Hearts will hold Bolton-linked Velicka's admirers to huge ransom - Sport - Evening Standard
       

Hearts will hold Bolton-linked Velicka's admirers to huge ransom

Hearts have priced Andrius Velicka out of a January transfer by putting a prohibitive tag of £3.75million on the head of the Lithuanian striker.

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Sportsmail understands the Tynecastle club won't entertain outside interest in the 28-year-old striker unless a club meets that valuation.

Velicka scored the Edinburgh derby winner against Mixu Paatelainen's Hibernian on Saturday, as he took his tally for the season to 12 goals.

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Wanted man: Andrius Velicka

Bolton were linked with the Hearts striker last week and his strike rate has been excellent in the current campaign, given he has only started 13 SPL games.

Championship clubs would probably take a chance on Velicka - and scouts for a number of English clubs will doubtless be at Fir Park this evening in any event to check on Ross McCormack - but not at the price being suggested by Vladimir Romanov.

Velicka may have a key role tonight as Steve Frail seeks to boost his claims for the coaching job on a permanent basis with progress to a fifth-round home tie with Dundee.

Hearts defender Robbie Neilson believes Romanov should cut out any further deliberation and give Frail the job now.

"If Stevie can get the job full-time, it would be great. It would settle the uncertainty just now about whether he is going to be the full-time manager or not," said Neilson.

"I would be delighted if Stevie got the job. Training has returned to what we were used to in the past. Stevie was under a lot of pressure before, when he was just the coach. But he has full responsibility now, so he can do his own thing. There is no pressure on him to explain decisions made by others."

Belief in the camp had ebbed away prior to Frail's promotion from his role as assistant first-team coach but Neilson insists the weekend's much-needed win over Hibs has had a huge impact.

"I think there was a lot of pressure building up on us because of the run without a victory," added Neilson, the longest-serving player on the Tynecastle books. "To eventually get over that, I think the confidence will come back and the fans will see that we have turned the corner.

"We still have a good chance of making the top six and, hopefully, we can build on it from there. I think we have turned the corner. It's time for us to move on and look to the future."

Frail modestly insists he's not solely responsible for helping the club get back on track after two draws and the win over their city rivals.

"It's nice to hear what the players are saying but it's not about me. I have got guys who are working just as hard as me - Anatoly Korobochka, Tom Ritchie, Andy Murray, the physios and the cooks upstairs. Everyone wants this club to be successful."

Frail confirmed former right-back Alan Maybury is back training with Hearts after being told he has no future at Championship Leicester City.

The Republic of Ireland cap still has a house in the capital. "Alan is just using the facilities but I would not close any doors because he's a good player," added Frail, who has doubts over Michael Stewart for the visit to Fir Park.

Meanwhile, Hearts have offloaded striker Michal Pospisil to Belgian side Sint-Truidense. The 28-year-old, who arrived at Tynecastle in July 2005, has made little impact on the first team at Tynecastle this season and has joined his new club on a three-and-a-half-year deal.

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