Barr gets full backing from boss Jefferies

MANAGER Jim Jefferies has backed Darren Barr to come good after a difficult start to his Hearts career.

The Tynecastle fans had high hopes for the Scotland cap when he joined from Falkirk in the summer but he has, at times, looked ill at ease in a maroon jersey, with his display in the 4-3 defeat against his former club in the Co-operative Insurance Cup in midweek prompting some criticism.

But Jefferies believes the 25-year-old has the strength of character to learn from his mistakes and rediscover the form which marked him out as a defensive rock for Falkirk.

"Darren has a great attitude," said the manager. "He's desperate to do well but he's made bad decisions. We're not going to lambast him. We want to make him aware of what he's doing wrong and try and put it right. At the first goal (against Falkirk], he was caught but he'll learn with time."

Meanwhile Jason Thomson is ready to ease Jefferies' defensive crisis as he prepares to make a timely return after a virus kept him out of Hearts' last two games.

With Craig Thomson suspended, his namesake is set to take over at right-back for today's clash with Motherwell and, having been a peripheral figure so far this term, the 23-year-old is hoping to capitalise on the lack of defenders available at the moment.

"When we were working on shape last week I thought I might have had a chance of being involved at Inverness, but I got man-flu and the gaffer didn't want me travelling up on the bus and passing it on to the other boys. But I'm available now so hopefully with Craig suspended I'll get a chance to get back in the team," he said.