Lee Wallace could be back by Christmas, but SFA to compensate Hearts in full

Published on Thursday 9 September 2010 17:55

LEE Wallace could be back in action in three months after learning from a specialist that his cruciate ligament damage may not require surgery. The Hearts left-back, injured while playing for Scotland against Liechtenstein on Tuesday, had previously faced an estimated lay-off of six months.

• Lee Wallace: cruciate injury

"The medical people have told us that they don't think an operation is required," Hearts manager Jim Jefferies said. "Normally when you tear a cruciate ligament there is other damage and a lot of other issues, but this doesn't appear to be the case with Lee. They are talking about him being in a splint for four weeks and then taking the rehab from there, and he could be back in 12 weeks.

"This is massive news for us, although we won't have it confirmed until Lee sees the specialist next week. (It is] a big boost for the lad, as being out for ten to 12 weeks is better than the 24, which we all thought."

Hearts will receive compensation in full from the Scottish Football Association for the loss of Wallace as he was injured on international duty. The Tynecastle club will be reimbursed the left-back's wages for the duration of his absence and will also be paid his medical costs.

A spokesman for the SFA confirmed yesterday that the Wallace case would be dealt with under the protocol established following the injury to Celtic defender John Kennedy while playing for Scotland against Romania in 2004. Once they have received a claim from Hearts detailing their vice-captain's earnings and the costs incurred in his treatment, the governing body will pass it on to their brokers.

Whatever sum the club ends up receiving will be little compensation to Jefferies, who faces a second reorganisation of his back four since the start of the season. Jefferies has already lost captain and centre-back Marius Zaliukas, who has declined the offer of a new contract and may have played his last game for the club.

"We started the season with what was looking like a very solid back four of (Darren] Barr, (Ismael] Bouzid, Zaliukas and Wallace, and now we've lost another part of that. It's tough on the team, but we just have to get on with it.

"We'll have to move players around. A couple have played in that position for us before - Ruben (Palazuelos] and Eggert (Jonsson].

"It's never ideal, because you're then taking them out of their natural position, but when you're building a squad you look for players who can play in two or three positions. We've lost a top player, no doubt about it, but it's a chance for others to come in."

Zaliukas, who had been in Lithuania for talks with Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov, is now back in Edinburgh. Not only are his contract talks at an impasse, he also still has a knee injury.

"Nothing has changed with Zaliukas," Jefferies said of the defender, who is still officially on loan from Kaunas. "He arrived back on Thursday for treatment.He was unavailable for Lithuania's games and he didn't play against Dundee United through injury.

"He's still not fit, so he's over for treatment, but I don't think the situation has changed. He's locked in talks and he's a Kanuas player and until that's resolved we'll have to wait and see.

"We'll have a chat. He only popped his head in on Thursday before treatment and said we'd have a chat. When I met Mr Romanov last week he just told me they were in discussions and that he planned to meet him the day I left.

"I just left it at that. There's no point in me getting involved. He's a Kaunas player and until it's resolved I've just got to get on with things.

"He's been tremendous since he's come in. But a bit of it is in his own hands as well – he's got to want to stay here and agree terms. I don't know what level that's at – that's probably why he wants to have a chat."

Jefferies responded sceptically when asked if he was interested in signing Rudi Skacel, who revealed this week he has been in talks with Romanov and Hearts director Sergejus Fedotovas about a return to the club he left in 2006. While Skacel was a sensation in the early months of the 2005-06 season, Jefferies appears to believe he already has enough wide players.

"Nobody has told me he is coming here. What do you do with (Andrew] Driver, what do you do with (Arvydas] Novikovas, what do you do with (David] Templeton, who has been in good form this season? So I don't know."

Driver is now back doing light training after a long injury absence and should be in contention for a first-team place in a couple of weeks. Gary Glen is also back in training, but his fellow-striker Stephen Elliott is a doubt for tomorrow's visit to Celtic.