McGlynn - We won't be fazed by Tony drama

HEARTS assistant coach John McGlynn insisted today that the likely departure of Hibs boss Tony Mowbray will not distract his side from trying to garner three points at Easter Road this weekend.

The Capital clubs meet in the first Edinburgh derby of the season on Sunday but the hotly-anticipated clash has been largely overshadowed by the news that English Championship outfit West Bromwich Albion have made an approach to the Hibees for Mowbray.

The Baggies have been without a boss since former England internationalist Bryan Robson was sacked last month and it's understood that Mowbray will begin talks with the Midlands club once compensation is agreed with Hibs.

Mowbray has helped to mould the Leith side into an exciting team and become perennial challengers for European qualification during the two and a half years since his surprise appointment.

But with Hibs in turmoil and the derby just days away, the Jambos will be looking to keep up the pressure on SPL pacesetters Celtic whom they trail by three points.

McGlynn, however, insisted his side can't afford to worry about developments across the city otherwise they risk taking their eye off the ball in what is a crucial match for both teams.

"From a Hearts point of view we just have to take care of our own part of the game," said McGlynn.

"We have to make sure that we are very focused on what we are doing and not worry too much about them."

McGlynn, of course, is no stranger to managerial upheaval having seen Craig Levein, John Robertson, George Burley and Graham Rix depart Tynecastle during his tumultuous time with the Gorgie club.

With Lithuanian businessman Vladimir Romanov in charge, the Jambos have had to become experts at grinding out results against a backdrop of uncertainty and, on the whole, have been largely unaffected by the regular turmoil that has enveloped the club.

They have been greatly helped, however, by the fact they have a hugely experienced squad with the likes of captain Steven Pressley regularly helping in rallying the players, addressing the media and generally keeping things ticking over when the club was said to be in crisis.

By contrast the Easter Road outfit have a largely inexperienced playing staff with captain Kevin Thomson only in his first season in the role and still only 22.

Mowbray is known to be a hugely admired figure not only by the club's supporters but also by his players and the fact that his likely move south has surfaced at a time when he is generally considered to be doing a good job could well have an unsettling effect.

The Jambos, with McGlynn at the helm, found this to their cost last season when they lost for the first time in the league against Hibs at Easter Road just days after Burley was sacked.

And McGlynn conceded that the fear of losing Mowbray could well be praying on the minds of some Hibs players in the build up to this Sunday's meeting.

"He (Mowbray) has been fairly successful so the players may feel uncomfortable," said McGlynn.

"There's two ways you lose your manager.

"Either you are doing well and he gets a bigger or better job or you are doing badly and he leaves that way.

"When the team is doing badly the players can actually get a lift if somebody else comes in but that isn't always the case when you lose the manager when you've been doing fairly well."

So, while Mowbray seems likely to be on his way, one thing that isn't in question is that, if he does quit Hibs, the Hearts fans will be only too delighted to see their side rub salt into the Easter Road wounds in front of a live television audience.

Taken from the Scotsman