No Spain no gain for Ruben

The threat has dissipated in recent weeks following several encouraging signs, not least Palazuelos' consistently impressive midfield play.

The club hierarchy's decision to grant Stephen Frail interim control of team selection and tactics and the retention of Steve Banks on a new contract despite interest from Rangers have combined to raise spirits around Gorgie. Not to levels where Pedro Lopez or Campbell Ogilvie are ready to begin yelling from the borough's rooftops, but the moderate improvement is undeniable.

On the field, Palazuelos' useful ability to marry both grit and guile is helping augment this mini resurgence. Not only can he swing a boot when necessary but winning a challenge is usually followed by intelligent distribution of the ball, a talent rather useful against a Gretna side who remain undefeated against Hearts following two meetings this season.

Palazuelos' home debut was scarred last August when Craig Barr's equaliser secured David Irons' side an improbable 1-1 draw.

Three months later, Michael Stewart's scarcely deserved dismissal and goals at both ends by Larry Kingston helped Gretna to another point by dint of the same scoreline at Fir Park. The phrase "bogey team" will definitely be appropriate should tomorrow's visitors avoid defeat once again.

Palazuelos recognises the small score to be settled if Hearts' recent record against newly-promoted clubs is to improve. But, on a personal level, the gracious Spaniard appears to have found his niche in Scotland, giving his club renewed assurance as they strive for the SPL's top six.

"I am playing a lot now and I am happy, but I want to win more games," he explained.

"The team has not won as much as I would like and more victories make everyone happy.

"When I came here I needed time to learn about Scottish football. Now I feel more comfortable on the pitch.

"The more I play, the better I get and I feel confident. If I am playing every week I feel better and stronger and I can show better form.

"I didn't play for the first few months and I didn't like it.

"It's very frustrating when you come to a new club and don't play. I wasn't too happy, but now I've started to play much more and that makes my life here enjoyable.

"We had last weekend off and some of us went home. I had four days with my family in Spain and that helped me feel more relaxed. It was good for my mind and now I am refreshed and ready to win tomorrow. I remember my first match against Gretna. It was a special day, my first game at Tynecastle.

"I remember being a little nervous and that made it even more difficult.

"I remember what Gretna are like as a team and we have to be better this time."

In addition to helping Palazuelos exorcise some of those home debut ghosts, victory tomorrow could also propel Hearts above their city rivals in the league. Three points against Gretna and anything other than victory for Mixu Paatelainen's Hibs at Tannadice would see Stephen Frail's side scale to eighth position. Parochialism, though, isn't something Palazuelos is overly keen to indulge in.

"It's such an important game tomorrow, as is every Saturday until the end of the season. We need three points," he said.

"If we can go above Hibs it's very good for the fans but we need to focus on this game and not on Hibs.

"When I played in the derby I experienced the passion between the clubs.

"These are the biggest games so that helped me understand the rivalry in Edinburgh, but we need to win for us." Perhaps most surprising of all about the Spaniard's new-found notability is his appetite for the physical aspects of Scottish football. The SPL's killing fields wouldn't normally be considered appropriate for one so slight of frame, however anyone witnessing his recent performances would suspect that the word "shirk" simply isn't included in Palazuelos' Spanish-English dictionary.

His career path includes stop-offs at Deportivo Lanzarote, Palencia and Gimnastic in his homeland since being reared at Racing Santander's soccer school. Latterly, he played on loan from Gimnastic at the Greek club Aris Thessaloniki. Panathinaikos led a host of clubs striving to keep Palazuelos in the country last summer, but inside the decision was already made. "Greece is a great country and I was with a good club. I had other offers from clubs there but I wanted to move country and try different football.

"It was the right time to come to Hearts," said the 24-year-old.

"When I was in Spain and Greece I watched British football on television. I knew it was more physical.

"My main quality is not physical because I am a technical player and I am used to playing on the ball.

"But sometimes you need to change your qualities and learn new ones to be a better footballer."

Gretna are expected to experiment somewhat at Tynecastle tomorrow after welcoming an influx of loan signings that would embarrass even Vladimir Romanov.

Everton midfielder John Paul Kissock, Hull's
Ben Wilkinson, goalkeeper Artur Krysiak from Birmingham, Blackburn midfielder Rostyn Griffiths and Barnsley defender Rhys Meynell all arrived at Raydale on temporary moves intended at helping the club in their relegation battle.

"We have to hope they can do a job for us. Yes, it's a bit of a risk but that's the way we're going and we hope it pays off," said Irons.

For the hosts it's a case of as you were, with Palazuelos certain to anchor midfield strings once again.

"The players are the same as when we drew with Gretna in August. The team is the same, the only change is our assistant coach is now the manager," he said.

"We know him very well and he has got everybody working harder and giving everything.

"That's why the team is going up, not down."

Modesty prevents him from saying so, but Palazuelos has contributed a fair bit himself to Hearts' recent enlivening.

Taken from the Scotsman