Hearts get double boost with news on injured pair

PORTUGUESE defender Jose Goncalves will provide Hearts with an unexpected tonic when he returns to Riccarton to begin light training next week.

And an added boost for head coach Valdas Ivanauskas has come via the Lithuanian national team doctor Dirk Tenner, who rates striker Edgaras Jankauskas with an outside chance of playing in the first leg of the UEFA Cup first round against Sparta Prague in seven days time.

Ivanauskas is encouraged by the injury news on both fronts as he prepares his players to confront St Mirren on Saturday and then Sparta at Murrayfield next week.

Goncalves underwent operations on both his hip and toes over the summer and last played for Hearts in a 2-0 victory over Kilmarnock back on April 15. His rehabilitation has been slow but the player can now see light at the end of the tunnel.

"He is looking not bad," said Ivanauskas. "He is due back from Switzerland over the weekend and will be back with us from next week. He will need a lot of time to recover properly but he is looking not so bad.

"At first he will be running and doing light jogging and the aim is for him to perhaps be ready to do full training by the end of the month. I expect it will be well into October before he can play again."

Jankauskas withdrew from the Lithuanian squad last week and missed European Championship qualifiers against Italy and Scotland on the advice of Tenner. He suffered a recurrence of a thigh problem and the early diagnosis ruled him out for around a month. However, the injury has responded well and Tenner now believes Jankauskas could be ready to play part of next week's first leg against Sparta Prague.

"I have spoken with Dirk a few times over the last week because I know him from my time in Germany," continued Ivanauskas. "He tells me Edgar's injury is bad but not as bad as we first thought. We think he has a small chance of playing in the first match with Sparta Prague."

Hearts are sweating on the fitness of midfielder Julien Brellier and winger Andy Driver for the visit of St Mirren. Both players are nursing thigh knocks sustained in the reserve match with Rangers on Tuesday.

"Julien played for about an hour but got a wee knock and had to come off," said assistant coach John McGlynn. "He was feeling his thigh. Andy is also very doubtful."

Steven Pressley became Hearts' record cap holder last night by making his 30th appearance for Scotland in the 2-1 victory over Lithuania. Craig Gordon and Paul Hartley also played in the match, whilst Robbie Neilson was an unused substitute. Saulius Mikoliunas was in the Lithuanian side although Deividas Cesnauskis missed out through illness.

Mirsad Beslija played the final 17 minutes of Bosnia-Herzegovina's 3-1 home defeat by Hungary. Meanwhile, McGlynn will utilise his touchline ban to Hearts' advantage this weekend by jetting to Prague to spy on UEFA Cup opponents Sparta. He was banned for two games last month after being ordered to the Tynecastle stand with Gordon Strachan during Hearts' 2-1 victory over Celtic. In the first match of new coach Michal Bilek's tenure, Tescoma Zlin will visit the Toyota Arena on league business this Saturday.

"This gives us an extra chance to gain more knowledge on them," said McGlynn.

Taken from the Scotsman