Hart problem puts talisman on brink of Champions League pain

AN IMMOVABLE thought bubble has hung directly above Gorgie for what seems like months now with everyone connected to Tynecastle dreaming of Hearts' adventures in the Champions League's qualification stages.

Heavily featured amongst the images conjured in supporters' heads is Paul Hartley, whose knack of scoring critical goals from midfield would be considered a priceless commodity in any footballing market.

And, when you recall Hartley's nerve-jangling penalty conversion against Aberdeen ensuring Hearts' place in UEFA's premier tournament - a moment expertly depicted by a giant advertisement currently dominating the poster boards at Haymarket train station - his role in any idyllic dominance of Europe becomes evermore prominent.

For the player himself, though, the Champions League dream is fast evolving into nightmare with every recurring night here in Austria. A deep-lying groin injury, ironically sustained in the decisive defeat of Aberdeen, is threatening to ruin Hartley's intentions of a Champions League bow later this month. Alarmingly, he has yet to train with the first-team squad since pre-season training began two weeks ago.

What will be welcome news in the camps of both Hearts' prospective European opponents, Shakhtyor Soligorsk of Belarus and Bosnians Siroki Brijeg, is distinct deflation for head coach Valdas Ivanauskas, pictured below, and his tempo-dictating Scotland midfielder.

"It's a groin problem which has shown up on scans and it's one of those things that niggles at the back of your mind," said Hartley. "Hopefully it's only a matter of weeks before I'm back rather than months. I've been doing some light jogging and work on the bike.

"I don't know whether I'll make the first Champions League qualifier, it depends how the next ten days or so go. If it heals quite quickly then I can get back involved because I want to be back playing. But I haven't done any fitness work at all apart from the bike and the jogs.

"Obviously, I'm desperate to be involved in the first qualifying game. There's no doubt I'll be behind the rest of the lads when I do start training because they've been working for the last two weeks. I just don't know how long this is going to take."

Frustration like Hartley's is difficult to hide. At 29, he has waited 13 long years, many of them at a lower level in Scotland, for the opportunity to lift his game on to the continent's grandest stage.

"Having had a vital hand in facilitating that elevation at Hearts, he may now have it taken from him.

The only hope would appear to be a "not as bad as first thought" verdict from the specialist Hartley will consult this weekend. He continued: "It's never good to miss pre-season and I've never missed one before in 13 years.

"I want to be back as soon as possible but it's not something I want to rush. I tried to do some running after the cup final and just didn't feel right. I have to make sure I'm perfect before I come back. I don't want to rush the thing and end up setting myself back further, so hopefully I will see somebody in the next day or two. I've been stuck in the hotel since we got here because I can't train and I can't play. I don't want to sit in the physio's room, I've never done that in 13 years."

Should Hartley be confined to the stand when the Champions League qualifiers visit Edinburgh for the first time, he will be shifting uncomfortably in his VIP seat. For a late-developing player like this, every prime moment must be savoured.

"From our start to the season, the Champions League qualifiers are the big ones and then we play the Old Firm so it's an important time for us," he recognised. "You would want to get the first leg out the road and take a good lead over to either Belarus or Bosnia. That's very important. I'm desperate to play in it but I'm not stupid. I'm not going to say I'm fit when I'm not. Hopefully, I can be okay but if I'm not okay then I'm not going to play in that game.

"I wouldn't do that to the team and I wouldn't do that to the manager. I think this injury will require a rest period but how long the rest needs to be I don't know."

The thought bubbles in the Edinburgh skies are becoming more like clouds now, for few sides could counteract the absence of an influential figure like Hartley.

The clouds may be granted a silver lining in the coming weeks if the midfielder can effect an accelerated recovery, but for now Hearts supporters may wish to count sheep rather than the stars of the Champions League emblem as they drift off to sleep.

Taken from the Scotsman