Manager selection problems

Jim Jefferies struck by same injury jinx as Jim McIntyre

Jim Jefferies team selection for Saturday's SPL match against Hearts looks likely to be further limited. Paul Burns has not recovered from injury and now in addition, Kevin Rutkiewicz went over on his ankle in training on Thursday and is extremely doubtful for Saturday. Liam Buchanan also incurred a rib injury during training but his chances of playing against Hearts are considered to be much better.

The Manager is not expecting any favours either when his old charges come along the Halbeath Road on Saturday:-

"Hearts will have their own agenda; they will be trying to finish as high as possible up the league so their players, whoever goes on the pitch, will be trying as hard as possible to win. We will need to be at our best because on their day they can beat anybody. Hopefully they will show that little bit of inconsistency that they have shown this year away from home, and if they do that we will need to be good enough to take advantage of it."

Jim went on to discuss the possibility of Hearts fans not being totally disappointed with a loss since three points would bring eleventh placed Hibs closer to Dunfermline:-

"I don't think the Hearts supporters might be too disappointed on Saturday in a funny sort of way. But first of all we need to try and get a victory to keep us in touch. Games are running out and it was made harder last weekend. The only way that we can make that better is by winning and hopefully the result on Sunday (when Hibs play Motherwell) goes our way this week to give ourselves a better chance than we stand at the moment. To do that we have to win on Saturday and we will be going all out to try and do that."

The Manager admitted that he hoped Hearts might take their eye off the league with their Scottish Cup Semi Final looming the following weekend versus Celtic.

"If I am honest I hope so but it never works out that way because they might think about leaving certain players out that way. They might think about leaving certain players out but if they do that, you get young players or fringe players coming in wanting to try and impress. That doesn't make it any easier and even if they go with the team that he wants to play next week, they will want to keep their place for the semi final. Whatever Hearts team plays on Saturday, they are capable of giving us a tough game."

Despite the three goal defeat, Jim felt that there had been positives to take out of the game against Dundee United last Saturday.

"We are guilty of doing certain things and getting punished for them so every day we are trying to eradicate that."

Jefferies will be happy to welcome Paulo Sergio to East End Park since he claims to 'get on great with him'.

"When I went to say cheerio to the (Hearts) players he invited me up to see him. We got on fine, I know how that club operates and maybe he will have to suffer the same thing some day but hopefully not. Since then I have met him a couple of times and I know probably more than anybody just how it goes. He is a nice guy who has been very respectful."

The former Hearts gaffer was pleased that Gary Locke was kept on and he is looking forward to winding him up.

"With Billy and I moving on it was important that he didn't take any stand because he had his own future to look at. He will have been invaluable to Paulo Sergio in getting to know the Scottish scene."