Lee's free to go

HEARTS midfielders Lee Johnson and Chris Hackett will be told to find new clubs when they return for pre-season training.

Valdas Ivanauskas has told the Evening News that he has no place for either of the Englishmen in his first-team squad for next season, although both players have yet to be made aware that they are surplus to requirements.

Hackett and Johnson were both recruited by former Hearts head coach Graham Rix in January but the former has not played since Rix's dismissal in March, whilst Johnson has made just one appearance in the meaningless end-of-season encounter with Rangers.

Vladimir Romanov, Hearts' majority shareholder, sanctioned the £20,000 purchase of Hackett from Oxford United and a further £60,000 was paid to Yeovil Town for Johnson at the request of Rix in January.

However, Ivanauskas is ready to cast both players aside after less than six months in Edinburgh. "Lee has done well but we must find a solution to his situation. We have so many players so for him it would be better to find a new club," said Ivanauskas, who is still awaiting a definitive decision from Romanov on which coaching role will be his for next season.

"There won't be many chances for Lee to play. He wants to play and he is a good professional but there is a big momentum of confidence in our squad. My view is he would be better looking for another club.

"Maybe he could even go on loan at first but, if he wants to stay, it is no problem.

"Chris Hackett is in the same situation. In his position, on the right side, we have many players so I think it would be better for him to look elsewhere too."

Ivanauskas' decision is likely to stun Hackett and Johnson, both of whom have revealed their contentment with life in Scotland and their ambition to enhance their reputations with Hearts.

One player who is unlikely to go anywhere this summer is the club's record signing, Mirsad Beslija. The Bosnian winger has been considering a loan move away from Tynecastle in order to facilitate first-team football for himself, however prospective clubs have been discouraged by his £9000-a-week wages.

Ivanauskas, though, insists there will be a place for Beslija at Hearts next season.

He said: "We have many players who will be available for loan or for sale but Mirsad will not be one of them. It's difficult to say just now who might leave."

Meanwhile, the chief executive of the SFA, David Taylor, has revealed that the governing body have re-written their rule book and closed a loophole which prevented individuals who did not hold positions of office at Scottish clubs from being reprimanded.

This applies in particular to Romanov, who had several outbursts at the domestic game's hierarchy last season but could not be punished under the old rules as he was not a member of the Hearts board.

Now, anyone who holds influence at a club will be subject to possible SFA sanctions. "Anyone who is an owner of a football club, or who is a major shareholder, would come under our jurisdiction," said Taylor.

HEARTS have arranged a pre-season friendly with Livingston at Almondvale on July 20.

Taken from the Scotsman