ORDER OF THE BOOT CAMP

HEARTS boss Graham Rix last night revealed that he has packed some of his players off to "boot camp" to improve their fitness levels for the remainder of the season.

Rix split his squad into different groups for training this week before telling several of his deadline-day signings they would have to undergo an intensive fitness programme because he believes they're not yet fit enough to feature in his first team.

The club's £850,000 record signing from Racing Genk, Mirsad Beslija, Finnish internationalist Juho Makela, Czech duo Ludek Straceny and Martin Petras and Senegal internationalist Ibrahim Tall were the players selected.

Rix said: "I split the squad into different groups this week on the training ground. John McGlynn took a group of around 10 players and so to did Valdas Ivanauskas.

"If needed Jim Duffy will take a group of players which leaves me to concentrate on what I would deem my first-team squad of players, which is a group of 18-20 players.

"Mirsad Beslija, Juho Makela, Ludek Straceny, Martin Petras and Ibrahim Tall were all in the group that have gone on with John and Valdas for the next seven to 10 days.

"It has been explained to them all that they are not ready for the first team and as a result they are not doing themselves justice. I want those guys who were not with me this week to work harder to get into the first-team squad.

"I explained it to the guys and they have accepted it and are showing a great attitude so far."

Rix also praised the appointment of new Hearts director of football Duffy and insisted there has been no negative feedback from Jambos fans regarding his managerial stint with Hibs.

The two men previously worked together at Chelsea and Portsmouth and despite Duffy being brought on board until the end of the season Rix remains hopeful that both will stay beyond the terms of their current contracts.

And he believes that other than his wife there is nobody better suited for the director of football role than Duffy.

The Hearts coach said: "Everybody knows what I think of Jim Duffy. He is a top man and a great addition to this club.

"He has helped me no end already and I hope Jim and I will be here a lot longer than the terms of our contracts which everyone knows are up at the end of the season.

"There has been no adverse feedback to his appointment and nobody has mentioned his Hibs links.

"I went to a supporter's meeting on Thursday night and they never even asked me about it to be honest. Paul Hartley used to play for Hibs and look how he performs for Hearts.

"The Hearts fans realise Jim is a good guy and we did say at the start that he maybe would not come into Tynecastle because the Hibs connection was maybe too strong.

"You can appreciate that when I first came into the club there was a lot of adverse publicity for myself and I did not need anything else to be used as ammunition against us.

"There is a lot involved in the running of the football club and there are a million things to be done. It is not just a case of coaching the lads, picking the team and getting them ready for a Saturday, it is more than that.

"Jim helps with the academy and the scouting and I am disappointed he was not here before the January transfer window.

"A lot of planning goes into the daily running of a club and Jim's role as director of football is to act as a buffer between the owner Mr Romanov and the day-to-day management team and I trust him implicitly. He can speak for Scotland and he does quite a good job here.

"This is a great appointment for Hearts and there is nobody I would rather see on board in this role than Jim well apart from my missus Linda but I do not know how good her football knowledge is.

"Jim has been brought in to try to help me win matches because I don't care who you are at managerial level - if you lose four on the trot you are under pressure."

Rix even joked that he will welcome Duffy to the dugout today for the SPL match at Tynecastle.

He said: "I am going to put Jim in the dugout against Motherwell as he makes me look good. Seriously though his experience is invaluable to me and this club and I am absolutely delighted to have him on board."

Meanwhile, strike duo Edgaras Jankauskas and Roman Bednar look set to return to the first-team fold following last Saturday's shock 2-1 defeat at Tynecastle left Hearts trailing Celtic by 13 points in the title race.

Bednar has been out for the past two months after being sidelined with a niggling knee injury. The Czech, who had a cartilage op in September after scoring the winner against Rangers at Tynecastle, has not featured since the 1-0 defeat against the Ibrox side in Glasgow on December 16.

Bednar's spell on the sidelines wasn't well received by the player who readily admits that he is the world's worst spectator.

The 22-year-old striker said: "I am a terrible spectator and I have been to watch all the Hearts games but it has been very difficult.

"I hate to watch the team play as I get a feeling in the pit of my stomach when I am not on the pitch.

"But I feel very strong now. I am raring to go and hope to play against Motherwell.

"Hearts have very good strikers at the club though in Michel Pospisil and Jankauskas and Callum Elliot.

"Callum has done very well for one so young and he has already shown this season that he is a very good player."

Hearts will be without the suspended Paul Hartley who begins a two-match ban.

The Scotland midfielder received his punishment after being found guilty by the SFA of kicking out at Ross Wallace in the New Year's Day clash at Tynecastle which Celtic won 3-2.

Taken from the Daily Record