Neilson wary of Buddies threat as family bragging rights go up for grabs

ONE OF Robbie Neilson's earliest football memories is of witnessing a St Mirren victory. The 26-year-old right-back, has no intention of repeating the experience today, even though much of his family will be willing it to happen.

"My father's a Buddy, so it will be nice for him to see them play," said the Paisley-born defender, who hopes to return to the Hearts side after suspension for this afternoon's match against last season's Division One champions. "And I've got a few uncles who are diehard Buddies.

"I went to the cup final when I was seven," he continued, referring to the 1-0 win over Dundee United in 1987. "I remember going to the game, but that was it really. They've done very well so far this season. They've had two weeks' rest and they'll make it very difficult for us.

"Newly-promoted teams have no fears. When you come up you've got a lot of confidence. If they continue playing the way they are, they won't have to worry about relegation."

Although they are only behind Celtic on goal difference, Hearts, as Neilson accepted, have yet to hit their top form in the SPL this season. "We are joint top of the league, so obviously it is a decent start, but we are not playing anywhere near our potential," he said. "It is important we get back to the performances of last year and the sooner we do, the better."

While, as Neilson pointed out, the visitors have had a fortnight's rest, many of the Hearts squad have been on international duty, with the full-back himself being an unused member of Walter Smith's Scotland squad which won its first two Euro 2008 qualifiers. The good news for the Hearts head coach Valdas Ivanauskas, however, is that those players who were involved in the midweek game in Kaunas - Steven Pressley, Craig Gordon and Paul Hartley for Scotland, and Saulius Mikoliunas for Lithuania - have returned to Edinburgh injury-free.

Ivanauskas, himself a former Lithuania international, insisted that was his prime concern rather than worrying about the result. "Congratulations to Scotland, they did well in both games, against the Faroes and Lithuania. The match in Kaunas was a very interesting game, and both sides could have won, but Scotland were a little better.

"Paul Hartley was very happy. To see him smiling was good news. He was very clever, and played very well, in the match at Celtic Park. He's looking very good.

"All the players from our club did well and came back from Kaunas without injuries. For me it's important players come back with a good feeling and without injury. The Lithuanian players feel all right too - they know they did well, but Scotland were better."

The two Lithuanians who had to pull out of their national squad, Edgaras Jankauskas and Deividas Cesnauskis, will not be available this afternoon. The good news for Ivanauskas, however, is that three other Hearts players are returning to training after a spell on the sidelines. Jose Goncalves, the centre-half-cum-full-back, did some light training for the first time yesterday.

Ibrahim Tall, who can play across the back four too, is also ready to resume training after several weeks out, while the right-back Nerijus Barasa, like Goncalves a longer-term casualty, is expected back at Riccarton shortly.

"Jose is back today - he ran, so it's good news. Ibrahim is looking very good, and Nerijus is back next week."

The trio should be in contention for a place in the squad within the next two or three weeks, and Hearts will be glad to have greater resources for a difficult spell which includes the UEFA Cup tie against Sparta Prague and a run of away games.

They might have had greater resources still if Vladimir Romanov, the club owner, had realised his dream of signing the former Hibs striker Garry O'Connor from Lokomotiv Moscow. Romanov has hinted at trying again for the player in January, but Ivanauskas would not commit himself about the desirability of such a move.

"Garry O'Connor is a good player, but we have many quality players," the coach said. "He's interesting. But till January is a long, long time."

Taken from the Scotsman