Tiago willing to bide his time

THE sum total of Tiago Costa's Hearts career so far is a solitary 90-minute performance against Inverness Caledonian Thistle. So, with a squad rotation policy in full flow at Tynecastle, the diminutive Portuguese might consider himself due another exercise when Kilmarnock visit tomorrow.

Costa has been conspicious by his absence since arriving from Benfica at the begining of August. Claims that he was offered a guaranteed first-team berth by president Luis Filipe Vieira in Lisbon before departing for Edinburgh are difficult to substantiate given the limited showcasing of his talents in Scotland to date.

His competent performance against Inverness was an accompanying extra in a 4-1 victory for Hearts back in August, but as Jim Jefferies and his players prepare to journey up the A71 this weekend Costa yearns for more exposure. In that respect, he must take his place in a lengthening queue outside Tynecastle's home dressing room behind folk like Juho Makela and Mirsad Beslija.

The largely impeccable form of Robbie Neilson and Ibrahim Tall in the right-back area has thus far proved an insurmountable obstacle to Costa, who is equally comfortable on the right side of defence or midfield.

To say he faces a fight simply to get a look-in with head coach Valdas Ivanauskas would not be overstating the case, for strength in depth will continue to be the buzz phrase for Hearts whilst Vladimir Romanov is pulling the strings.

Costa, though, is happy to struggle on in daily training sessions out at Riccarton, hoping to catch the eye of Romanov's three trusted lieutenants - Ivanauskas, Anatoli Korobochka and Eduard Malofeev.

Complaining is not part of his agenda.

"I will say nothing. I have no problem training, training, training," he says. "I played one game but then I got injured in my thigh. The gash was six centimetres. Now that the team is winning, it is difficult for me to get into the first eleven.

"I played on Tuesday in the reserves and scored my first Hearts goal, but I also picked up a slight injury.

"I have a small chance to play tomorrow but if not then maybe I can play on Tuesday again for the reserves. I am happy to stay here with Hearts because I know they are a very good club. Of course, I'm not happy when I don't play. That is normal.

"If I play, I'm happy. But it's no problem. I will continue working, continue training and try to convince Valdas to play me. I have a good relationship with him."

Costa accompanied Hearts' other former Benfica employees to Celtic Park on Tuesday evening on a mission to kill the proverbial two birds with one stone. As well as taking in his old club's ultimately vain attempt to prise a Champions League point from Glasgow, he wanted to assess the potential within Gordon Strachan's squad.

The summit of the SPL is where Hearts wish to find themselves come the season's end, but in order to succeed they will have to negotiate their way past the reigning champions, starting with tomorrow's meeting with Kilmarnock.

And Costa may, at some point during the present campaign, require to subdue the threat of a rather prominent member of his home neighbourhood.

"I was happy to see Kenny Miller score two goals against Benfica because he is my next-door neighbour.

"I speak to him a lot and he has become my friend. I didn't like the game on Tuesday, though. Benfica lost, and they are my team in Portugal. But Celtic played very well and their passing was superb." When asked directly about Hearts' prospects of usurping their Glasgow rivals, Costa continued: "Probably. If we continue as we have been playing, and continue to win almost all of our games, then we can get above them.

"For this to happen we not only have to win home games but many of our away games too. We need to keep a positive mentality."

A record of six matches without defeat does much to nourish such an attitude within any squad.

Costa may have been very much a bit-part player so far but even he recognises the fact that Hearts, withstanding the first half of Sunday's Edinburgh derby, are beginning to find their feet. Kilmarnock, for their part, are without a victory in the west of Edinburgh for some six years.

Paul Wright and Freddie Dindeleux were the last goalscorers from Ayrshire to taste success at Tynecastle in a 2-0 win for Kilmarnock back in September 2000. The Hearts manager that day, Jefferies, will of course occupy the visiting dugout tomorrow.

He has effected a spirited start to the SPL campaign this season and, with a settled side inspired by young Steven Naismith, has guided his team to fourth place in the table.

Victories against Hibs, Falkirk, St Mirren and Aberdeen, as well as a draw with Rangers have been the high points. For Hearts, home form has been a slight concern at times following a goalless draw with Falkirk and defeat by St Mirren in their own surroundings.

However, toppling Celtic and putting four goals past both Inverness and Dundee United provide evidence that, on their day, the team is capable of overpowering anyone who darkens their door.

Mauricio Pinilla will miss tomorrow's match after suffering a calf injury on international duty in South America.

Michal Pospisil has a question mark hanging over his head, whilst Nerijus Barasa and Jose Goncalves are not ready for first-team returns as yet. Despite that list of absentees, Costa admits his own personal hopes can only realistically be aimed at a place on the Tynecastle bench against Kilmarnock.

"Fans question me in the street about when I will play. I tell them I don't know," he says with a shrug. "But I like Edinburgh, it's a great city. My girlfriend and I have settled here so hopefully things can go well."

Taken from the Scotsman