Hearts boss has selection headache for Celtic clash
Paulo Sergio is facing a selection headache
HEARTS manager Paulo Sergio must make two key decisions on his team before tonight’s meeting with Celtic at Tynecastle, with Danny Grainger returning to the squad and David Templeton set to miss out due to injury.
Sergio will have to choose between Andy Driver and Mehdi Taouil to occupy the wide left position as Templeton struggles with a tendon problem sustained in Sunday’s Scottish Cup tie with St Johnstone. Also, at left-back, the Portuguese faces a dilemma over whether to reinstate Grainger or keep faith with the impressive Ryan McGowan.
Grainger has played only once since the end of October because of a persistent groin complaint but is now ready to return to first-team action. “Grainger is okay,” said Sergio. “I could have selected him for the last game but maybe he will be in the squad. He is ready.
“He is returning from a problem he had but I think he is okay for tonight and for the next few games. We have a problem with Templeton from the last game and Webster had a small complaint too, but I believe he (Webster) is going to be okay. Templeton has been on the bike in the gym but I don’t know yet if he will play.”
Sergio predicted a stern test from table-topping Celtic, who arrive in Edinburgh looking to secure a 16th consecutive victory in domestic competition. “We will have to be at our best level to get a good result. They are the team in the best position, that’s clear,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hearts striker John Sutton has received international clearance to finalise a four-month loan move to Central Coast Mariners in Australia. The Englishman’s contract runs until 2014 at Tynecastle but he struggled to establish himself under Sergio and has headed Down Under hoping to play regularly.
“It’s not something that I had been thinking about until I got the opportunity to talk to a few people about it,” he said. “It is an adventure for four months and we’ll see what happens after that but hopefully when I come back I can do well for Hearts again.
“I’ll be interested to see how the boys are doing at Hearts as I have a lot of good friends at the club and there is plenty for them to play for. I think they have a very good chance in the Scottish Cup and with a bit of consistency in the league, could finish third.”
Hearts, meanwhile, are confident of settling an outstanding tax bill of around £150,000 to avoid a winding up order issued by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. The public notice of the winding up order appeared in yesterday’s The Scotsman.
A club statement read: “The club is aware of the notice placed in a newspaper today relating to an earlier petition presented to the Court of Session. The club is working to resolve the situation.
“The club is confident that the relevant matter involving HMRC will be resolved in the very near future and no action as specified in the public notice will take place.”
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Comments
There are 123 comments to this article
Page 1 of 9
boozy
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 10:20 AM# There might be a fax on its way to Sergio, 0-4 to the Mafia monkeys could put his jacket on a shoogly peg. Is the new Heart's goalie related to zibby?
vladhibs
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 09:58 AMthis is almost as quiet as tincastle last night
MrHibs07-1973
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 09:24 AMHUMPED
vladhibs
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 08:59 AMWhere can I find the 'laugh at jumbos thread' anyone?
Hammy1874
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 08:12 AMI think you can also see the Vlad effect seep further and further into the fabric of Hearts. As fans, we support the team in great numbers, especially given the rollercoaster ride we have to exist on, but last night, it felt like a lot of supporters didn't really care....... like they had given up. The players seemed that way too, to be honest. He is just like cancer......... creeping ever deeper, slowly killing its host.
Hammy1874
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 08:04 AMQuite a few talking points from last night. The referee and stand side assistant got it spectacularly wrong with Hearts goal. Thats giving them the benefit of leniancy btw.... it was a diabolical decision, especially as 20 secs later Celtic go up the park and score. It was in effect a two goal swing, and completely altered the complexion of the game. Having said that, I do not believe Hearts would have held on to their lead, going on the evidence of the next 88 minutes. A brutal assesment of Hearts last night results in no more than a couple or so players taking any plaudits. going through the team... McDonald looks jittery, and is nowhere near the keeper Kello is, nor will he ever be. Hamill is a dismal player. He cant pass a ball, doesn't get the ball under control, and gives nothing to the team. I have never understood why JJ signed him. Webby did well, considering who he was partnering. Zal is a bombscare, a total liability. If he is on big wages, then get him away to Russia now. Grainger did ok. McGowan is a slightly more athletic Hamill. (this will upset TOTT) Ryan has only one foot, and everybody knows it. Show him to his left and he might as well be wearing high heels. He runs around, and gives you effort, but his positional sense is dire. He was miles off Samaras all night, and Mulgrew just kept pinging balls in behind him for the whole game. Mr Wreck is a Polish Kisnorbo, or a poor mans Neil Berry. He tries, he breaks things up, but he offers nothing creative. Robinson was terrible last night, but, given his age, we can put it down to a bad day at the office. Andy Driver??? Just sell him. He doesn't want to be there, and on the evidence of last night you can see why Sergio does not rate him. He was hopeless. Taoiul was decent, and Elliot tried his heart out on absolutely no service. Why did Hearts keep hitting the ball long? It was coming back on top of us every time. Why did Sergio not put Obua up front to offer an outlet? Why bring on another midget in Gary Glen? We had Hamill, Taioul, Robinson, Elliot, and Driver, all midgets, competing with a team of giants. Tactically Hearts were pathetic last night, and individually too many players were exposed for being extremely average, and not worth any long term future with the club. I would bin Hamill, Driver, Mrowiec, McGowan, Glen, Zal and McDonald from last night. Its not a case of we might have to field the under 19's... the under 19's are probably all better players than this lot. Celtic were also very good, I should add, and will walk the treble.
vladhibs
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 07:17 AMHORSED!
Baldrick
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 01:58 AMIt's all a bit jingoistic to talk about loyal Hearts fans. My point is that there is increasingly less of them and the same applies to most if not all other clubs. We have a hopeless national team and a two party state league fully endorsed by the authorities. If some people think it's all going well, I respectfully disagree.
C4miles
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 01:19 AMTott, Just read your last comment, Are they having a lock in at the diggers ?
Hen Broon
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 12:36 AMC4....u take the good with the bad....always thought Brown over rated but tonight he was as good as i have seen him. Webster was one of our best players and his foul was no more than a booking.ZALI was a holocaust and i felt we should have moved him up front an d told him to defend Celtics goal. Driver was another massive dissapointment. Disagree re McGowan he was once again one of our better players. Suso is always angry & he played OK. Unlucky not to go one up,plenty of possesion but rarely looked like scoring & shipped goals cheaply. All in all well beaten by without doubt 2011-12 SPL CHAMPIONS. Big week coming up with Killie & Well away in the SPL & Saints in the CUP...........STJ biggest game .............I think we will win all three & the loyal HEARTS fans will get their reward.
C4miles
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 12:16 AMTott,, The hearts way ? you were taking it alight but you have got your anatomy mixed up badly, Great skill from Broonaldo leading up to the first being the kind of thing people pay to see, Positives would be Taouls performance i suppose but that is about it, A negative positive how Webster got away with a yellow for blootering a player with the ball 6-8 feet away, Another negative positive Zally missing 2 OG's although he got his pocket picked by Broonaldo for one of the goals, Surprised Grainger went off when McGowan was struggling badly against Samaras, His attempted clearance which went out for a corner whilst he was facing the opposition being some source of amusement if not entertainment, Suso did not look happy at having to go on but good to see he has addedbooting people in the face to his game as he is normally prone to being a slapper.
boozy
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 11:53 PM# 109 Hen Broon, Or it could be the Hibs fans way, let them know you have had enough and vote with your feet. Or the Hearts fans way, stick with the Messiah and watch your club head down the plug-hole?
Albranesh
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 11:25 PMWell beaten.
Baldrick
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 11:17 PMPutting emtions to one side, this was yet another kick in the teeth for Scottish football. A disgraceful decision which could have had explosive consequences defined the contest. The tragedy is that it provided yet another reason for Hearts supporters and neutrals to stay away in future. If the authorities don't think our game is in serious trouble, I have news for them, it most certainly is. Two of our biggest clubs, Hibs and Aberdeen have been struggling for years now despite the overall quality of the league. Hearts are barely staying in existence. 33,000 people decided they had something better to do than watch Rangers play Dundee Utd in the Cup. Talk about fiddling while Rome burns.
Hen Broon
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 11:05 PMHard to highlight the positives........celtic did not need to work hard for their goals........options ;THE HIBS WAY ie....desert your club in their time of need or the HEARTS WAY.....take it on the chin and head to killie........KILLIE it is then !
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