LASLEY: ENGLISH HAVE HAD CHANGE OF HEART

KEITH LASLEY reckons Hearts have helped people in England sit up and take notice of Scottish football thanks to their heroics last season.

Lasley spent the last two years of his career at Plymouth and Blackpool and noticed the impact the Jambos made.

And though Hearts have a Lithuanian owner and a squad packed with foreigners the Motherwell midfielder believes they have been good for the Scottish game.

Ahead of today's visit of the Tynecastle men to Fir Park, Lasley said: "In England a lot of people don't take much notice of Scottish football apart from may be having an Old Firm connection.

"But when I was down there Hearts were making an impact and people were taking notice. So they're generating a bit of a buzz.

"I think everyone from the outside in has looked at what's happened at Hearts and realised there's a lot going on behind the scenes but at the end of the day they got results last season. They finished second in the league so can do what they like off the park - the fans won't mind.

"They've definitely brought a higher profile to the SPL and that can't be bad for the game in this country."

Maurice Malpas was assistant at Fir Park during Lasley's first spell and he doesn't believe much has changed now the Dundee United legend is in the managerial hot-seat.

Keith backs his under fire gaffer all the way and said: "Mo has changed a little bit, for a start the buck stops with him and he picks the team.

"But that's what the manager is about, you're not just a coach but the man who makes the decisions.

"Obviously that has changed but his personality hasn't, he's the same guy as two or three years ago when I was here and was a major factor in me signing because I knew what Maurice was all about.

"He's been in the game long enough, he's played football since he was 16 or 17 and coached for 20 years so he's been there, seen it and done it.

"Fair enough, it's his first managerial job but he knows the game well enough so nobody should be questioning him."

Lasley now wants the team to start picking up points to prove any doubters wrong and shake off last weekend's 4-1 hammering by Inverness Caley Thistle.

Keith said: "The first couple of days after that match were tough for everyone. There were a lot of heads down which is a natural reaction.

"But we've been in training and the heads are up again.

It's still early in the season and we must believe we can get ourselves up the league - and everyone does.

"We have a difficult game coming up against Hearts, it won't be easy, but at least we know it will be a good atmosphere and we'll try to go out there and give a good account of ourselves."

Taken from the Sunday Mail