Lithuanian pair in line for comeback against Hibs

HEARTS head coach Valdas Ivanauskas is hopeful of having the Lithuanian pair Edgaras Jankauskas and Nerijus Barasa available for the forthcoming Edinburgh derby at Easter Road.

Both players will resume full training when the Hearts players who are not away with their national teams return to Riccarton tomorrow morning.

Jankauskas has been nursing a persistent thigh problem whilst Barasa has gone through a rehabilitation period after suffering three successive hamstring injuries since arriving at Tynecastle in January.

Club medical staff recognise that the progress made by the two Lithuanians over the next seven days will determine their readiness for the encounter with Hibs.

Ivanauskas and his assistant, John McGlynn, believe both players have a reasonable chance of being fit.

"I hope Barasa will be in the squad for Hibs," said Ivanauskas. "He has been training for some time now and stayed in Edinburgh this week to work at the academy.

"He is due to start first team training at the end of this week.

"Edgaras is not involved in the Lithuania matches and he will be back in full training after the international break.

"He is not 100 per cent fit, although he is clear of injury now. What he needs is fitness work.

"He could be ready for Hibs but after many weeks out it is dangerous for him to play too quickly."

McGlynn added: "With Jankauskas it's hard to put an exact timescale on him because I thought a couple of weeks back that he would be ready for Prague or at worst the Dundee United game. That obviously didn't materialise. I'd like to think he will be available for the Hibs game. He has been training on his own up until now but will join in with the squad."

Jankauskas has made four appearances this season but his last was the 3-0 Champions League qualifying defeat by AEK Athens in August. Barasa has yet to feature since his hamstring trouble resurfaced during Hearts' pre-season tour of Austria.

One player who could be involved against Hibs next weekend is Jamie Mole, and McGlynn admitted that the young striker was a shining example of the rewards which come with hard graft and the right attitude in training.

However, he insisted that the 18-year-old could not rest on his laurels and would have to continue to work hard if he wants to earn a regular starting slot in the first team, adding: "We've been using Jamie as an example to the other young players to show them what can happen if you have the right attitude and take your chance when it comes along.

"He came with us to Athens, got his chance because of illness and injury and, against very good players, took the challenge head-on.

"He's scored goals against Inverness, Motherwell and Dundee United and is very much a first-team squad member.

"Despite that, though, he knows he has to keep his feet on the ground. We've had a number of players in the past who've come through, scored a couple of goals for the first team but then failed to kick on from there. The last thing you can do as a young player is think you've made it."

Taken from the Scotsman