Torn hamstring means Kingston is sidelined for up to eight weeks

Mike Aitken
FACING a demanding run of SPL games beforethesplit,which starts with
a challenging trip to Tannadice to face Dundee United today and includes
forthcoming duels with both halves of the Old Firm as well as an Edinburgh derby, Hearts will be deprived of the services of Laryea Kingston until the closing weeks of the campaign.
Fears the Ghana international tore a hamstring against St Mirren last Saturday were confirmed by a hospital scan. The midfield player, 28, is now likely to be out of action for six weeks and perhaps as long as two months.

Csaba Laszlo, manager of Hearts, said: "Laryea had a scan yesterday and the news isn't good. He has torn his hamstring and this is disappointing for the player and the club. He has had a number of injury problems this season and this is another setback for him. I'm told we are looking at six to eight weeks out so if Laryea works hard he could be back playing an important role for the team in the last few games of the season."

While injuries and suspensions will weaken Hearts on Tayside this afternoon – Christian Nade and Marius Zaliukas are both serving bans and Gary Glen is doubtful – Laszlo insists strength of character in adversity can help the Tynecastle club make a mark on the season.

The late Jock Wallace, who won the treble as manager of Rangers after starting his coaching career with Hearts, adhered to the philosophy that character was the most important aspect of a footballer's make-up. Although a very different personality to the former Berwick goalkeeper, Laszlo is just as convinced the temperament of a team can mask other shortcomings.

"A lot of the time you won't have the best football players on the field, but you must have the best team," said Laszlo. "It's about will and character. In modern football, you must also be fast, move very fast. It's about having solutions before you get the ball. If you have two, that's good. Three or four, that's better. And if you have five then you're Zinedine Zidane or Maradona. We don't have these players, but with character you can improve."

While Hearts have dispensed with the services of reserve coach Angel Chervenkov this week and are already implementing a plan to prune the playing staff, Laszlo was adamant he's focused for the moment only on what his players can achieve this season rather than building for the future.

"If I don't reach my target, then how can I build for the new season?" he reflected. "At the moment it's very important for me to (qualify] for the best six. If we can get into the top six then we can look for the next goal. But (to plan] for the next season, we need a little bit more time."

Returning to the top six after finishing eighth in 2007/8 would represent a step in the right direction. Claiming a European spot – Hearts are currently third, two points clear of United – would further alter the dynamic of the club's affairs and offer Laszlo more scope to be ambitious.

As always, the present will help to shape the future and Laszlo awaits with interest the talks he'll have with owner Vladimir Romanov at the end of the campaign. "He must put something on the table and I must put something on the table," reasoned the manager. "Together, we look at what comes out. We already know how many contracts run out at the end of the season. Then the club must decide in which direction to go.

"He (Romanov] could decide to stay somewhere in the middle or would he like to come up. For me, personally, I'm a fighter. I would like to go up. The strategy must be to improve. This season, because of the financial crisis, there was a big problem. At the end of the season, believe me, there will be so many players on the market that you can get cheap to build a fantastic team. The key point is if we are third or fourth then we can hold our key players and bring in those good players with character, will and speed. Big money, big football; small money, small football."

Meanwhile, Dundee United manager Craig Levein insists the only statistic he is interested in is the one which will tells him where his team have finished at the end of the season. The Tangerines have endured a series of draws in recent weeks, having shared a point in five of their last 10 league matches but remain firmly in the hunt with weekend opponents Hearts for third spot.

Levein said: "You can throw up stats about draws but then you look again and we've not lost many games – how far back do you want to go?

"We're in fourth place with 40 points and there are seven games left to the split. It's not a bad situation to be in, is it? We're not intentionally drawing games, we've been doing our best to win them.

"Compared to last season I think we're in much better shape so finish the season strongly. I'm confident that we're going to have a good end to the campaign."

Levein has a doubt over on-loan Celtic player Paul Caddis, while a decision on James Wesolowski's participation will be made on Saturday morning. Levein said: "Paul has not trained but he thinks he'll be okay so we'll give him time. The same goes for James, I've not made my mind up there either.

"I usually name my team on a Friday but this week we'll wait until nearer kick-off to assess all the options."

Taken from the Scotsman