GORDON TO FACE HEARTS DISCIPLINARY

By Ronnie Esplin, PA Sport

New Hearts captain Craig Gordon confirmed he will be attending a disciplinary meeting at the Tynecastle club next week but insists he is not afraid for his place in the team.

The Scotland keeper and Paul Hartley had appeared alongside Steven Pressley on October 27 when the former Jambos skipper had revealed "significant unrest" in the Gorgie dressing room.

Pressley left Tynecastle last week after a disciplinary meeting with the club who later claimed the 33-year-old's departure to be "amicable".

Hartley was left on the bench for Saturday's 1-0 home defeat by Aberdeen after he had also been requested to attend a disciplinary meeting on Thursday.

Gordon, 23, was appointed the Gorgie club's new skipper this week but will be called in to meet the Tynecastle hierarchy with secretary of the Scottish Professional Footballers Association Fraser Wishart on Tuesday.

The Gorgie keeper said: "I have been called to a disciplinary meeting on Tuesday.

"I have no idea what will happen. Paul has been very quiet about what has happened to him, he doesn't want to discuss it with anybody.

"So I will need to go in and see what happens on the day.

"But I'm not worried. I will go in and listen to what they have to say.

"I will also have my say and see what happens from there.

"I don't know what is going to happen because no-one ever does but I don't think I will be losing my place."

Gordon revealed that Pressley had convinced him to accept the armband.

He said: "Steven convinced both Paul Hartley and me to take it if we were offered it.

"He felt that it was important that the captaincy should remain with a Scottish player so that played a big part in my thinking.

"And I will do the job to the best of my ability."

Hearts head coach Valdas Ivanauskas claimed leaving Hartley on the bench for 65 minutes was simply tactical.

He said: "It's not just about one player.

"We win as a team and we lose as a team and Paul started on the bench.

"It was a tactical decision because you need to look at the other team."

Ivanauskas refused to give any coherent analysis of his central defensive partnership of Ibrahim Tall and Jose Goncalves, who struggled in their first game together.

He said: "They tried to do a professional job.

"I don't have to explain every player and how they play, it's not my style.

"We win as a team or lose as a team and I tried to pick a winning team."

Hearts bossed the second half but with four minutes remaining Dons substitute Steve Lovell, who had replaced Lee Miller in the 78th minute, slotted the ball into the net from close range after Gordon had parried a Scott Severin drive.

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood admitted the absence of Pressley and Hartley from the Hearts side helped his side beat the Jambos and move into second spot.

Calderwood said: "I would say they are a better team when those two are playing but it is none of my business.

"I was quite happy to see Paul on the bench, he is a very good player.

"I can only comment on my own club and we have been great.

"I told my players to enjoy it while you can because you are not far from something happening and getting a kick up the backside.

"We've had a few chances to grab second place but we've blown it so we'll enjoy it for how long it lasts."

Taken from sportinglife.com