McGlynn gives clubs warning over a move for Gordon

HEARTS today issued a hands-off warning over Craig Gordon as Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitted his reason for being at Hampden on Saturday was to monitor the progress of the Scotland goalkeeper.

Wenger was an impressed spectator as Gordon defied the French forwards to help Scotland effect an enthralling 1-0 victory. The Frenchman believes the 23-year-old is destined for greatness, however Hearts' assistant coach John McGlynn has revealed the club's desire to retain arguably their most valuable asset.

"At this stage we do not want to lose Craig Gordon," said McGlynn. "It's nice that somebody like Arsene Wenger is backing up what we think. No doubt as Craig matures he'll want to try that level as he's an ambitious guy. But he signed a new contract less than a year ago and he mentioned at the time he didn't want to go somewhere and not be first-choice.

"Craig wants to build up his experience here by playing in games like Champions League qualifiers and the Cup final last season. As a Hearts supporter through and through, these games mean everything to him. I think he wants to do that on a regular basis here.

"Other goalkeepers have gone down south and not been first choice. I'm sure Craig knows what he wants to do and when he wants to do it. The top clubs down south will turn anyone's heads and Arsenal certainly come into that category, but Craig would have to really want to go. We certainly don't want to lose him."

Gordon is contracted to Tynecastle until May 2009, but that didn't prevent Wenger from speaking out about his alluring qualities at the weekend. "Clearly, the Scotland goalkeeper is very good," said the Frenchman. "It is not the first time I have heard about him but it's the first time I've come to watch him in person.

"How old is he? Still only 23? Then I think he definitely has the potential to play at a higher level. Gordon has presence and good handling and looks a very good goalkeeper to me."

Elsewhere in the European Championship qualifiers, Takis Fyssas played the entire 90 minutes in Athens as Greece defeated Norway when Konstantinos Katsouranis converted Georgios Karagounis' free-kick in the 33rd minute.

Young defender Alan Lithgow was an unused substitute in Scotland's 4-0 Under-19 victory over Estonia, and the teenage Scots have now made the second round of the UEFA Under-19 Championships with a game to spare. Bosnia-Herzegovina were dispatched 6-0 by Scotland last Thursday.

Eggert Jonsson was an unused substitute for Iceland in the same competition as Iceland defeated Poland 2-0 on Friday. And Mauricio Pinilla played for Chile in a 3-2 friendly win over Peru.

Taken from the Scotsman