Jankauskas battling to be ready for AEK match

EDGARAS Jankauskas, an unused substitute when Porto won the Champions League in 2004, could learn today whether he will play a part in Hearts' bid to go through from the third qualifying round to the group stages of this season's tournament.

The Lithuanian striker has been out of action with a hamstring injury, but said yesterday he was hopeful of playing at least part of tomorrow night's tie against AEK Athens at Murrayfield.

"I will take a fitness test tomorrow and we will see," Jankauskas said yesterday. "At the moment I'm feeling quite good, better than a few days ago.

"I'm not 100 per cent fit, because I've missed almost two weeks' training, so it will be tough to last the whole game, but I'm hoping to be in the squad and help the team if I can. When you are injured it's frustrating watching your colleagues playing. I want to be back as quickly as possible."

Roman Bednar, who scored both goals in Hearts' 2-1 win over Celtic on Sunday, is in good form right now, but the team have missed the experience of Jankauskas. Michal Pospisil has been below his best, Calum Elliot has not been given the run in the first team he enjoyed last season, and Juho Makela, a late substitute for Pospsil two days ago, has not had the time to impress. Valdas Ivanauskas, the Hearts coach, is thus expected to give Jankauskas as much time as possible to prove his fitness against the Greeks, who have yet to start their season but are expected to prove tough opponents.

"We are confident but not over confident," Jankauskas added. "We know they are a great team and technically very good, so we will take it very seriously."

One player definitely out of the reckoning is Ibrahim Tall. The right-back suffered knee ligament damage on Sunday and is expected to be on the sidelines for some weeks. Hearts' new signing Tiago Costa, who played for the reserves in their 2-0 defeat by Celtic yesterday, could come into the squad as cover for Robbie Neilson. The 21-year-old played for the full 90 minutes, as did Mirsad Beslija, and although that might normally suggest they will not be involved tomorrow, the selection of Costa could have been designed to get him match fit. With Nerijus Barasa also injured, the Portuguese right-back is the only cover for the Scotland international.

Some Hearts players and supporters would prefer the AEK match to take place in the intimate atmosphere of Tynecastle, but the ground's capacity is 50,000 less than that of Murray-field, meaning the club can raise far more revenue by playing at the rugby venue. Ticket sales for the match are currently running at around 25,000, and, as the previous round against Siroki Brijeg attracted 3,000 more than that, Hearts officials hope for an attendance of well over 30,000.

With the match live on TV, the club record for a European game - 39,000 against Standard Liege in the European Cup in 1958 - is unlikely to be challenged. Last night, however, the Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov stressed the team needed as much support as possible.

"We need everyone's support," Romanov said. "Our fantastic existing fans and all new ones who want to come and taste the atmosphere - they're all welcome for this key game."

Sunday's result, in which Bednar was denied a hat-trick by an incorrect offside decision, can only have helped shift tickets, and Romanov, who had criticised the 0-0 second-leg draw in Bosnia, added he was delighted with the result which took Hearts to second in the SPL. "I am really proud of the team," he added.

"It's a pity that the second goal was disallowed, but despite that we had a great win. I can't find words to express my pride and say how well the team did."

Tickets for the match, which will be refereed by Nicolai Vollquartz of Denmark, will be on sale to personal callers at Tynecastle from 9am to 8pm today, and from 9am to 5.30pm tomorrow.

Tickets will also be on sale on a cash-only basis at Murrayfield tomorrow from 9am to 7.30pm.

Meanwhile, club officials held inconclusive talks yesterday with the ostracised defender Andy Webster, who wants to be released from his contract, and with Fraser Wishart, the Secretary of the Scottish Professional Footballers Association. "I met today with representatives of Heart of Midlothian FC regarding the future of Andy Webster," Wishart said in a statement. "An open and frank discussion took place between all concerned, and the SPFA will continue to work towards a solution to the current situation that is mutually beneficial for both the player and the club."

While Webster's future is still uncertain, Lee Johnson's appears to lie in the south-west of England. The midfielder's father, Gary, the manager of Bristol City, told his club's website he hopes to sign his son from Hearts.

"We are interested in signing Lee and the chairman is currently negotiating with Hearts," Johnson senior said. The midfielder attended City's 1-0 home win against Scunthorpe on Saturday, and a deal is expected to go through soon.

Hearts' assistant coach John McGlynn, who was sent to the stand along with Celtic boss Gordon Strachan, has apologised to club officials for the outburst. "It was a build-up of a few things that had been said and I just couldn't take any more and exploded," McGlynn said. "

"I'd rather it hadn't happened but if they'd [ie the Celtic management] take more concern over what's happening on the park rather than what's happening with officials and in their opponents dugout then they might be better off.

"From my point of view, I was intimidated into reacting. I maybe reacted a little too much, but you have to accept that it's the heat of the moment and there was a rush of blood to the head."

Taken from the Scotsman