THURTEEN

PAUL HARTLEY used to think he was lucky having never suffered an injury in a career that spans 13 years.

But the midfielder reckons he can no longer be called fortunate after picking up a groin strain that threatens to rule him out of the biggest game in Hearts' history.

The Scotland star is in Austria with the rest of Valdas Ivanauskas' squad as they prepare to face either Bosnian or Belarussian opposition in the club's Champions League debut.

But while his team-mates are put through their paces, Hartley has been holed up in a hotel room - and he's hating every moment of it.

The Jambos playmaker prides himself on having never missed pre-season during a long career.

And it's just his luck his body has chosen now to break down ahead of the club's historic Euro clash on July 25.

The 29-year-old said: "I have a slight groin problem which I felt after the Scottish Cup Final.

"Whether I'm ready for the Champions League match depends on how the next 10 days go.

"I hope it heals quickly because I'm desperate to play in the first qualifying game.

"I am totally down as I have been stuck in the team hotel absolutely dying to play.

"It's not the same watching the guys training and playing in matches as you just want to b e out there with them.

"It depends how long this injury takes to heal as I have never missed a pre-season.

"In fact, I have never had an injury in 13 years of playing football and I have been quite lucky that way.

"I guess this season is unlucky 13 for me and hopefully it is a case of weeks rather than months that I am out for.

"However, I've got to make sure I'm perfect before I come back and if I'm not 100 per cent I won't play. After all, I don't want to rush things and put myself back by a couple of weeks."

Hartley cut a forlorn figure in the stands of the picturesque Stadion Windischgarsten as he watched his team-mates earn a 1-1 draw with Second Division Austrian side Lask Linz onWednesday night.

And such is his determination to get to the root of his groin problem, he is prepared to leave the training base within the next 48 hours in order to seek expert medical advice to aid his rehabilitation.

Hartley said: "Hopefully I am going to see a specialist soon and I might have to leave Hearts' training camp in the next day or so to help try to solve the problem.

"The physio is trying to sort something out but I'm not sure where I am going to go. I'd expect it will be somewhere in Europe so I am fully prepared to leave the camp and come back at a later date."

Hartley insists Hearts are focused only on their European tie - even if he is well aware they could not have been handed a tougher start to their domestic campaign.

The Jambos will face both Old Firm sides within the first month of the new season and Hartley said: "The Champions League qualifiers are the biggest matches in the club's history.

"The whole squad are concentrating solely on that and can't wait for it.

"But we also have a tough opening to the SPL campaign as we play both halves of the Old Firm so it's a vitally important period coming up for us."

Taken from the Daily Record