JJ won't rule out return to football

Published Date: 03 August 2011
Jim JEFFERIES was philosophical after being ousted as Hearts boss and stressed his determination to continue in football management.
Jefferies spent Monday night contemplating an offer from Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov to become director of football, but rejected terms before departing.

Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Sergio was confirmed as his successor, becoming Hearts' tenth manager in Romanov's near seven-year tenure at Tynecastle. Jefferies led Hearts to third place in the SPL last term, but the club are without a win in 11 games.

The 60-year-old said: "Mr Romanov never put me under any pressure to win the league. I knew what the strategy was and I tried to carry it out to the best of my ability. They were pleased with a lot of things I did at the club, and that's why they offered me the position (of director of football).

"It was just maybe too soon having just gone from saying they didn't want me to that situation. You can understand why I felt a little bit uncomfortable. It's a tough job. It gets tougher. We just have to accept that and move on.

"It doesn't dampen you're enthusiasm to want to remain in it and that was probably one of the reasons I didn't take up the position of director of football."

Sergio's first match as boss will be tomorrow's Europa League third qualifying round second-leg match with Paksi in Edinburgh. Jefferies was in charge of last week's 1-1 first leg in Hungary and wished the team well.

Jefferies added: "I'm a Hearts man, I've got a great affiliation with the club, supported, played and managed on two occasions. I want the players to do extremely well, I want the new manager to succeed and for the club to go on and do well.

"It's a little bit disappointing not to be there on Thursday having been there for the first leg and put a lot of work into it, but I'm really hoping that they get through.

"They've got to now knuckle down. They're at a great club and hopefully they can get through to the next round.

"The main target is to try and qualify for that Europa League and nothing else, no distraction, should go against that."

Taken from the Scotsman