McGlynn sees McCann as Skacel replacement

ROB ROBERTSON

John McGlynn, the assistant coach of Hearts, talked yesterday of the club's plans for the coming season. In an extensive interview, McGlynn revealed that Chris Hackett and Lee Johnson were free to leave the Tynecastle team and that he expected Lithuanian pair Saulius Mikoliunas and Deividas Cesnauskis to remain next season.

He felt three or four signings could be in the pipeline in the summer and, conceding that Rudi Skacel would be leaving, McGlynn said: "Rudi looks like moving on so Neil [McCann] can be a very important player for us. He is a natural left-sided player and will feel like a new signing when he is free of injury."

McCann was injured just 20 minutes into his first game for Hearts back in January.

McGlynn admitted that bringing in 11 players during the January transfer window caused the club problems and maybe "three or four" would have been an easier figure to work with. The Hearts assistant coach said he hoped the best was yet to come from record signing Mirsad Beslija, who cost £850,000 from Racing Genk in January but has played in only three games since he signed.

"Mirsad may be a bit like Deividas in that he did not do particularly well in the first six months, who knows?" said McGlynn. "Ibrahim Tall is another who took a while to get into the side but then did well. It is still early and Mirsad has an opportunity to make a positive start to the new season."

McGlynn attended the launch yesterday of a new Hearts CD to celebrate their Scottish Cup triumph over Gretna.

The Hearts assistant coach made it clear the club were already looking to make changes in the squad to help them continue to challenge the Old Firm.

"Both Chris and Lee are quality players whose chances at Tynecastle have been limited," he said. "They are experienced players who had been getting games for their previous clubs.

"I'm sure they would rather play first-team football rather than in the reserves and their attitude has been brilliant. They have not been playing much and Mr Romanov wants to bring in more quality players."

McGlynn said Mikoliunas and Cesnauskis, both of whom are on loan from FK Kaunas, had improved as the season progressed.

"In the second part of the season Cesnauskas made the jersey his own. Mikoliunas brings a spark, maybe lacks consistency, but is a live wire. I would expect them both to be here next season."

The Herald understands that Vladimir Romanov, the club owner, is coming round to giving Valdas Ivanauskas and McGlynn the jobs of manager and assistant full-time.

"Ideally, we would like to have our established squad in place by June 21, a few days before the Champions League qualifying tie," said McGlynn. "In saying that, we got Takis Fyssas in at the end of the transfer window last summer and he has been a great success, and a player of that calibre would be good to get at any time."

Meanwhile, Hearts youngster Jamie MacDonald has signed a new two-year deal to keep him at the club until the summer of 2008.

Taken from the Herald