Hearts give Bednar lift after receiving a reality Czech

TYNECASTLE'S main stand enclosure rose as one to hail a returning hero. "Roman Bednar, Roman Bednar." At around 4.25pm on Saturday, the Hearts support realised that their club's push for the Champions League was about to be reinforced.

The Czech striker had just appeared on the track, familiar No.12 on his back, preparing to replace the inspirational Edgaras Jankauskas, who himself had done much to garner adulation throughout the afternoon with his two goals having punctured Motherwell's resistance.

Imminently, the entire stadium would arise to release a two-pronged acclamation. As Jankauskas' weary legs took him towards the touchline the decibel level increased in appreciation of the Lithuanian. It then went through the roof when Bednar crossed the white line on to the field.

All of this may seem rather strange, particularly in the case of Bednar who had started only ten games for Hearts prior to the weekend. But to understand the level of affection harboured by supporters for Bednar, you first must appreciate his contributions and the potential he displayed during his early-season honeymoon period in Edinburgh.

At the age of 22, Bednar arrived in Scotland last July speaking not a word of English. In the intervening period, his football, and goals against Kilmarnock, Dundee United and Rangers, have communicated his capabilities perfectly.

He is now virtually fluent in the English language, perhaps the only positive aspect to emerge from an extensive rehabilitation from knee surgery that was only punctuated by an abortive first-team comeback last December.

"I did lots of exercises to help me because my right knee was very weak," admitted the Czech. "I was always having to do work on it. Sometimes I got pain, sometimes it would swell, so I found it difficult. It was a hard time for me. But after training a lot on my own I am happy. I am back in with the other players now and Rudi Skacel and Michal Pospisil were very good when I was out, often taking me to dinner with them so I was never too lonely.

"Now I am thinking only about football. I came out from the dugout on Saturday and it was very nice to hear the noise from the full stadium."

The Czechs have long been renowned for their sporting discipline, and Bednar is no exception. Although hardly match sharp against Motherwell, there was clear indication of a player who had worked his body as comprehensively as one can when restricted by knee trouble.

His presence, at 6ft 3in, injected further trepidation into a visiting defence which would have hoped for some respite with the departure of two-goal Jankauskas.

"Of course I was delighted to get back in, but I was tired after playing on Saturday," said Bednar. "I was only on the pitch for 20 minutes but I found it hard going. I am happy because I am back in training and I am back playing.

"In my mind I feel 99 per cent but my physical condition inside is very bad because I have had a long time without competitive football. I like playing beside Edgaras but we have so many talented strikers now.

"It's not important who plays in the forward positions, but Edgaras scored two goals on Saturday so he is going to stay in the side. That's not too important for me because I believe in myself and with two or three weeks' hard work I will be fit and playing."

When he is, Graham Rix can invariably expect to find himself scribbling the names of Bednar and A N Other in the striking positions on his formations board each Saturday.

In his native land, there is genuine hope that he will, in time, evolve as a worthy replacement for the legendary Jan Koller in the Czech national side. Koller, approaching his 33rd birthday, has led the Czech attack with distinction for the last seven years with his 6ft 7in frame and has amassed a total of 40 goals in 66 appearances.

For the moment, though, Bednar has sufficient other pursuits to contend with. "At Hearts, we now have two must-win games, first in the cup against Partick and then in the league at Livingston."

Bednar did much to affirm his luminary status amongst the Hearts support in his first confrontation with Rangers, when he scored the decisive goal in a 1-0 victory at a time when the team was outmuscling everyone.

Hearts' conviction has been slightly diluted since then, something that their returning striker is seeking to address. "Again on Saturday, I think for the first 15 or 20 minutes of the second half we didn't play at all. I don't know why this is.

"Sometimes we are very good but always, for 20 minutes or so after half-time, there is nothing from us. We wait and wait to score more goals and I don't understand why. For 70 minutes we played very well and that is why we won the match."

As February nears its end, Bednar's emergence from a blurred group of injured bodies to aid Hearts' European push is timely to say the least. Neil McCann, Nerijus Barasa and Samuel Almeida Camazzola are not yet ready for a first-team reintroduction at Hearts, but they are all expected to make themselves available imminently in time for the critical weeks of a campaign which still promises much for the club. "I am young but it is possible I will be playing in the Champions League next year," notes Bednar.

If he is indeed destined to appear with Hearts in the world's most prestigious club competition, the small matter of renewing a loan deal must be dealt with by majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov. Bednar officially signed for FBK Kaunas after leaving the Czech club Mlada Boleslav last summer, and was instantly loaned to Hearts for a season. Given the reaction he has provoked from supporters, it might not be a bad idea to begin working on that renewal.

Taken from the Scotsman