JIM Jefferies has already been tapped once by Vladimir Romanov, although not in a manner which would cause Kilmarnock chairman Michael Johnston any concern. It was no illegal approach from the Hearts' owner, merely an informal one as he sought to introduce himself to the most successful manager in his club's modern history.

"It was at a BBC football awards dinner last season," recalls Jefferies, "and I got a tap on the shoulder from Charlie Mann, Mr Romanov's spokesman, who said he wanted to speak to me. Through an interpreter, we chatted for a wee while, and I think he just wanted to meet me as he had heard about my time as a player and manager of the club."

This afternoon, Jefferies will be back at Tynecastle, plotting the downfall of a club for whom his affection has never wavered since he began supporting them as a starry-eyed schoolboy from Wallyford. His sights are fixed firmly on attempting to secure a remarkable fourth place Premierleague finish for Kilmarnock which, if Hearts slip to third place and win the Scottish Cup, would bring European football to Rugby Park next season.

While Romanov's search for the next incumbent of the Hearts' hot seat appears to be a global affair, there are those who believe the trigger-happy Lithuanian millionaire could do much worse than simply cast his net in the direction of the man who will occupy the visiting technical area today.

It is a scenario Jefferies clearly anticipated being asked about yesterday, his sagacious 55-year-old features breaking into a wide grin when the subject is raised. The emotional pull Hearts have for the man who captained the club in the 1970s and later managed them to Scottish Cup glory in 1998 makes it impossible for him to be dismissive of the notion of one day returning to Gorgie.

"I think it's wrong to discuss it, or even think about it," he says. "The only time I will ever even think about it was if I was ever asked by Hearts. I'm not saying I would go, it would depend on how I felt at that time and if I wanted that type of situation. Only then would I say 'yes' or 'no'. One or two people have suggested I'd be the ideal man, maybe even as a director of football because of my experience and knowledge of the club, but that was in the past. It's all hypothetical, as I say. Right now, I'm very happy where I am, but you never know in football."

Jefferies has an excellent relationship with his current employer, the Kilmarnock chairman Johnston, with whom he has been forced to co-operate in a swingeing policy of financial cutbacks at the club, yet he has still managed to guide his team to one of their most successful seasons in the top flight.

Experience has taught him that such a rapport with the chairman is hugely important in order for a manager to achieve his own goals. Jefferies knows only too well the inevitable outcome when the channels of communication between the pair break down, his departures from both Hearts in November 2000 and Bradford City in January 2002 occurring amid acrimony with respective chairmen Chris Robinson and Geoffrey Richmond.

"I never had a stand-up fight with Chris at Hearts," he recalls, "but he said things about me which were not true and wanted to take the club in a different direction which meant it was best I resigned at the time. At Bradford, I knew within two weeks that I couldn't work with Geoffrey Richmond but I stuck it out because I couldn't turn down the chance of working in the English Premiership."

Jefferies regards neither exit as a sacking and is proud of being the longest- serving senior manager in Scotland, one who has come a long way since starting on £15 a point in charge of Berwick Rangers almost 18 years ago. A single-minded and self-assured individual, it begs the question of whether he would be able to operate under the megalomanic shadow of Romanov if the possibility of a return to Hearts ever did materialise.

"Mr Romanov gives me the impression that he feels it doesn't matter if he goes through five or six managers, all that matters is the success of the team," observes Jefferies. "We can all debate whether it is the right or wrong way to operate, but what will be the deciding factor is how successful has he been for the club at the end of his time in charge. If it goes wrong, he is leaving himself open to a lot of criticism. He probably knows and accepts that.

"If he gets it right, though, if they win the Scottish Cup and qualify for the Champions League, does it matter how many managers or coaches he goes through? Some people in life have principles, quite rightly, that mean they don't like the way he has handled it, but some people don't care about it.

"He is ruthless, he wants success and if you don't want to go along with it, then that's your lookout. It sends out a message to any manager who wants to go in there that, if they think they can't hack it with that kind of owner, then don't take the job.

"People will take it, though, simply because they need a job, because it's a big club or because they think they can do better and can handle it. You have to weigh everything up and say 'well, that's the way it is - do I want it or not?' You might not be good enough, it might only be a short-term contract, only time will tell.

"Right now, the fans love him because he kept the club at Tynecastle. He has also taken on the debt, although I'm no expert on how that works, and he has brought in a lot of good players. Hearts can take three or four top guys out of their side right now and replace them with others just as good."

It is an impressive squad he must attempt to overcome today, with little room for error remaining as Kilmarnock seek to beat Hibs and Aberdeen to the fourth slot in the SPL which may yet carry such a rich reward.

"Any other time, I would be hoping Hearts finish second and get into the Champions League," he says, "but I have my own priorities with Kilmarnock which means we need Hearts to finish third if we are going to have a chance of qualifying for Europe. The Hearts fans have always been great to me, but I'm sure they will appreciate that I'm hoping Rangers finish second.

"I want Hearts to win the Scottish Cup, of course, and I'm sure they will. With respect, though, I don't think it will be quite as significant for the club as it was when we beat Rangers to win it in '98. That day, 75 per cent of the Hearts fans had not only never seen Hearts win a trophy, I think most of them thought they might never see it happen. This time, 75 per cent of the Hearts supporters at the final will have already seen Hearts win a trophy in their lifetime.

"Hearts fans still come up to me today and tell me how much it meant to them in '98. That was the greatest day of my football life, but if Kilmarnock finish fourth in the SPL this season, it will be my greatest achievement in football after everything the club has been through."

Taken from the Scotsman