Jim Jefferies confident of success with Hearts on a budget

Majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov has asked the manager to cut the costs of the playing squad, but Jefferies (pictured) explained he had not been specifically told to chop a set, large percentage from the wage bill. He also again spoke warmly of the working relationship he has developed with the Kaunas-based businessman since becoming Hearts manager for the second time in late January.

"I think he is on record as saying that there is a change, bringing the wage bill down," Jefferies said yesterday. "Maybe that's one of the reasons I'm here – you can get the wage bill down and still try and bring in players and build a side that makes us successful.

"I've been in the game long enough. I keep going to chairmen and they keep telling me to cut the wage bill, so that's not a problem. This one is probably a little bit easier than the last one (at Kilmarnock].

"The wage bill will still be a good wage bill. Sometimes you go to other clubs and you wonder how you're going to do it.

"When you get to this case, even cutting the wage bill down, it will still be sufficient and that's the good thing from my point of view. Even if I halved the wage bill here it would still be a decent wage bill to expect the team to do extremely well. I would think it will still be competitive enough to go and compete at the right end of the table."

With several high earners out of contract in the summer, a substantial cut in the wage bill could easily be made with relatively little fuss. Portuguese defender Jose Goncalves, for instance, has already indicated he wants to leave the club, despite being made an extremely good offer to stay.

Club captain Michael Stewart, his fellow-midfielder Laryea Kingston and striker Christian Nade are also out of contract. Jefferies appears unfazed by the possibility of losing them, although he did single out Kingston for praise after the win over Kilmarnock last weekend which secured a place in the top six.

"Sometimes if you want someone, it's not possible," he went on. "I think Jose said the other night it looks like he is moving on."

Jefferies met Romanov last week to discuss plans for next season, and although he gave away no specifics, the manager came away from the meeting with the conviction that the club owner remains enthusiastic about Hearts. According to Jefferies, however, so far at least that enthusiasm has not extended to the interference in team matters of which some previous managers complained.

"We had a meeting here and talked about going through the squad. We looked at areas to strengthen in the summer and that was it, no decisions were taken. It's a work in progress. There is nothing cast in stone for anyone. We will come to that near the end of the season.

"He has been on record as saying that he is still committed. You might find him (here] even more often now that the direct flights have started (between Edinburgh and Lithuania].

"I have not see him that often. I sit and work closely with (Hearts director] Sergei Fedotovas and (sporting director] Alex Metlitski, but nothing has come back to me (to suggest] that he has not been happy.

"I can only speak up until the present time and he has not interfered in anything. He has let me get on with it and hopefully that will continue."

Hearts visit Ibrox tomorrow to play a side who put four goals past them at Tynecastle just three weeks ago. Now that his team have qualified for the upper half of the league, however, Jefferies believes they will be motivated by the desire to close the gap on the clubs above them and try to get into a European place.

"There is probably less pressure on us, because we're not looking over our shoulders and no-one can catch us. We can catch others and hopefully that can be the incentive.

"It's always better to be chasing someone rather than being chased."