Ryan McGowan:Let me stay at Hearts

The 20-year-old Australian delivered an authoritative central midfield performance as a substitute in last night's 2-1 victory over Gillingham. However, he remains concerned about the plethora of options available to Jefferies in that position and fears another loan deal may be brokered by the Tynecastle hierarchy after his spell with Ayr United last season.

Jefferies admitted several clubs have contacted Hearts to inquire about loaning McGowan. The manager has yet to decide on the matter but the player is adamant he can survive at the top level.

"I'd much rather stay and fight for a position," he said. "I've been in and around the first-team squad for a while now. Last season I thought I should get out and get some games and some first-team experience. I'm here now, ready to fight to work my way into the gaffer's plans.

"I was pleased with how I played in centre midfield. I've spent all my life playing either there or centre-back, I only

filled in at right-back for Ayr last season because the regular right-back was injured. I see myself as a centre-back or centre midfielder."

Jefferies stated he was impressed by McGowan in midfield after watching him struggle at right-back against Dunfermline on Tuesday. "I know he's a good athlete. I have to be fair on the boy," said Jefferies. "I put him on at half-time against Dunfermline and I criticised him a couple of times but it's about character. You need to have character to bounce back.

"I say my piece at the time and I never hold grudges. He was maybe thinking he was going to be left out of things but I brought him down to England and I thought 'maybe that's not his best position'.

"I gave him almost 20 minutes in the middle of the park and he did alright. A couple of times he was trying to be too neat and you don't want to give possession away when you're 2-1 up. But that's for me and the coaching staff to point out. When these things happen we aren't slow in telling him.

"Ryan has to be given a chance. I've had a few inquiries about him regarding going out on loan. He was out on loan before and we have to see if that's a position we need covered. He looks like he can use the ball, he's good in the air, so maybe taking that bit of defensive responsibility away from him could help him in the middle of the park. He looks to me more of a centre midfield player than a defender. I found that out the other night."

Jefferies also gave the strongest indication yet that Adrian Mrowiec, the Polish trialist, could earn himself an extended stay with Hearts. "It's all about a squad of players. You can't guarantee anybody anything but if he wants to stay and compete for a place then he might do us a turn," said Jefferies. "We'll see, because there are tougher games ahead. I'm quite happy with what we displayed last night.

"Mrowiec is a big, strong boy but he naturally likes to sit off and protect the back four. We don't want him to play like that because you're a man down, as Billy Brown says. We want our two centre midfielders up on the play, winning the ball."