Hearts didn't give me a chance, says Elliot

YOUNG Hearts striker Calum Elliot says he has not been given a chance at Tynecastle, after manager Valdas Ivanauskas decided to send the 19-year-old out on loan less than two months after the player was given a five-year contract.

Motherwell are leading the chase for the youngster, but Elliot harbours a clear sense of injustice over the fact that Ivanauskas has not afforded him the opportunity to stake a claim for a starting slot. When asked if the stark reality of tough competition for places had precipitated a loan move, Elliot replied: "I wouldn't say that because I've not been given a chance this season.

"If you're not given a chance, you can't show what you can do. I saw a newspaper article which said Hearts didn't see me as a first-team player and that is disappointing because I see myself as a first-team player at Hearts. The manager obviously doesn't see that. I just need to show them what I can do by going out on loan.

"It wasn't a shock, because I wasn't featuring, but I thought I deserved to be given a chance like everybody else. Now it's up to me to show them what they are missing."

Elliot, whose rise to prominence during the middle of last season is regarded as the main achievement of Graham Rix during the manager's short spell at Tynecastle, scored five times in 17 SPL starts in the last campaign and had high hopes of making an impression this time around. However, the Edinburgh-born player was allowed to miss a large chunk of pre-season as he was representing Scotland in the European Under-19 Championships and has since made just two late substitute appearances, in Hearts' last two matches against AEK Athens and Falkirk.

Roman Bednar has enjoyed a fine run of recent scoring form, but Edgaras Jankauskas has been troubled by injury and his replacement, Michal Pospisil, has managed only one goal in six games. Elliot's other competition for a first-team place comes from Chilean loan signing Mauricio Pinella, who is yet to even feature in a reserve game for Hearts and is understood to be a month away from full fitness, and the Finnish player Juho Makela who has failed to impress since arriving from HJK Helsinki in January.

Dunfermline and Gretna emerged as early favourites to land Elliot but both now appear out of the running, with Maurice Malpas in pole position to sign the player. The Motherwell manager is in Slovenia along with Elliot for the Scotland Under-21 side's European Championship qualifier this evening, and while a deal is close to being agreed, Hearts are keen to hold on to the player until after Wednesday's Champions League final qualifying round, second-leg tie against AEK Athens.

Ironically, the former Motherwell manager Terry Butcher attempted to sign Elliot on loan last season, an offer staunchly refused by Hearts, but the Tynecastle outfit are now keen that the striker secures a short-term deal elsewhere.

Elliot added: "Obviously I'm disappointed that Hearts see my immediate future elsewhere, but it's something I have to deal with and hopefully go out on loan to show them what they are missing.

"I went to see Valdas after the Celtic game two weeks ago, when I didn't get on, and he said it would be best if I went on loan for the season. It would be best now if that gets sorted out as quickly as possible so that I can settle in at whatever club I go to.

"I honestly couldn't tell you what the plan is, or where I am going, but hopefully it's sorted quickly and I go to a good side with good players and a manager who I can learn from. It would be good to stay in the SPL, but I just want to play football.

"I don't think it's for me to say what the possibilities are, but I think there are a few teams interested and Hearts are deciding where I'm going. I'll go wherever Hearts send me.

"I want to go somewhere else and show people what I can do, and whatever happens come back to Hearts as a better player."

Elliot became one of a clutch of young Hearts players, including Craig Sives who has subsequently gone on loan to Partick Thistle, Marco Pelosi and Lee Wallace to sign a five-year deal after the Tynecastle outfit's youth team progressed to the Scottish Cup final last season. The winger Andrew Driver was also part of that group and signed a two-year contract in the summer, but has fallen out of Ivanauskas's first-team plans despite a series of impressive displays during pre-season. It is understood Driver is currently unwilling to sign the five-year contract on offer and is therefore out of favour.

Meanwhile, midfielder Paul Hartley could be back in the squad for Saturday's match away to Rangers after completing his first 45 minutes of the season yesterday.

The 29-year-old cut short his involvement with Scotland's get-together in St Andrews to play in a bounce game against Gretna at the Tynecastle club's youth academy.

"It was good to be back," said Hartley. "It's been a long three months and I'm shattered after just 45 minutes but it was just nice to be back playing again.

"It went okay, I'm just trying to get my fitness and my sharpness back again and I felt good when I had the ball, so I just hope I can build up my training over the next couple of days.

Hartley added: "I don't know about playing this weekend. I've only played 45 minutes and I'm very tired but we'll see how the next couple of days go and it will be up to the manager to see what he thinks.

"I'm not ruling it out but I've not had that many games and so it might be too early."

Hearts yesterday completed the loan signing of Marius Zaliukas from FBK Kaunas.

"Zaliukas gives us options because he can play defensive midfield and also centre-back," said Ivanauskas.

"It is important that our players can play different positions in the team. We have the chance to sign two more players, so it is possible others could arrive.

"We are waiting to hear whether these transfers can go ahead as they are not 100 per cent yet. These two players are options for us. We are talking right now with their clubs and maybe it will take more time, but they know we are interested."

Taken from the Scotsman