Jim Jefferies feels Andy Webster will play pivotal role for Hearts

The centre-half, who re-signed after transfer deadline day when he was released by Rangers, is in the Tynecastle club's squad for their visit to Hamilton.

The manager would not say whether Webster would be given a starting place tomorrow, but, with Ismael Bouzid out of contract at the end of the season and club captain Marius Zaliukas sure to attract interest from other clubs, the 28-year-old is set to become the cornerstone of the Hearts defence sooner rather than later. Indeed, given Jefferies' admiration for the player's abilities as a leader, it would be no surprise if Webster were soon to wear the captain's armband.

In the short term, Jefferies is confident that the competition from Webster will help both Bouzid and Zaliukas stay on top of their games. And, if either the Algerian or the Lithuanian is injured, being able to call on the new signing will enable Jefferies to avoid playing someone else out of position.

"One of the reasons we brought him in was because, when we've had an injury at the back, it has been players playing out of position to cover gaps," the manager explained. "We didn't really have a young lad ready to go in.

"Getting somebody like Andy who knows the club well and has ability, it was important we got him when he became available. If anything happens at the back again he's ready to go in.

"Right from the start he puts them under pressure, and he's a quality player, so he's got to be in consideration right at the start for every game. Whether we do that will be for me to have a discussion with him and see how he feels. He's not had a lot of matches and the only way you get that is by playing."

Once Webster was free from injury and playing a run of games, as he did when on loan from Rangers at Dundee United, he had a galvanising effect on the rest of the team. Jefferies is confident he can have a similar effect with Hearts.

"He's a good talker. He can bring on young boys. You see how well he brought on Garry Kenneth at Dundee United. Kenneth had a great season and I think that was a lot to do with Andy. Peter (Houston, the Dundee United manager] has gone on record as saying he was a really good influence on Kenneth. He will be a big help.

"I think he's a natural leader. We have a very good leader at the moment in Zaliukas, so if ever he is out we know Andy would be one to be considered for taking over.

"He's come to the club because when we were interested this was the club that was in his mind. When we had the talks they were easy, because he was so desperate to come back.

"I have to talk to him about how he feels, whether we feed him in gradually or not. There's no reserve games and he'll have played a lot of bounce games at Rangers. But, as he says, it's hard to get yourself going in that atmosphere. There's nothing like the real thing. I think he's experienced enough and played at a high level so he'll take that in his stride. I don't see it being a problem."Some Hearts supporters have seen Webster's return as problematic, given his acrimonious departure in 2006. He left the club after a contract dispute involving owner Vladimir Romanov, and the Court for Arbitration in Sport later ruled he should pay Hearts 150,000 for breach of contract.

In welcoming the defender back to Tynecastle, Romanov appears to have forgiven him, and Jefferies believes that Hearts supporters should do the same. "What happened was unfortunate, but it's in the past," the manager continued. "Most of them are delighted he's here because the bottom line is he's a quality player.

"They know how good he was when he was last here and then an unfortunate thing happened. But you get on with it.

"This is a new start for Andy. He could have gone to other clubs for a lot more, but we're just delighted to get him. I think you'll find that if he goes out and plays well, the fans will be right behind him. That's what I hope they do." Even if they do not, Jefferies is confident that Webster's standard of play will not be affected.

"He told me it wouldn't bother him in the slightest. He has to accept, if that happens, it's part and parcel of football and he's got to try and win them over.

"He can only do that by making sure he shows he wants to play for this club. He's already done half of that by coming here against other offers. The other part is to make sure he performs well and he'll soon win them over. The owner knows Andy is a quality player. That's why we were given the go-ahead to see if we could take it further."