Stakes high as Hearts boss talks of Killie time

They secured second place in the SPL, a Champions League qualifying berth and the Scottish Cup inside ten joyful days five years ago. Now, manager Jim Jefferies expects to discover whether the title challenge of season 2010/11 has the required endurance.

Kilmarnock precede Rangers (home), Celtic (away), St Johnstone (home) and Rangers again (away) on a congested Hearts calendar following an unforgiving winter. It is a hectic period which carries the potential to define their entire season as they sit ten points behind league leaders Celtic with two games in hand.

"The Cup is gone now so we can't blame distractions for having a challenge at the top. This next five or six games will tell us if we're good enough to do that," explained Jefferies. "We are well equipped to deal with it and we are in good form ourselves. We don't fear going into these games, we just want to get out there and concentrate on keeping this fantastic away record we have. We've won every game away from home expect Celtic (in September], but that will be tested over the next few weeks and we're going to be making sure we're up for the challenge.

"We need to make sure we win, first and foremost to consolidate the position we've got ourselves into. The other side of the coin is that, by winning and consolidating third place, you are always keeping on the coat tails of others. We've got a chance over the next few weeks but we've got to go down to Kilmarnock and try to get a win. If we do that, the game against Rangers on Saturday will be a big game because we can get a lot closer to them. Talking about it is one thing, doing it is another.

"Our league form has been fantastic and we've got to get back to winning ways. I think we've got to make up for the Cup disappointment by giving the Hearts supporters what we set out to give them. There's a European place to be won and a challenge to the Old Firm.

"Some players have shown themselves to be better than maybe even I thought. We've changed the system and we have quite a few in the squad who have enjoyed that little bit of freedom to go and play. With the results and the performances, the spirit round about this place has been totally changed in a year."

Jefferies will carry the Hearts feelgood factor back to a club where he spent eight happy years. This is his first visit to Rugby Park since leaving 12 months ago and he is desperate to ensure a happy return. Relations with his former chairman, Michael Johnston, might have become strained during their final days together but Jefferies retains only fond memories of his time in Ayrshire.

"I've always had a good reception there," he said. "Near the end it was a bit . . . but that's why we left. I kept them in the league, got to a major cup final and were fifth two or three times. We lost a lot of players through the years and I brought in a lot of money to the club in transfers. I brought in eight of the players who are doing fantastically well at the moment. It was just time to go.

"The only thing that will interest me is Hearts winning but the next club I want behind us is Kilmarnock. I spent a good time there and had chances to leave and didn't. I know a lot of good people who work there behind the scenes, I had a second home down there and got to meet a lot of the people and they were great. Because I was happy down there that's one of the reasons I didn't take the other jobs. It's my first time back and I'm looking forward to it."

Hearts must do without the injured Kevin Kyle and Rudi Skacel this evening, with Calum Elliot also expected to miss out due to a knee problem. Suspicions are that Kyle and Skacel are being protected in the hope they will be able to face Rangers on Saturday. "Kyle is extremely doubtful. There is more chance of him being ready for Saturday, the same goes with Rudi and Calum Elliot," said Jefferies. "Stephen Elliott is feeling his Achilles a wee bit with being in the gym so much. He's got the best chance, we expect him to be alright. Calum's jarred his knee, again just with being indoors too often. It does affect the joints, there's no doubt about that.."

It is doubtful whether anything, weather included, could dampen the spirits within the Kilmarnock camp right now. Manager Mixu Paatelainen has installed a free-flowing style of football which has endeared him to supporters no end and propelled the team to fourth place in the SPL. Seeing his former club tucked in behind his current one gives Jefferies plenty satisfaction, although he is also wary of the threat posed by a side which inflicted a 3-0 defeat on Hearts at Tynecastle last time the clubs met.

"We have a lot of tough games coming up but this will be really tough because Kilmarnock are in good form," admitted Jefferies. "There are a lot of players there from when I was there, I signed most of them and brought them through. Mixu has added two or three quality players although he's lost the boy (Ben] Gordon. You can see by their results and performances that it hasn't troubled them too much because Garry Hay is an experienced player to bring into that position. Kilmarnock are playing good football and Mixu has a system that suits him. Their attacking style is pleasing everybody so we've got to make sure we are on our game tomorrow. We need to take the game to them because we are in good form ourselves. We picked a bad time to go off the boil in the Cup last week and we can't get that back now."

Recalling that 3-0 reverse in October, Jefferies deemed it a blessing in disguise.

"We both did ourselves a favour that day. They had been playing good football all season but were near the bottom of the league. That was the game that set them off because they got confidence from scoring those goals. Conor Sammon found his shooting boots and his confidence has grown. He's a terrific boy and I'm glad to see that.

"We signed him and had to give him time to adapt. At the start of last season he was playing well but the chances weren't going in for him. The difference is he's putting them in the net now and getting confidence from that. His whole game is starting to improve. Now they have a problem because other teams come knocking on the door when things are going well. Kilmarnock, as we found in the past, one of their biggest problems is holding on to their players.

"Alexei Eremenko has given them that quality. Mehdi Taouil seems to be playing better now too. They play a lot through those two."