IVANAUSKAS UP FOR HEARTS JOBS

Hearts' interim-manager Valdas Ivanauskas has declared he has the qualities to land the job on a permanent basis.

The Lithuanian steered the Tynecastle club to the final of the Tennent's Scottish Cup with a 4-0 mauling of Edinburgh rivals Hibernian at Hampden Park - and then predictably faced questions on his future.

Ivanauskas, who revealed Jose Goncalves had not broken his neck as first feared, has won two successive games since replacing sacked boss Graham Rix and is 90 minutes away from lifting the Scottish Cup.

But despite having confidence in his ability, he admits he has no clue whether Vladimir Romanov will install him full-time.

Hearts, who are ahead of Rangers in the battle for the Champions League - clinching second spot - will be looking to avoid defeat at Parkhead on Wednesday which will grant Celtic the championship.

Ivanauskas said: "I hope we can produce the same against Celtic.

"This can help us clinch a Champions League place. We will go into the next game full of confidence and we will need that there.

"I don't know about the job. I will have to take it game by game.

"If Mr Romanov sees it okay for me to stay then that will be no problem, but if he says there will be a new manager coming in then that's also no problem.

"I just want to win the next game but I have the qualities to keep this job. But I know I will need to keep getting results to stay in this job."

Paul Hartley was the toast of the national stadium after scoring his first hat-trick for the capital's top flight.

Edgaras Ivanauskas also got in on the act while Hibernian's misery was compounded with the double dismissals of Ivan Sproule and Gary Smith.

But Ivanauskas insists the partying will be put on hold until after the showpiece final with Bell's Division Two champions Gretna on May 13.

He said: "We are looking to the next game against Celtic.

"We will celebrate after the season is over and there will be no partying tonight."

Goncalves was being treated for close to 10 minutes behind the goal after colliding with Craig Gordon.

The Portuguese defender will have a scan on his injured neck but a Hearts spokesperson confirmed: "It looks like he has twisted his neck which is good news."

Skipper Steven Presley also left the pitch with a head injury but the defender is being backed to recover in time for their return to Glasgow during the week.

Ivanauskas also praised Hartley, who was the first player to score a semi-final hat-trick since Billy Dodds for Rangers against Ayr in 2000.

"Paul is a good player in every game and in every season," he added.

"That was perfect by him and it was one of the best performances I've seen from a player in one game."

Hibernian manager Tony Mowbray was without the departed Garry O'Connor as well as Derek Riordan, Michael Stewart, Chris Killen, Scott Brown, Guillaume Beuzelin, Paul Dalglish and Dean Shields.

The Englishman, who was forced to hand Abdessalam Benjelloun his debut, admitted it was a game too far for his side against free-spending Hearts.

"The can argue they were also missing a couple of their players," said Mowbray. "It's about resources.

"If you have an international replacing an international, so be it and good luck to them if they have taken that route.

"Mr Romanov has brought in quality players and quality players win football matches.

"We will keep working with them and try to produce match-winning players.

"Any given day you can get results as we did in the fourth round at Ibrox against the odds.

"You hope you can compare and do a similar thing but it was just a little too far for us today."

Sproule is facing strong words from Mowbray after seeing red by treading on the back of Saulius Mikoliunas.

"I haven't seen it yet," shrugged the Hibernian boss.

"It would be unfair of me to comment at the moment.

"If it appears to be premeditated then I will have a chat with him.

"It's disappointing to finish the game with nine men because it wasn't that sort of game."

Taken from sportinglife.com