JAMBOS' REBEL DUO GO AWOL

HEARTS rebels Rudi Skacel and Andy Webster have almost certainly kicked their last ball for the club.

The pair, who as revealed by Record Sport last week are wanted by George Burley's Southampton, failed to turn up for the pre-season trip to Austria and have been reported to FIFA and the SFA for a serious breach of contract.

But the Hampden hierarchy are refusing to get involved as they insist it's a dispute that is purely between the players and Hearts.

New Jambos boss Valdas Ivanauskas, who was finally unveiled as Graham Rix's successor last week, had vowed to take a hardline stance against the duo if they failed to report back for first-team duty.

And yesterday the club pledged to stick to their guns.

Acting chief executive and chairman Roman Romanov said: "In breach with the agreement they had with the club these two players did not go to pre-season training and in order to protect the interests of the club we have reported this matter to FIFA and the Scottish FA.

"We will not comment on the matter further until it is resolved."

The Scottish Cup winners flew out to their training camp in Windischgarten, Austria, from Edinburgh Airport with nearly a full complement of players.

Only Czech midfielder Skacel and Scotland defender Webster were missing and that has alerted former Hearts boss Burley as he bids to hook up with the players who performed so well under his stewardship.

In fact, Skacel played his best football under Burley and scored the lion's share of his 17 goals while the former Scotland international was in charge at Tynecastle.

Hearts then took up the option to sign Skacel on a two-and-a-half year deal from Marseille - despite the 26-year-old being constantly linked with a move down south.

Webster, meanwhile, has blossomed into a fine central defender at club and international level and is in his final year of a four-year contract.

Under new FIFA rules the 24-year-old has invoked a clause in his contract which allows him to serve one month's notice on the club.

Webster has also been strongly linked with a move to either half of the Old Firm.

Taken from the Daily Record