been absent since damaging his hamstring against Kilmarnock on January 7.

Both are now ready to step up their recovery, fitness permitting, and recent signing Chris Hackett should start the match.

McGlynn said: "We need to make sure, but we are looking for Jankauskas and Bednar to play a part tomorrow."

Taken from the Scotsman