THE Hearts players who step out at Hampden Park tomorrow will be only too conscious of their status as favourites not just to oust Hibs from the Tennent's Scottish Cup but to go on and win the trophy outright.

Those officially affiliated to Tynecastle may try to alter the public perception surrounding the all-Edinburgh semi-final by playing down their own roles but, collectively, the Hearts squad is blessed with sufficient physical presence to swing any previously-objective public opinion in their favour. Inhabitants of Leith being the exceptions, of course.

The general consensus would appear to suggest that a strong Hibs performance will be outdone by a similarly robust effort from their opponents. Predictions may have differed had Derek Riordan been free of suspension to play tomorrow or Garry O'Connor still been around Easter Road, and there is little doubting that their absences are only compounded by Scott Brown's lack of match fitness.

In an evenly-balanced confrontation, such negatives for Hibs can only amount to positives for Hearts, although the Tynecastle cause is somewhat hampered by suspensions to the influential Julien Brellier and supporters' idol Roman Bednar.

Interim head coach Valdas Ivanauskas will almost certainly deploy a teenage replacement for Bednar in the shape of Calum Elliot, who had formed a productive attacking partnership with Edgaras Jankauskas in recent weeks before dropping to the substitutes' bench.

The job of replacing Brellier would appear to be a toss-up between Slovakian international Martin Petras and the gritty Portuguese Bruno Aguiar.

As Ivanauskas pondered his selection dilemmas in front of the media at Tynecastle yesterday, he attempted to portray a humble manner in respect of his opponents. It is his job now, after the sacking of Graham Rix last week, to deflect as much pressure as possible from those he will tomorrow charge with the remit to take Hearts into their first Scottish Cup final for eight years.

"There are no favourites for this match," commented Ivanauskas, who trained his players just after lunchtime yesterday and again today in order to ready their bodyclocks for Sunday's 12.15pm kick-off. "We will rise early for our breakfast and be ready for the game. It is difficult to prepare when the game is so early but we need to adapt.

"It is difficult mentally for the guys and I think people have been harsh on us this week with all the talk about Rudi Skacel, but we will stay overnight in the hotel on Saturday and we will be well prepared."

If Hearts are to suffer from an Achilles heel tomorrow, it could be their lack of pace in defence. It is not yet certain whether the athletic Portuguese, Jose Goncalves, or Andy Webster will partner Steven Pressley in central defence, but should Ivanauskas go for the former it would likely mean two things.

Firstly, that the Lithuanian is displaying his awareness of the quick attacking options open to Hibs on the wide-open spaces of the National Stadium turf. Ivan Sproule, Steven Fletcher and recent signing Benji are all capable of leaving an unassuming opponent for dead, and Goncalves is arguably the only defender on Hearts' books who possesses a genuine turn of pace.

Secondly, it would also appear to indicate a bleak immediate future for Webster at Tynecastle. His contract concludes in the summer of 2007 and his agent has already indicated that negotiations on a new one are completely off after the Scotland internationalist was dropped for a league game at Dundee United in February.

"Jose did well last week against Falkirk and he is in the squad," is all Ivanauskas would commit, before continuing, "I recognise how big the cup is in Scotland now. It is very important, especially to the supporters. It is not like this in Lithuania or in Germany, but I have also been involved in some very big derbies in my time as a player.

"At Hamburg, the derby with St Pauli attracts 60,000 people and the media and fans are talking about it for a full week beforehand."

When Ivanauskas revealed to his players the initial semi-final squad list earlier this week, a surprise inclusion was Neil McCann, however the Scotland winger suffered an injury setback in training and has had to withdraw from making a long-awaited comeback from medial knee ligament trouble. Hearts sent the player for a scan yesterday and are now awaiting the results.

Goncalves, though, is itching within himself to be granted a pivotal role at Hampden. He stands as the only Hearts player walking the proverbial disciplinary tightrope tomorrow, when a yellow card will preclude him from the May 13 final should Hearts get there after his booking in the fourth round against Aberdeen.

Having left Switzerland, where he had lived since the age of two, in January to further his career in Edinburgh, the natural effects of homesickness appear to have been well burdened by the defender. His parents, Julio and Tomasia, his sister Sandra and nine-year-old brother Stephane have yet to make it to Scotland to see him in maroon, but the Goncalves' will be making a monumental journey of another sort tomorrow morning to see their son and brother play.

"They will travel from their home in Lausanne to Lake Como in Italy, which will take them four and a half hours, to watch the semi-final on Sky television," revealed Jose. "They would like to come to Scotland but this is the next best thing for them because Sky is not available in Switzerland.

"This is my biggest game, people have been speaking all the time about it to me and I feel I am ready. If it's 0-0 after 90 minutes and we score in the 91st minute to win 1-0 then that will do. That is football."

Evidently, Goncalves is one member of the Hearts squad who wouldn't be intimidated by a possible favourites tag for tomorrow. "We have every chance to win this game, and I think if we win it we will win the Cup."

As your average Hearts follower might say, "gaun yersel, Jose".

Taken from the Scotsman