Time to rely on young Hearts

HEARTS CAPTAIN Steven Pressley today urged Vladimir Romanov to look to the club's home-grown talent to strengthen the first team before dipping into his pocket to bring in more big-money foreign stars.

The Tynecastle defender not only believes that Hearts can sustain a challenge for the SPL title this season but also insists that, one or two key additions aside, they already have the squad capable of doing it.

Towards the end of last season, Pressley either played with or watched young Christophe Berra come into shore up the Gorgie side's defence as a result of injuries to both himself and Jose Goncalves, and the fact that Andy Webster had been frozen out of the first-team squad.

He maintains that the composure shown by the 20-year-old defender at such a crucial time of the season and that of the other emerging stars at Tynecastle - the likes of Calum Elliot, Lee Wallace and Andrew Driver - is evidence enough that they can help Hearts push the Old Firm all the way this season.

The Gorgie side are on the verge of adding Greek defender Hristos Karipidis to their squad and boss Valdas Ivanauskas has promised that more signings are on their way. However, Pressley believes that just a couple of key signings are necessary to bring some silverware home to Gorgie come May. He said: "I think that the most important aspect in terms of the recruitment of players is that they improve the team. At this moment in time we certainly have a sufficient amount of players within the squad but I believe that if we do bring in players, maybe it will be just one or two real quality players who can improve the side. That is the most important thing.

"Although it is exciting to bring in foreign players or big names, I think it could also pay us to look at the young boys that we already have at the club. Christophe Berra is a young lad with a fantastic future ahead of him, but he will only become the player he is capable of being if he is given the opportunity in the first team.

"The Old Firm have moved to improve their squads over the course of the summer with some recruitments but really they hold no fear for us this season. We have a genuine belief that we can sustain a challenge and hopefully go one better as well. But with regards to European football, I think that with one or two additions we can certainly achieve those targets.

"The targets we have been set for us by Mr Romanov to reach the group stages of the Champions League, we must believe that we can do that."

Speaking as Setanta announced they would be covering 60 live SPL games next season, Pressley also reiterated his belief that the Tynecastle side can go one better than their achievements of last season. Hearts ended last term in second place, ahead of Rangers, and Pressley is determined to improve on that, adding: "I think that if you look at the squad and the type of player that we have here, I believe that we can not only live up to last season's levels, but exceed them, I really do believe that.

"We have a great unity within the side and some fantastic players so I believe we must look now to go a level better. Winning the league has to be our aim, we have to believe that we can do that.

"I think that we are certainly seen as a big scalp now and we have to prove that we can handle that, you know, against the Old Firm, season after season, prove that we can handle that and that is the biggest test for us this season. I think we can do that.

"I want to win more medals with the club, I had a taste of it back in May and it is an experience that will live with most of us for a very long time to come, not only the day itself, but also the following day and the scenes we experienced in Edinburgh. We all want more of that."

Hearts face Osasuna tomorrow night in what will be their toughest test of the pre-season campaign as the squad build up to next week's Champions League qualifier and SPL opener.

It is a challenge Pressley is looking forward to and he believes that the fact the game is being played at Murrayfield could give his side an added advantage going into the match against either Siroki Brijeg or Shakhtyor Soligorsk.

He added: "Pre-season has gone very much to plan, game by game we have improved. We gave a very professional performance at the weekend and that was very encouraging, but Wednesday night is a real test for us against Osasuna, a side which finished fourth in La Liga last season. If we are to progress beyond the second round qualifiers then that is the type of team that potentially we could meet, so that will be an excellent test for us.

"Judging by last week's game against Preston, we have made a lot of progress, but we have to make sure that we are ready for next week.

"Osasuna will give us a bit of experience of the type of football we will face if we want to progress in the Champions League.

"I think that it is important that we are playing the game at Murrayfield as well, as not that many of the current squad were involved in our UEFA Cup games a couple of season ago. From my experience, they are good nights at Murrayfield and there is always a good atmosphere there, it is a big stage to be playing on especially for some of the younger players who are going to be involved."

Meanwhile, midfielder Paul Hartley admitted that he was devastated at the prospect of having to watch next week's Champions League qualifier from the stand at Murrayfield.

Zico was one of Hearts' stand-out performers last season but will miss the crucial first leg because of a niggling groin injury.

He said: "My fitness is coming on, obviously I've not done a pre-season but the injury itself is getting better day by day and hopefully I can start picking up the training in the next couple of days.

"I've not got a timetable, I'm just taking each day as it comes and it's getting better all the time. I go and see someone else next week and I'm pretty positive about the whole thing.

"Hopefully it won't be long until I am back playing for the first team again."

It is difficult enough watching any game from the stands, but when it is a Champions League game it is even harder."

Like Pressley, the 29-year-old believes that Hearts now have the squad and mental toughness needed to win the title and paid tribute to Vladimir Romanov's vision for the side.

The Lithuanian banker was ridiculed by some when he took control of Hearts and revealed his lofty SPL and Champions League ambitions, but Hartley said: "I think we have to consider ourselves as one of the main challengers this season, but we know that it is going to be even harder. Rangers have gone out and improved, brought a lot of players in and I'm sure Celtic are also going to be better.

"Hopefully we will also be better and I'm sure that we will make a real challenge of it.

"We got off to a really good start last season, everybody thought we were going to win the league, so hopefully we can do it again this season.

"I think you've got to give Mr Romanov a lot of credit for the fact that we are now considered one of the top challengers. He has spent a lot of money and brought a lot of quality players in. Maybe two seasons ago all of the talk was about Celtic and Rangers - now a lot of people are talking about Hearts as well and believing that we can go and win the league."