Pressley urges Hearts to give youth a chance

Steven Pressley, the Hearts captain, took the unusual step yesterday of asking his directors to reduce the number of new signings arriving at Tynecastle.

The Edinburgh club signed 11 players during the January transfer window and Sporting Lisbon's Chilean striker Mauricio Pinilla and Greek defender Hristos Karipidis of PAOK Salonika are on the verge of concluding deals in the Scottish capital.

Pressley, while underlining his conviction that Hearts can win the championship for the first time since 1960, is anxious that owner Vladimir Romanov and coach Valdas Ivanauskas do not smother the young talent attempting to break through.

The 32-year-old Scotland central defender - who has assumed the role of elder statesman, if not quite shop steward, during his eight years of service - spoke out on the eve of the challenge match against Osasuna at Murrayfield - an encounter which could be repeated at the same venue later this season should the teams be drawn together in the Champions League.

Hearts have one of the biggest squads in the country and Pressley does not want the development of Scottish youngsters such as Lee Wallace, Christophe Berra and Calum Elliot stunted.

"Although it's exciting to bring in foreign players and big names, it could also pay us to look at the young boys already at the club. Christophe Berra is a lad with a fantastic future, but will only become the player he is cap-able of being if he's given the opportunity in the first team."

Pressley is also unfazed by the new faces at Ibrox and Parkhead. "The Old Firm have moved to improve their squads, but they hold no fear for us this season. We have a genuine belief we can sustain a challenge and, hopefully, go one better as well."

Paul Hartley, the Hearts playmaker, will miss next week's Champions League first led qualifier against Siroki Brijeg, of Bosnia, or Shakhtyor Soligorsk, of Belarus, at Murrayfield because of a groin injury.

Andy Webster, the Hearts defender, is likely to join Wigan Athletic for just £250,000 after using a new Fifa ruling which allows players in the third year of a four-year contract to move to a team in another country.

Taken from telegraph.co.uk