Hearts: Jim Jefferies pledges to resolve Marian Kello future

JIM JEFFERIES today pledged to help resolve Marian Kello's future at Hearts to ensure the Slovakian resumes first-team duty as soon as possible.

Responding to questions ahead of tomorrow's SPL match with Motherwell, the manager stressed he and Kello mutually agreed three weeks ago that the goalkeeper should not play again until an internal "private matter" is cleared up.

It is Jefferies' hope that the issue is resolved sooner rather than later, for Kello has been Hearts' most prominent player this season. Jamie MacDonald has performed commendably whilst deputising in recent weeks, but the manager is keen to have his first-choice goalkeeper back quickly.

Vladimir Romanov, the club's majority shareholder, is in full agreement with the decision to leave Kello out.

Jefferies would not divulge the details of the matter in question, saying only that it should be dealt with as a matter of urgency and once finished then Kello would be reinstated to the Hearts team.

"It's a private matter (which arose] a week after he was out with his back spasm," explained Jefferies. "There was a report on something which I discussed with Marian and we've continued to discuss it two or three times a week. Hopefully it will be cleared up soon, and we've both agreed that when it is he'll be back in the team.

"I've talked to Marian and let him know that. When this was brought to our attention, I asked him what he thought. We decided it would be better if we just left it and got it cleared up. If that sort of thing is on his mind then he wouldn't be in the right frame of mind (to play)."

Asked if Kello, whose Hearts contract runs until June 2012, still has a long-term future with the Edinburgh club, Jefferies replied: "I hope he has, of course he has. It doesn't matter what anybody else says, he and I have discussed it and the decision we both came to was that it would be better to get this cleared up before I consider him. Marian knows that.

"It's something private, internal, and it's being looked at. I'm sure it will be cleared up very soon. Once it's out of his mind he can get on and concentrate on playing. If it's on somebody's mind, we both agreed, it might be better if he gets on with trying to get it sorted out.

"I agreed he should be a contender for player of the year, the boy has been magnificent. This is an internal matter. He is a terrific boy and he will be trying to get sorted out as soon as possible.

"I think we should be trying to support him rather than thinking there's anything negative about it.