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