Elvis banking on big stage comeback

STEVEN PRESSLEY has more than a decade of experience under his belt since his Champions League debut and he's desperate for a long-awaited return with Hearts.

As a raw 19-year-old, Pressley was part of Walter Smith's Rangers squad which came within touching distance of reaching the final of the competition in season 1992/93 and, understandably, he is keen to showcase his talents on the biggest stage in Europe once again.

But, for the Hearts captain, this current campaign has been about more than simply fulfilling his own personal ambitions.

He already has his eye on the bigger picture and knows that winning a place in the qualifiers come the end of the season could also go some way to ensuring long-term success for the Tynecastle club.

Pressley is well aware that the lure of Champions League football can be priceless when it comes to attracting new players to a club and he knows that if they can hold onto second place in the league, Hearts' status as a Champions League club can be used by owner Vladimir Romanov as a bargaining tool to bring top European players to Gorgie.

Being able to strengthen in the summer would in turn boost Hearts' hopes of mounting a more sustained challenge for the SPL title next term and that is something Pressley is desperate to do.

He said: "I played in the Champions League as a 19-year-old with Rangers and it was a great experience.

"I also had the opportunity with Hearts and Dundee United to play UEFA Cup games as well but I would love to have that opportunity to play again in the Champions League, there is no bigger stage to play football on.

"If we can achieve that, then next season promises to be a very exciting one and I think it will also enable the club to attract even better players.

"If you can dangle the carrot of Champions League football in front of players then it certainly encourages them to come to your club.

"That's why it is so important to ourselves and to Rangers. It is vital to both teams, we are both desperate for second place because it could mean a better quality of player coming to your club next season.

"If you do earn the right to play in the Champions League and bring in better players then, in turn, you can build an even greater challenge in the SPL next season as well.

"When he arrived, Mr Romanov said he wanted to win the league within two years and people scoffed at that but he has proved his capabilities.

"He has also proved his intent and now we have to prove that year on year we can challenge the Old Firm for silverware."

Securing second spot in the league would be a huge achievement for the Tynecastle outfit but Pressley also has a steely determination that this will be the season when he finally lifts his first piece of silverware as captain of Hearts.

Pressley narrowly missed out on Scottish Cup glory with Hearts back in 1998 as he was signed just two months after their 2-1 win over Rangers at Parkhead so he is counting on victory over Gretna next month to set the ball rolling.

He feels that getting his first trophy in the cabinet could just be the start of things to come and make it truly a season to remember.

He added: "I've been at the club for a long time now and, when I joined, I said that I wanted to win things for them.

"I felt the club always had potential and it is still an aspiration of mine to win silverware with Hearts. I just hope that, if we can do that in May, maybe that will be the first of many trophies we will pick up.

"Although we've had to wait a long time for it, I'm sure that if it comes along it will certainly be worth the wait in the end.

"People often ask me the question 'would you take one or the other?' but for me it's not a case of taking one or the other.

"We want to do both and the opportunity to do that is right in front of us.

"It is very important that we secure both. It has been a good season so far but it could turn into a very memorable season if we achieve Champions League football and win the Scottish Cup at the end of the season."

It seems that it is not only the performances on the park that have given the Hearts skipper a reason to have a positive outlook.

Pressley has also been encouraged this season by the rising number of supporters who are turning out week in, week out at Tynecastle and on the road to cheer their team on.

He believes that with that kind of backing, and the support of Romanov, Hearts have a bright future ahead of them.

"It's been a very exciting to play for Hearts because we're on the verge of what could be a very memorable season.

"All of the players are enjoying being part of that, no-one wants to be ruled out.

"I've been at the club for seven years and during that time it had always been said that a section of the Hearts support would return if things changed at the club. There was quite a large sleeping support and I think that this season we have seen the real potential there is.

"If you look at the semi-final against our city neighbours and the support that turned out that day then it bodes well for the future."

Pressley and his team-mates have been praised for the way they have conducted themselves on and off the park amid the recent managerial changes, Valdas Ivanauskas stepping in as interim coach to become their third new manager of the season.

He insists that there is such a strong team spirit in the dressing room that the players have not been affected by events in the board room but he admits that it is now time for some stability at the club, starting with a new manager being installed at the end of the season and being given the chance to make his mark in the long term.

He continued: "I've gone on the record to say that I think it is important for the club to have stability again.

"We need a manager in place and hope that he gets the opportunity to prove his worth over a period of time. I think that is vitally important.

"I hope we can get that in the coming years at Tynecastle. Although that has been a difficult issue this season, it is also a testament to the players and to the spirit we have within the squad that we have managed to continue to get results.

"Who knows though what would have happened if we'd had just one manager at the helm for the season? Would we have gone on to make an even bigger challenge on Celtic for the league?

"That's a question that will never be answered.

"Within our dressing-room for some time, though, we have been a very close unit and that has tested our resolve. We've always been a team who prides itself on the spirit we have.

"In recent weeks our performances have been great, especially in the first half against Dunfermline. I thought it was first-class.

"It's encouraging that while we've been getting the results, we've also been playing to a good level. Maybe we are just coming good at the perfect time and, if we can play to the standards that we know we can, then all we have to do is concentrate on our own game.

"It's the business end of the season and all of the players in the dressing-room are aware of that we are in such a position that we have to have the bottle and the character that we have to carry the job through."

Taken from the Scotsman