Yuri Puntus is back as head coach at MTZ-RIPO

ANGEL CHERVENKOV will be given the chance to stake a claim for a coaching position at Hearts. The Bulgarian will fly to Austria tomorrow with the Hearts squad to help with their pre-season preparations.
There has been a major reshuffle in the coaching staff at two of the three clubs in which Vladimir Romanov has an interest.
Belarus boss Yuri Puntus resigned yesterday to take over as head coach at MTZ-Ripo in Minsk as the man he replaced, Andrei Zygmantovich, prepares to head to FBK Kaunas. Chervenkov, 42, had been in charge of the Lithuanian club for only two months but he will now be seconded to the Jambos for at least the next two weeks.
Chervenkov, a former assistant coach at CSKA Sofia, is not being lined up as head coach at Tynecastle.
However, Romanov wants to see how he works with current boss Anatoliy Korobochka, assistant Steve Frail and the Jambos' first-team squad.
If he impresses he could win a role at the club in the longer term but it's unlikely to be in a position more senior to Frail.
Chervenkov was originally due to fly to Austria with former Hearts coach Eduard Malofeev to run the rule over the Hearts squad and several trialists with a view to identifying players for Kaunas and MTZ-Ripo.
He is now expected to work more closely with Korobochka and Frail, who have been given the green light to continue pre-season preparations by Romanov.
Hearts will fly to Austria for the first of two training camps and will play two matches, against Ukrainian side Tavria Simferopol on Sunday and Austria Vienna on July 7.
They will then move on to Germany from July 11, working in the same town, Paderborn, that will host Rangers.
Scotland keeper Craig Gordon returned to pre-season training at the weekend but admits there are no guarantees he'll still be at Tynecastle in August.
Sunderland have slapped in a £3million bid for the Gorgie skipper, although Gordon would rather join a club in the higher reaches of the English Premiership.
It is believed Hearts are also holding out for an offer of at least £5m before they will agree to sell.
Gordon, asked whether he'd be in place when the SPL starts with the derby crunch against Hibs, said: "Who knows? There is an awful lot of time to go before that.
"It doesn't take long for a transfer if it is going to happen and if not I'll be out there giving it my all for the first derby of the season.
"It's entirely down to Hearts if they accept any bids. I've got to remain fully focused on my job of being captain of Hearts and getting ready for the new season.
"I love living in the city but if something comes up that would further your career by playing at a higher level, then that is something you'd have to consider."
ANGEL IN JAMBOS JOB TRIAL By Gary Ralston
The Daily Record - printable version

Malofeev's back

CONTROVERSIAL former Hearts coach Eduard Malofeev will jet out to Austria next week to be part of Hearts' pre-season training camp.

However it is understood that Malofeev, who failed to win a single game while in interim control of team matters at Tynecastle, is not in line for a permanent return to the club.

Malofeev took just three points from a possible 15 during his time in charge as Hearts endured their worst run of results in 40 years, before taking over as head coach of MTZ Ripo in January.

Kaunas coach Angel Chervenkov will also accompany Malofeev on the trip as Hearts begin their build-up to the new season with a week-long training camp in Austria, which will culminate in a friendly match against Austria Vienna.

While the two men will have an input into the players' training regime, they are expected to return to their respective clubs, who are both currently in the middle of their league seasons, at the end of the camp.

The Minsk outfit are heavily financed by Romanov's Ukio Bankas Investment Group, similar to Lithuanian side FBK Kaunas.

Russian-born Malofeev was head of Ripo's youth academy during 2005 before becoming head coach at Kaunas two years ago. He arrived at Tynecastle in June last year as an "advisor to the board on sporting matters" and was then placed in control of team affairs for a period between October and November after Valdas Ivanauskas was granted temporary leave due to ill health.

Meanwhile doctors who operated on Barcelona star Carlos Puyol have revealed that the player will be out of action for at least 12 weeks.

The defender had surgery on torn ligaments in his left knee on Thursday night, and doctor Ramon Cugat warned that the player's recovery period "will be no less than three months as it is a treacherous and problematic tear."

Puyol had been expected to travel to Scotland next month for friendly matches against Hearts and Dundee United.

Almost 23,000 tickets have been sold for the match at Murrayfield, which is still five weeks away, on Saturday July 28. Briefs are available either in person at the Tynecastle or Scottish Rugby ticket centres, by calling 08716631874, option one, or online at: www.heartsfc.co.uk.

Edinburgh Evening News - Sport - Malofeev's back

Romanov throws down gauntlet to Hleb over move

VLADIMIR Romanov has warned Vyacheslav Hleb that he must improve his form if he wants to earn a contract at Hearts. The Belarusian international, younger brother of Arsenal's Alexander Hleb, is set to team up with Hearts during the pre-season training camp in Germany, but a contract remains in the balance, as Romanov hinted that he could be overtaken in his race to sign for the Tynecastle club, by in-form Kaunas forward Ricardas Beniusis .

"Once the Hearts players return from their holidays they will spend about ten days just warming up, before heading off for their pre-season training camp in Germany. Hleb will join up with them there," confirmed Romanov.

However, the Hearts owner admitted that he has been left underwhelmed by Hleb's form and strike rate for MTZ Ripo.

"To be frank, [Hleb's form] is disappointing. He has only managed to score twice in the Belarusian championship, while Beniusis, who is also hoping for a move to Hearts, has scored 14 for Kaunas, and heads the league's top scorers by a distance. That's quite a tangible difference. So we'll have to see what happens.

"The final decision will be taken by the club's head coach, Anatoliy Korobochka. I will heed his opinion."

Scotsman.com Sport - Football - Romanov throws down gauntlet to Hleb over move

Hearts closing in on Hleb capture

FC MTZ-RIPO striker Vyacheslav Hleb will be a Hearts player next season, according to his representative.
Work permit complications blocked previous bids by Tynecastle owner Vladimir Romanov to sign the younger brother of Arsenal star Alexander.

But Nikolai Shpilevsk told the Edinburgh Evening News: "Slava and I spoke with Romanov and it looks very good for him to come to Hearts.

"We think he will be in Edinburgh by the end of the month."

The 24-year-old former Grasshopper and Hamburg forward plays for MTZ Ripo Minsk - a club that Romanov also backs financially.

MTZ Ripo, managed by one-time Hearts coach Eduard Malofeev, are eight games into their domestic season.

"I speak with Slava every day and he is desperate to get to Hearts," added Shpilevsk.

"We don't want to talk about the contract because it has not been signed yet, but it will be longer than one year. It will be a permanent transfer."

Hleb, a member of the Belarus international squad, was a substitute in the recent European Championship qualifying double-header with Bulgaria.




BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Heart of Midlothian | Hearts closing in on Hleb capture

Hleb finally on his way to Tynecastle

VYACHESLAV HLEB is on his way to Hearts after his transfer from Belarussian club MTZ Ripo was sanctioned during weekend negotiations with Vladimir Romanov.

The talented forward and his agent held lengthy discussions with Romanov on Saturday, the outcome being Hleb should finalise a permanent move to Tynecastle before the month is out.

Work permit complications have twice denied him the opportunity to join Hearts in the last 12 months, however international outings in March and in last week's double header against Bulgaria mean he has now played 75 per cent of Belarus' competitive games during the last two years. That should allow the 24-year-old to satisfy UK Home Office regulations and render a work permit a formality.

He will sign a two or three-year contract and become the first man to appear for all three clubs under Romanov's umbrella. As well as Hearts and MTZ Ripo, the Russian banker also finances FBK Kaunas of Lithuania, for whom Hleb played as a guest at January's Commonwealth Cup in Moscow.

Nikolai Shpilevsky, the player's Belarussian representative, told the Evening News: "Slava and I spoke with Romanov three days ago and it looks very good for him to come to Hearts. The discussions were very positive and both parties are willing to complete the transfer.

"I speak with Slava every day and he is desperate to get to Hearts. It will take a few days to manage the whole thing and for the final conversations to take place. We think he will be in Edinburgh by the end of the month."

Shpilevsky was reluctant to divulge the length of contract offered to his client but confirmed that Hleb will be signed directly to Hearts rather than negotiate a loan deal from MTZ Ripo.

"We don't want to talk about the contract because it has not been signed yet, but it will be longer than one year. It will be a permanent transfer," he added.

Hleb could yet find himself forming a dream partnership next season along with the mercurial Chilean Mauricio Pinilla. Hearts own 50 per cent of Pinilla's contract but the striker has spent the last six months on loan at Universidad de Chile.

That agreement ended abruptly after a recent bar-room incident with a Universidad team-mate and the player is now in Cancun, Mexico, on a break. However, sources in Santiago say he is still intent on returning to Tynecastle.

Gavin Rae, a reported signing target for Hearts, is in discussions over a possible move to English Championship side Norwich City. "Gavin is one of a number of players we are looking at," said Jim Duffy, the former Hearts director of football who is now assistant coach at Carrow Road.

"Gavin is a player I do know. He has been at Glasgow Rangers, he's an international player and he is a player we have discussed, but there is nothing imminent.

"The cliched answer from the player is that he is looking at his options. And the cliched answer from the club is he is one of a number of possibilities, but that is true. We spoke to his agent just to see what the situation is. He has been on holiday and perhaps later this week we would like to have a further chat."


BARRY ANDERSON (banderson@edinburghnews.com)

Scotsman.com Sport - Football - Hleb finally on his way to Tynecastle

Belarus 0 Bulgaria

A brace from Dimitar Berbatov gave Bulgaria a huge boost in their bid for Euro 2008 qualification with a comfortable Group G victory over Belarus.
The Tottenham Hotspur striker scored in the 28th and 46th minutes to bring his side right back into Group G contention and moved them to within touching distance of the top two, Holland and Romania.

Teams:

Belarus Zhevnov, Omelyanchuk (Strakhanovich 71), Shtanuk,Tigorev, Kulchy, Kalachev, Korytko, Kovba, Alexander Hleb,Kornilenko (Vasiluk 59), Kutuzov (Viacheslav Hleb 46).
Subs Not Used: Khomutovsky, Yurevich, Bulyga, Bliznuk.
Booked: Omelyanchuk, Kulchy.

Bulgaria Ivankov, Tunchev, Tomasic, Angelov (Domovchiyski 90),Wagner, Telkiyski, Kishishev, Stiliyan Petrov,Yovov (Manchev 79), Martin Petrov (Genkov 90), Berbatov.
Subs Not Used: Petkov, Zanev, Sirakov, Topuzakov.

Goals: Berbatov 28, 46.
Att: 29,000
Ref: Jaroslav Jara (Czech Republic).

Sporting Life - Football

Belarussian national coach Yuri Puntus has declared no allegiance to Romanov

Belarussian national coach Yuri Puntus has declared no allegiance to Romanov over the midfield pair of Vyacheslav Hleb and Oleg Strahanovich.

Both players have prospective moves to Hearts hanging in the balance but will firstly be required to satisfy Home Office regulations by playing 75 per cent of international matches for Belarus. Failing to do so would likely see them denied UK work permits.

Romanov's financing of the Belarussian side MTZ Ripo enabled him to forge a close relationship with Puntus during the coach's tenure at the Minsk club. But Puntus is adamant that his decisions and team selection as national coach will not be influenced by the predicaments of Hleb and Strahanovich.

He said: "I'll be honest, this situation exists. But I control it. Certainly, internet comments which hint that I have material interest in this are nonsense.

"In football, just like everyday life, we must help each other. Players help the manager, manager helps them. I'm sure of this. If I can achieve positive results with the national team and at the same time help those boys get work permits, what's wrong with that?

"I trust in these players, I value them because they can bring results. They are reliable, they won't let me down. But if I feel that Strahanovich and Hleb are out of form and can't help the team I won't play them. The result of the national team is above everything."

Scotsman.com Sport - Football - Vlad rejects swoop for Georgian ace: "allegiance"