New Hearts keeper set for debut

Published on Tuesday 19 August 2008 10:43

SLOVAKIAN goalkeeper Marian Kello is in line to debut for Hearts against St Mirren this weekend following Steve Banks' demotion to the role of youth team goalkeeping coach.

Manager Csaba Laszlo told the Evening News today that he wants to assess Kello in a competitive game at the earliest opportunity, and the Hungarian will also consider Danish striker Mike Tullberg and Ugandan midfielder David Obua for places in Saturday's squad.

Tullberg, on loan from Reggina, is due to resume full training tomorrow after rupturing a thigh muscle last month, while Obua finally completed his move to Tynecastle yesterday after receiving work permit clearance. He has signed a four-year contract.

Kello's debut would likely mean Jamie MacDonald, who deputised for Banks at Ibrox last weekend, returning to the substitutes' bench. Banks has been deemed "untrustworthy" by Hearts' majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov and is unlikely to play for the club again. He was also first-team goalkeeping coach but is now working with the youth squad.

Kello, on-loan from Romanov-financed FBK Kaunas, impressed Laszlo during the Lithuanians' Champions League qualifying matches against Rangers and the 25-year-old now appears set for an SPL bow.

"Marian has been here a few days now and as soon as possible I would like to see this player on the field," said Laszlo. "He is a good goalkeeper and he has a chance to play against St Mirren.

"Mike can train with the team again from tomorrow but I don't think he is ready to play 90 minutes. He is ready for full training and David Obua is also here. He needs to acclimatise to the football and the weather in Scotland because in Africa it is 27 or 28 degrees just now. He is a little colder here but he is okay, he is ready to be a Hearts player."

Laszlo also praised the decision by Scotland coach George Burley to call Hearts midfielder Michael Stewart into the national squad for tomorrow's friendly with Northern Ireland after a six-year hiatus. "I am very happy with the decision of the national coach," continued Laszlo. "Michael is back in the squad after many years' absence and I am so happy for his development. I think this shows everybody that what we are doing here is good.

"This week, we have some players away with the Lithuanian national team, Jamie MacDonald and Lee Wallace are with Scotland Under-21s, Eggert Jonsson is with Iceland and Christophe Berra and Stewart are in the Scotland squad. Even Larry Kingston is away with Ghana so on Wednesday we will have a lot of players playing games. The players are back on Thursday and then we will talk about the squad for Saturday because you never know what can happen with injuries."