At long last, Dawid Kucharski can show Hearts true qualities

DAWID KUCHARSKI believes he is finally achieving his true form following Jim Jefferies' arrival at Hearts. The Pole has featured in all five matches since Jefferies replaced Csaba Laszlo in the managerial chair last month, and he feels regular game time is bringing out the optimum performance in him.

Having signed from Lech Poznan last July, Kucharski became a peripheral figure under Laszlo and seemed to have difficulty adjusting to the Scottish game. His defensive displays were inconsistent and he quickly found himself on the fringes of the squad.

Since Jefferies' appointment, he has enjoyed a new lease of life, albeit helped by Ismael Bouzid's hamstring injury and the contract impasse between Tynecastle officials and Jose Goncalves.

Kucharski feels he has undergone a new lease of life under Jefferies and was hoping to continue his good form against Aberdeen at Pittodrie this afternoon, a game which Bouzid was back in contention for.

"I play more and I feel better. I feel the manager trusts me more so I feel very good," said Kucharski. "It's better now because I play more games. If I do something wrong the manager does not say I am a bad player. He tries to help me and this is good.

"I think this coach gives me a chance and, when I play, I try to show him what I can do in the games. I try to help the team and play well."

Asked how Jefferies' approach differs from that of Laszlo, Kucharski replied: "When I did something wrong he (Laszlo] did not say anything to me. He did not say I was wrong like this (way] or like this (way]. Now, when I do something wrong, the coach tells me to do it like this or like this. It makes me feel better."

The nadir of Kucharski's Hearts career thus far occurred at New Douglas Park, Hamilton, in December, when he was substituted by Laszlo just 28 minutes into what was only his fourth appearance of the season.

"I don't know why the coach took me off. I did not speak about this with him after the game," he said.

It is the player's belief that, with Jefferies at the helm, he has greater opportunity to prosper and justify himself to the Hearts support through playing more often. "I think I have more to give," he continued. "If I play regular I feel better. Everyone who plays regular plays better. It is very hard when you don't play for one month or two months and then you must play very good. You don't feel the play.

"I have a contract for two years and I will do everything for this team."

Jefferies has sought to give certain individuals greater freedom on the field of play and thereby release them to express themselves as they see fit. A case in point was the form shown by midfielder Ian Black preceding the knee injury which prevented him taking part at Pittodrie today.

"I just want to do things a bit differently and give a bit more freedom to players," said Jefferies. "What I've said is than Ian Black, for example, has a little bit more licence to go and play. All I asked him to do was go and play like he did at Inverness. He got the Hearts move because he played well for them and he was always a key player for them.

"Sometimes you can give people a certain job, I've done it myself. Sometimes you can give people a certain job and it's something they aren't comfortable with. Sometimes the player doesn't enjoy it mentally but Ian Black in recent weeks looked like the player I saw playing for Inverness. That's because we put him in midfield, told him to go and play like he did and he competed as well as he usually does. That's why he got man of the match and came up with a rasping goal in his last game (against Falkirk]."