WE'VE STILL GOT BURLEY SPIRIT

ROMAN BEDNAR does not need the visionary powers of Rima or Pyjama Man to sense the aura around the Hearts squad.

He felt it from the very moment he walked into Tynecastle last summer and met George Burley for the first time.

The former Ipswich boss was axed by Vladimir Romanov in October and is now trying to restore a semblance of stability to Southampton.

However, Bednar revealed his influence still looms large at Riccarton as the Jambos bid to take a step closer to Champions League football next season.

Hearts take on Celtic at Tynecastle tomorrow after a week dominated by talk on Andy Webster's future and the club's controversial employment of a team of alternative therapists from Lithuania.

But Bednar, 23, revealed it is Burley's behind-the-scenes influence that is still guiding them towards second spot in the SPL and Scottish Cup glory this season.

It has been a season of constant flux and controversy for the Hearts squad, which makes their charge for second spot all the more remarkable with just three games left of the season.

Czech Under-21 star Bednar admits there has been too much change over the course of the current campaign, but revealed the spirit of Burley is still guiding the squad to their best season in half a century.

He said: "We started the season with George in charge and since then I feel everyone has held on to his vision.

"You know, every gaffer brings something to the team and to the training ground, but George still has an influence on the squad for the best, even though he has left the club.

"All the changes have been difficult but we are professionals and must play with or without a manager in charge or adapt to a new gaffer who is brought in. Sure, it's tough but we're still second in the league and we can win the Cup and that shows the strength of the team.

"What if we had enjoyed more continuity? It's not about it's - everyone at the club will be happy to stay in second place and we win the cup.

"The would be a good achievement because there have been some difficulties this season.

"But of course, not all change is bad and sometimes the opposite is the case. Sometimes change brings about a new energy among the players but I think we probably need things a little more settled."

Former Mlada Boleslav hitman Bednar has scored six times in this injury-hit season, his first in the Scottish game.

He netted the equaliser against Hibs last week, only to see his side suffer a 2-1 defeat, but he isn't interested in hard-luck stories.

Mind you, he confessed the Jambos are due a slice of good fortune after failing to beat Celtic three times this season.

They drew 1-1 at Parkhead in October, Burley's last game in charge, but the two games since have ended in controversial, single goal defeats.

First up, 10-man Hearts lost 3-2 to Celtic on Ne'erday in a defeat that effectively ended their championship charge.

Then, three weeks ago, Gordon Strachan's side clinched the title at Parkhead with a 1-0 victory that saw stand-in Jambos boss Valdas Ivanauskas sent to the stand for complaining bitterly against the failure of ref Dougie McDonald to award Bednar a penalty.

Bednar said: "This tackle on me by Bobo Balde in the last match was definitely not clever. He went to kick the ball and kicked me instead.

"The referee said it was no penalty. Me? I reckon it was 50-50. However, the worst tackle by Balde came in the January 1 game when he was only yellow carded for fouling Deividas Cesnauskis.

"Later, Takis Fyssas was sent off and if you saw his tackle on television you would think it funny he was awarded a red card.

"However, I have bad days in the game and referees can have them as well.

"It's true we've not had much luck against Celtic and, even personally, I've had three great shots in matches against them and Artur Boruc has saved them all.

"Maybe Celtic have carried a little more luck against us this season than they have against other sides because we have actually played very well against them.

"If we win this time, I don't want it to be because of a penalty or such a decision. I would like a normal victory that sees us score good goals and play well for our fans. That is important."

The Hearts team selection was mired in controversy last week but should be along more familiar lines for tomorrow's Setanta showdown with players such as Steven Pressley, Fyssas and Edgaras Jankauskas set to return.

Bednar added: "After last week's defeat at Hibs, everything has been okay with the squad.

"We played badly at Easter Road, we know that, but we've spoken about the game and watched it again on video and we will do everything we can to make sure it doesn't happen again.

"If we play against Celtic as well as we did in the second half at Hibs then we can win the match.

"Of course it's a game we need to win - we need to take every point we can and a victory would leave us very, very close to finishing second in the league."

If they do, Bednar admits he will owe a debt to the club's medical staff, particularly after they helped nurse him back from a knee injury early in the season.

Quizzed about the club's staff of alternative therapists he said with a grin on his face: "This is the question about the doctors, right?

"Well, we have good physios at the club such as Andy Caldwell, who helped me recover after knee surgery so now I feel so good.

"At Hearts, the physios and everything to do with them are a couple of classes above what I've been used to in the Czech Republic.

"I have not worked with any of the other staff. I like to try new things but some are good and some are bad."

So Rima and her golden sticks have not been anywhere near the Bednar body?

He laughed: "No, no. I don't know anything ab out that!"

'George still has influence here - even though he's left'

Taken from the Daily Record