Hearts boss Paulo Sergio tells stars walking suspension tightrope to give 100 per cent

Apr 13 2012

Skipper Marius Zaliukas is one of NINE Hearts players walking a suspension tightrope

PAULO SERGIO has warned the nine players walking a suspension tightrope to focus only Sunday's semi-final with Celtic.

Hearts skipper Marius Zaliukas, Rudi Skacel, Andrew Driver, Darren Barr, Danny Grainger, Scott Robinson, David Templeton, Suso Santana and Jordan Morton are all in danger of being suspended for the final should they pick up a second yellow card of the competition at Hampden.

But Sergio will demand his players hold nothing back against the newly-crowned champions.

"If they're going to be careful because of a yellow card, maybe they can't play at 100% and if we don't play at 100%, we're not going to be in the final," Sergio said.

"If I have one or two doing that and we win the game and go to the final, maybe they don't play the final, even if they don't pick up a yellow card.

"I'm not saying I want them to get a yellow card, but every single day when you go to do your job you have to give 100per cent."

Sergio says Hearts' task is tougher after Celtic were beaten 1-0 by Kilmarnock in the Scottish Communities League Cup final last month. Celtic last week sealed the SPL title with a 6-0 defeat of Killie.

The Portuguese boss added: "I believe that defeat Celtic had is going to make our semi-final even harder.

"They already lost one cup and I'm sure they're going to be even more alert so that doesn't happen twice.

"They are favourites. We're going to be the first team to play against them as champions.

"They have had a fantastic season. They deserve this title.

"We know they are favourites. They have a fantastic squad, with a fantastic manager.

"We know it's going to be tough for us, but, like I've said before, maybe if we play 10 times against Celtic we can win one or two - I hope Sunday will be one of those."

Hearts' hopes were this week hampered as right-back Jamie Hamill suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury in training.

"It's a pity. I'm very sad for him," Sergio added. "He's one of those guys who every single day gives 100%. He's going to lose his opportunity to be on the pitch and he didn't deserve that."

A host of first-team regulars were absent from last week's 2-1 win at Dunfermline, but defender Andy Webster (thigh) should be fit for Sunday.

Templeton could also return for the first time since February following a groin problem.

Sergio could even be tempted to throw the winger into his starting line-up.

"Templeton, after seven weeks, started working with the team on Monday," the Hearts boss added.

"Physically he's ready. Maybe not to play 90 minutes. Sometimes I prefer to put him from the start and see if he can go or not."

Sergio has decisions to make over squad selection and lamented the Scottish Football Association's rule which restricts teams to five players on the substitutes' bench, rather than the usual seven.

"Just having four players and a goalkeeper on the bench - I don't see what Scottish football wins with this," he said.

"It's very hard to pick a squad for a cup game here in Scotland."

Webster hopes to be involved after missing the 2006 final after a contract dispute with owner Vladimir Romanov.

The former Wigan and Rangers defender would not be drawn on the incident, but knows Celtic and, in particular strikers Anthony Stokes, Gary Hooper and Georgios Samaras, will keep him busy.

"Sunday's a massive challenge for us and everybody wants to get to a final," Webster said.

"Celtic have shown great form throughout the season. They've been on an unbelievable run.

"We know it's going to be extremely difficult, but nobody gives you an easy passage to the final."

Taken from the Daily Record