WHILE it is true that an exhilarating derby in front of more than 50, 000 is a far from new experience for Valdas Ivanauskas there must be some concern that a game being billed as the biggest between Hearts and Hibernian in over 100 years comes so soon in his time in charge at Tynecastle.

Although only a temporary inhabitant of the hot-seat Ivanaukas is the man trusted with leading his team out at Hampden Park tomorrow. The atmosphere will be red-hot, but nothing he hasn't already encountered when a powerful striker with SV Hamburg in games against their Bundesliga rivals St Pauli.

"There were 60,000 there, and the fans talked about it all week, as did the media," he explained yesterday, perhaps making a subtle point to reporters who have written of little else but this now imminent "Derby of the Decade" for over a month.

He remained a composed customer yesterday as he contemplated the match ahead. Ivanauskas had the presence of mind to shift training to a midday start, in order to seek to replicate the unusual circumstance they will find themselves in on Sunday, with the match kicking off at 12.15pm due to television demands.

It meant the usual pre-match briefing was itself put back to mid-afternoon, with Ivanauskas having also conducted a video session show-casing past Hibs matches for the benefit of his players.

The Lithuanian appears to have left nothing to chance and was cute enough to spot immediately the good humour in one reporter's remark that in Scotland it is tradition to name your team ahead of a cup semi-final.

All Ivanauskas was giving away was the fact Neil McCann had injured himself again in training on Thursday, and was thus now out of a squad to which he had only just returned.

"He has had a scan and we are still awaiting the result," said Ivanauskas. "It is a shame. He is a very experienced player and we need him. Neil won the cup here in 1998, and he knows well this kind of situation. He has been to finals as well as semi-finals. He is a good, experienced player who helps the young boys when he is in the team."

That Ivanauskas is alert to the history of the Gorgie club perhaps illustrates he has been doing more than simply keeping major shareholder Vladimir Romanov abreast of the day-today goings on at Hearts since arriving last season.

He is deeply aware, too, of the status granted the cup in Scotland, and how it can rescue the poorest of seasons. Not that Hearts are experiencing one of those, but he was asked what he thought might be most cherished by the fans - a cup win, or a Champions League place.

The belly laugh he expelled clearly indicated he was wise to a question that would have been easy to answer on the continent.

This, though, is Scotland, and success in the cup represents not only a place in history, but also a chance to lord it over jealous rivals.

"I know the situation now and how important it is to our supporters," pointed out Ivanauskas. "Both the Champions League and the cup are important, but, for now, the most important thing is Sunday.

"I have learned how important the cup is in Scotland, and how important it is to the Hearts supporters. I understand the situation - it is different to what I knew with FBK Kaunas, and in Germany."

The semi-final is further magnified by the small matter of their opponent's identity. Although only one game into his spell as head-coach Ivanauskas, intriguingly, can already recall a battle of wits with Tony Mowbray. Ivanauskas was in charge of when FK Vetra were drawn against Hibs in the Intertoto Cup in June 2004. If omens can have any place in a first semi-final meeting between the clubs since 1901 then Ivanauskas is at least able to offer one.

The Lithuanian team defeated Hibs over two legs, triumphing 1-0 at home after drawing 1-1 at Easter Road. Not surprisingly, Ivanauskas offered something approaching a snort to a suggestion this might impact on events in Glasgow.

"That was two years ago," he said. "It was a difficult time for both clubs. It was Tony's first match as manager, and over two legs. It will be much different on Sunday."

Both teams will have to deal with the loss of key performers. Julien Brellier is suspended for Hearts, as is Roman Bednar. Derek Riordan is absent from Hibs for the same reason, while Garry O'Connor will be seeking a bar in Moscow with access to Sky following his transfer to Lokomotiv Moscow.

"We are both without players," replied Ivanauskas when asked whether Hibs will be greater weakened by the loss of their first choice strike-pairing. "A plus for us is that we have a big squad. But I have every respect for Hibs, and Tony. It is a semi-final. Every player is dangerous."

Ivanauskas was characteristically vague about how much contact there had been between himself and Romanov this week. He had spoken to him, he was able to confirm. "He wished me good luck with the team," said Ivanauskas, another gloriously mischievous glint in his eye.

Taken from the Scotsman