Larry Kingston leaving Hearts on a high note

LARRY KINGSTON is content to leave Hearts on a positive note believing he redeemed himself in the eyes of many supporters during the closing weeks of the season.

The Ghanaian midfielder is out of contract and destined for the World Cup with his country but does not expect to return to Tynecastle despite being rejuvenated by Jim Jefferies' arrival as manager.

He incurred the wrath of supporters last year due to a sequence of injury complaints but the 29-year-old is confident he left Edinburgh with his reputation intact.

"I wanted to stay but I had three wonderful years at Hearts and I am happy I am leaving on a good note," he explained.

"In the first half of the season I suffered with injuries and then, when I was fit, I had issues with the previous coach Csaba Laszlo. In the second half under the new manager I played a lot more games and the fans who were under the wrong impression applauded me off in our last game. They saw the effort I put in and I am glad I made my peace with them."

Kingston is now transfixed on a place in Ghana's World Cup squad. He is already included in a 30-man preliminary pool but desperately wants to make the cut having missed the 2006 tournament through suspension.

"I want to be in that 23-man squad especially given the way I missed the last World Cup," he continued. "I will give everything in the pre-tournament camp in Paris to be in the main squad.

"I have always done well when competition is great. I have never run away from one so for the overall good of the team it is good. At the end of the day, we all have to show the manager in training and in the friendly games who deserves to play."

Meanwhile, solicitors acting for the former Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo have confirmed that the Hungarian has lodged an unfair dismissal claim against the club.

Laszlo lost his job and was replaced by Jim Jefferies in January but Margaret McGribbon, of Ross Harper, said: "I have been instructed to act for Mr Laszlo in this matter. It would be inappropriate to say anything else at this time."

The case will be heard publicly at an employment tribunal in Edinburgh later this year. Vladimir Romanov, Hearts' majority shareholder, will be called to face a cross examination unless there is an out-of-court settlement beforehand.