STRONG SUPPORT FOR DAVIES TO BE HIT WITH JAMBOS

GREG STRONG reckons the prospect of Champions League football could lure his former manager Billy Davies to Tynecastle.

Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov is reported to be interested in offering the Scot the chance to take over from interim coach Valdas Ivanauskas.

Strong, recently freed by Livingston, played under the highly-rated manager at Motherwell for one year and has kept a close eye on how Davies has transformed Preston into an English Championship top-six side despite cut-backs.

And he insists his old boss has all the attributes to take Hearts to the next level.

He said: "The Champions League is obviously a massive incentive for whatever manager or players they want to bring in.

"I don't know if Billy wants to be Hearts manager but he would certainly take the club forward, he would put everything into the job.

"I thought he was a very good manager from our time at Motherwell and an even better coach.

"It does not surprise me one bit that he has been linked with Hearts, you just have to look how well he's done at Preston.

"They've been in the play-offs the last two seasons and he even had to sell some players last season."

Meanwhile, Preston supporters have pleaded with Davies not to walk out on them. Thousands of fans last night swamped a local poll in response to news of interest in their gaffer from Tynecastle.

Davies is a hero among the North End fans and one even suggested in an open letter to the club that the new stand being built at their ground be named The Billy Davies Stand.

But despite the links with Hearts, it's business as usual for Davies at Deepdale as he makes plans for next term.

He said: "I think we need certain types of players to come into the club and we have our eye on one or two people."

Taken from the Daily Record