Valdas homes in on victory

HEARTS boss Valdas Ivanauskas wants his players to prove there's no place like home by racking up a resounding victory over Dundee United tomorrow.

The Jambos will be back on the familiar turf of Tynecastle for the first time in five games, having faced Sparta Prague at Murrayfield and in the Toyota Arena, plus trips to Motherwell, Alloa and Aberdeen over the past fortnight.

Ivanauskas admits he is looking forward to returning to Gorgie for the clash with Craig Brewster's side and is hoping to give the Hearts supporters something to shout about.

Around 2500 fans made the trip over to Czech Republic to back their side in midweek for their 0-0 draw with Prague, a result which saw them knocked out of the UEFA Cup on aggregate.

Their journey may have ended in disappointment but Ivanauskas is hoping to make up for that by turning on the style in the SPL and, after losing just one goal in their last four matches, sees no reason why they can't do that against United.

He said: "After so many away games - especially the last four that we have won and lost just one goal - it is important that we get back to playing in front of our own supporters.

"We want to give them a beautiful game and some beautiful football and most importantly the three points.

"The atmosphere is okay in the dressing-room, everyone is back, having the night flight home from Prague helped us get back to normal quickly and now all of our concentration is on the game on Sunday. It is good to be back home playing football at Tynecastle but what counts now is to put a performance on for the supporters and to get all three points."

Ivanauskas' decision to withdraw Robbie Neilson and recognised strike pair Jamie Mole and Mauricio Pinilla against Sparta while leaving Lithuanians Saulius Mikoliunas and Deividas Cesnauskis on the park brought a resounding chorus of jeers from the travelling support on Thursday night.

With his side already facing a two-goal deficit, the changes of personnel were admittedly somewhat surprising, however, Ivanauskas insisted his substitutions were not planned out before kick-off and refused to point the finger at any one of his players for the disappointing outcome in Prague.

He added: "Before a game, obviously I plan what is going to happen throughout the match, a strategy, but different things happen in different games and you have to adapt to what is happening on the pitch.

"It's not chess that you are playing, it is a very different kind of sport. There is no point in accusing any specific players, or name any specific players. Yes, some players have not been performing as they have, you can look at Cesnauskis before his illness.

"There are reasons for some players playing in a certain way and, for example, Cesnauskis, will be back to the way that he has shown he can play.

"We have a big squad, a quality squad, however some of the players - like Paul Hartley - who were key for us last season have had big injuries and it is hard to substitute these kind of players.

"But now they are coming back to their usual form.

"It is very unfortunate that we are out of Europe but we have gained vital experience - good and bad - through the campaign and that can only help us for the future.

"We want to learn from our mistakes for the future.

"I don't want to say what these mistakes were, but I know what they are and we are working on them."

The Tynecastle side only splashed out £200,000 during the summer transfer window, bringing in Christos Karipidis from PAOK Salonika but rather than point the finger at the lack of signings, Ivanauskas instead blamed hard luck with injuries for their struggle on the European front this season.

He said: "I don't want to get involved in the politics of the transfer window.

"Until the very last minute I expected Paul Hartley to be back earlier than he actually was.

"If he had been back for the start of the season then the results would most definitely have been different.

"He is a key player in this team, he is very easy to work with and is a role model for the other players in the squad, as well as the youngsters.

"For now it is important that we work towards the next season without talking about the politics.

"Last year we finished second and won the Scottish Cup. For this season the main target is to get back into Europe again.

"Aside from the negative results there have been mistakes made, but it is only now that we can start to analyse what has gone wrong." Ivanauskas' position as head coach at Tynecastle was assured on the eve of the away leg in Prague, club owner Vladimir Romanov releasing a statement confirming that he would remain in position no matter the outcome of the UEFA Cup tie.

Having disposed of both George Burley and Graham Rix last season, it was a huge vote of confidence and one that Ivanauskas believes will help bring some stability back to a club which has had its fair share of upheaval over the past 12 months.

"I read the statement and I believe that it helps the club and the players in the squad.

"What this club needs most is stability, that is what will help us for the future.

"Pressure is good, but what counts now is stability."

Taken from the Scotsman