Csaba: Balogh will give his all for Hearts

By COLLEEN PATERSON
CSABA LASZLO today insisted that Janos Balogh will give 100 per cent for Hearts this weekend – even though the trip to Kilmarnock may be his last for the club.

The goalkeeper's six-month loan deal from Debrecen runs out after Saturday's game in Ayrshire and the two clubs have still to come to an agreement over where the Hungarian's future lies.

Balogh has been a regular between the sticks for Hearts since coming on as a half-time substitute in the first Edinburgh derby of the season last October and established himself as the club's No.1 choice.

If Hearts cannot agree an extension to his current loan deal – or indeed a permanent move – Laszlo is likely to hand Marian Kello the gloves back.

The Hearts manager is clearly keen to keep Balogh at Tynecastle but says that the decision over whether he stay or goes, and on which other players will leave or arrive during the January transfer window, lies with the board.

No matter the decision, though, he has faith that the keeper will remain committed to the Hearts cause until his future is decided.

He said: "You will have to ask Janos but he is a professional player and I am sure that if he has to go back and his last game is against Kilmarnock then he will still go out and do his best for the club.

"It is not in my hands now. At the moment I try to do the best that I can and now the board must decide what happens."

Meanwhile, Laszlo has hinted that Gary Glen's goal in the 2-0 win over Hibs last Sunday may not be enough to win him a place in Hearts' starting line-up against Killie.

The young hitman stepped off the bench at Easter Road to round Grzegorz Szamotulski and score in injury time to seal the Jambos' place in the fifth round of the Homecoming Scottish Cup.

The previous week he hit the bar after coming on as a substitute in the league clash against Hibs at Tynecastle, however, Laszlo cautioned: "Gary scored a wonderful goal against Hibs at the weekend but it is not enough to just score one goal. It is a long process to get into the team and then become a permanent player in the first team.

"I don't tell you who plays on Saturday but you don't score one goal and stay in the team forever.

"I am happy with what Gary did, I gave him the chance to get into the team and he scored a good goal in a good victory."

Both Ruben Palazuelos and Andrew Driver are carrying knocks after the victory at Easter Road but Laszlo expects both of them to be fit for the trip to Rugby Park this weekend.

Bruno Aguiar looks set to return to the fold after four games out with a hamstring injury but Lee Wallace and Marius Zaliukas are both suspended after going through the disciplinary points barrier after their sendings-off in the league fixture against Hibs.

Meanwhile, Romanian teenager Dumitru Copil has left Hearts after failing to settle in Edinburgh. The 18-year-old was dubbed the new Gheorghe Hagi before Hearts beat a host of teams, including Celtic, to land his signature a little over two years ago.

Copil went AWOL at the start of 2008 after becoming frustrated at a lack of first-team opportunities, but he was coaxed back not long after. His two-year deal with Hearts expired last week, but the club were unable to persuade him to take up the option of a new five-year contract. The youngster has headed back to his homeland.

Taken from the Scotsman