WHILE tomorrow's Scottish Cup semi-final between Hearts and Hibs has been framed by a fierce debate over the choice of venue not many of those declaring themselves miffed at having to travel to Glasgow will have a nine hour round trip to endure.

This is the fate awaiting the parents of Hearts defender Jose Goncalves as they seek to find a television showing the match. There is no assurance their son will even participate in the game although the Portuguese player's performance last week against Falkirk - when he deputised for Andy Webster in central defence - earned him rave reviews.
7 Wonders

All caretaker head-coach Valdas Ivanauskas would say on the matter yesterday is that Goncalves is definitely in the squad for tomorrow's game, leaving his family to travel from their present base in Lausanne to their friends' house near the Italian resort of Lake Como more in hope than anticipation.

"They are going especially for the game," explained Goncalves. "In Switzerland you don't have Sky, only Canal Plus. It is a four-and-a-half hour drive from Lausanne to Como.

"When they get there they will need to drink some coffee, and then maybe some champagne if we win."

The bubbly might be opened should Goncalves even so much as take to the field, so relieved will his parents be to see their son in action after a frustrating start to his Tynecastle career.

"I don't know if I will play or not," said Goncalves, although he did admit that the change of coach last week after Graham Rix was sacked has done his chances little harm.

Under Rix, the man who signed him in January from FC Toun, he made only one start in two months, while already he has been given ample chance by Ivanauskas to stake a claim. Goncalves played the duration of last week's victory at Falkirk, and gave Ivanauskas a selection problem ahead of tomorrow with a man of the match performance.

"Yes, I think it was good [that the coach changed] because sometimes you play all the time with the same players.

"You don't know if another player can play certain positions and so some players aren't given a chance. Sometimes a player can play in a variety of positions."

Goncalves is certainly one of those having already appeared at centre-half and left-back for Hearts. There has also been some suggestion he might be asked to fill Julien Brellier's holding role in midfield at Hampden tomorrow, with the Frenchman suspended.

If so, he is unlikely to be fazed by the big occasion. Goncalves has already appeared in the Champions League for FC Toun this season, and was asked to cope with the speed of Thierry Henry.

This marking job at least puts him in good stead to deal with Hibs' own little buzzbomb in the shape of winger Ivan Sproule.

"He is a similar player," said Goncalves, if a little generously. "He is fast, and works all the time, like Henry.

"I don't know if the coach might want me to play against him because I am fast."

Should Goncalves feature he will need to tread carefully as he is the only Hearts player likely to appear tomorrow who has already been booked in the competition.

"Another booking would rule him out of the final should Hearts get there.

He said he was aware of this, but added that no footballer can expect to play to his full potential should he allow himself to be inhibited by fear.

These were words for the caretaker head-coach to hear but then Ivanauskas, one suspects, has already selected his starting XI.

One hopes for the Goncalves' sake that Jose is asked to perform, and their journey across the Alps is not a wasted one.

Taken from the Scotsman