Laszlo: Break will help crocked Hearts recover

Published on Monday 6 October 2008 09:55

CSABA LASZLO admitted relief today at beginning a two-week international break that will allow him to restore some of Hearts' key players to full fitness.

The Tynecastle manager was despondent following Saturday's 2-1 defeat by Kilmarnock, which ended a 100 per cent home league record. However, he believes better times lie in wait once certain influential figures return to the side.

Andy Driver and David Obua missed the Kilmarnock match due to ankle and muscle injuries respectively, while Laszlo is keen to augment the stamina and match sharpness of Bruno Aguiar along with strikers Mike Tullberg and Christian Nade.

"I am happy we have two weeks break, definitely," he said. "I hope I get back players like David Obua and Andy Driver. We can work on better fitness for Bruno and Mike Tullberg. He doesn't have fitness for 90 minutes, neither does Nade at the moment.

"We will try during these two weeks to get more physical preparation for these players."

Eggert Jonsson and Deividas Cesnauskis were also absent at the weekend. The Icelander's one-match suspension has now been served but Cesnauskis remains sidelined by a muscle complaint.

Hearts travel to Easter Road when domestic business resumes following Scotland's World Cup qualifier with Norway, and Laszlo wants the team to rediscover the form shown during the season's early weeks.

"We must go back in the past and take the power from the past," he continued. "This team needs protected and we need the help of our supporters. We lost the game on Saturday but we must bring the stability back. That must happen against Hibernian now.

"I don't criticise nobody in public. The players know the dressing room is where I give criticism but it must be constructive, not destructive."