STEVEN PRESSLEY is convinced Hearts can nick glory at home and abroad if they try to do an Italian job.

Pressley wants the Jambos to model themselves on ACMilan and concentrate on fielding homegrown talent.

The Scotland defender said the bulk of theMilan side in recent years has been composed of Italians.

In contrast, Hearts dressing room resembles a United Nations assembly room of players brought in by owner Vladimir Romanov in the past two years.

Yet the backbone of the Jambos team that won the Scottish Cup and qualified for the Champions League was made in Scotland.

Pressley, Paul Hartley and Craig Gordon were the Scottish rocks on on whom last seasons unforgettable campaign was based and Elvis insists Hearts must never lose sight of that Scottish influence.

He said: Having a Scottish nucleus last season was vital and we must guard against losing that fact.

I look at ACMilan and Inter Milan as examples. AC have been the more successful in the past 10 years because they have kept a core of top

Italian players.

Inter failed to do that and it is evident in their results. Thats why I feel its crucial we maintain a core of Scottish talent topped up with foreign players. There are good Scottish players coming through at Hearts and we have already seen that while we have been on tour in Austria.

Stevie Frail has done a fantastic job as youth coach and the club will soon see the emergence of more talented Scottish youngsters.

Yet Pressley is astute enough to realise that if Hearts are to challenge the Old Firm and succeed in Europe, Romanov will have to splash out on reinforcements but not to the detriment of players already at Tynecastle especially the homegrown contingent.

The 33-year-old skipper said: We have to improve not just for ourselves but for the good of Scottish football.

We have to try to get ourselves involved with the big guns of European football because if we do that we will improve considerably as a team and a squad.

For many years clubs outside the Old Firm have had a great season one year but have failed to live up to expectations the next.

Our squad have a good blend of youth and experience, with a lot of young players looking to improve themselves.

We do need a few additions but the encouraging aspect of this trip has been the performance of the younger players such as Christophe Berra, Andrew Driver and Lee Wallace.

While we want to add to the squad we cannot overlook our own young players. We tend do that in Scotland, thinking foreigners are better than the young Scots ones we have right under our noses.

The kids have come a long way from last season and will be looking to make that step up.

We have lost eight players from last season but we dont need quantity, we need quality to improve the team.

Pressley spoke as Hearts ended their 10-day tour to Austria where they won one and drew two of their three games.

He reckons the trip has put in him peak physical condition and that the best season of his career is about to kick off.

Pressley threw himself into punishing double sessions at the training base in Windischgarsten after the luxury of an extended summer break with no international football.

He said: It has been the first season in a long time that I have been able to unwind and prepare for pre-season.

In the last two or three years internationals have been in June and I had only a two-week summer break so it was good to get my feet up and unwind.

Last season was a fantastic one for everyone at the club but we have to try to do even better, especially as we have a crack at the Champions League.

A crack at AC Milan wouldnt go amiss either.

Taken from the Daily Record