Hearts double up fitness routine in bid to catch Celtic

HEARTS have scheduled their players for double training sessions at the beginning of each week in an effort to maintain the impressive fitness levels that have helped the club into second place in the SPL.

Valdas Ivanauskas and his assistant John McGlynn have restructured their weekly programme, and are pacing the squad through morning and afternoon workouts on Mondays and Tuesdays with the backing of sporting director Anatoli Korobochka and club consultant Eduard Malofeev.

With elimination from European competition freeing up midweek space on the calendar, the coaching staff are keen to utilise the opportunity to keep the squad's physical condition at a premium.

McGlynn said today: "We feel our fitness isn't bad. I think the players are fairly fit and it's just a matter of keeping on top of that.

"We did double sessions last week with the remainder of the squad when the guys were away on international duty. Tuesday, for example, has always been a day when we would do extra.

"Now we're down to one game a week, training can be structured fairly conclusively because from now until March the only midweek matches our players will play will be in the CIS Cup.

"Since pre-season we have hardly had a free week due to Champions League, UEFA Cup and international games. There's more chance of us doing double sessions on Mondays and Tuesdays now. The lads will usually get a Wednesday off and then train in single sessions on Thursdays and Fridays."

McGlynn's reserve side lost 3-1 to Dundee United at Forfar's Station Park yesterday, however there was encouraging news with Jose Goncalves, Neil McCann and Michal Pospisil all coming through the match unscathed.

"Jose looked good and felt good," continued McGlynn. "He got 65 minutes and felt he was able to do more but the physio felt that was long enough for his first game back. McCann and Pospisil are also fine although all three might need another reserve game before they can play in the first team."

Meanwhile, the club have released an extra 700 tickets for home fans for this Saturday's visit of Kilmarnock to Tynecastle, when another capacity crowd is anticipated. Tickets are available from the Tynecastle Ticket Office or by phoning 0870 787 1874 or logging on to www.heartsfc.co.uk.

A Hearts spokesperson said: "Our fans have been tremendous this season and given that we have only played two of our last eight games at Tynecastle we are expecting the ground to be back at its noisy best on Saturday.

"The draw against Hibs extended our unbeaten away run to five games and the team are now looking forward to returning to a packed Tynecastle. It will also be a special day for Robbie Neilson, who celebrates his tenth year at the club."

Taken from the Scotsman