Captain Craig says massive task awaits Jam Tarts

NEW skipper Craig Gordon admitted today that he faces a mammoth task if he is to turn Hearts' season around.

The Tynecastle side slipped to fifth in the table after Saturday's defeat to Aberdeen, a late strike from Steve Lovell earning the Dons all three points.

Gordon was named the club's new captain last week after Steven Pressley's war of words with owner Vladimir Romanov resulted in him being released.

The 23-year-old took up his new role for the first time against Jimmy Calderwood's side and immediately set his sights on emulating Hearts' second-place finish from last season but conceded: "It's a massive task and a very difficult one. I'll give it my very best shot and do the best I can for the club and all the players. That's all I can say really.

"Hopefully, I can help resurrect our season and get us pushing towards the top of the league again."

Gordon revealed that he accepted the armband after a discussion with former skipper Steven Pressley, who was released by the club last week: "I spoke with Steven before I was offered the captaincy," he added. "Myself, Steven and Paul had spoken about the possibility of one of us being offered the captaincy and if we should take it. Steven convinced both of us that whoever was offered it should take it. He believed the captain should remain a Scot and wanted one of us to take it."

Gordon faces a disciplinary meeting of his own with club bosses tomorrow morning as a result of his public backing for Pressley's statement which revealed there was significant unrest in the Tynecastle dressing-room.

Pressley's decision to go public with his frustration at the way the club was being run cost him his place in the side and his Hearts career, while Paul Hartley was left on the bench on Saturday following a similar meeting on Thursday.

However, Gordon insists he is not overly concerned by what the outcome of his own meeting will be: "I have been called to a meeting but I have no idea what will happen. Paul has been very quiet about what happened at his, so I'll just go in and see what happens on the day. I'm not worried, it's something that they [the club] see as the right way to go and I'll go in and listen to what they say.

"I'll have my say and we'll see what happens from there. I don't know what's going to happen because nobody ever does. I don't think I'll be losing my place over whatever was said. I'll just concentrate on myself this week and see what happens."

Hearts' European hopes suffered a blow on Saturday as they were leapfrogged by Kilmarnock into fourth and now find themselves seven points behind second-placed Aberdeen.

Gordon was disappointed at the manner in which Hearts lost Lovell's 87th-minute winner but admitted they only had themselves to blame for dropping a vital three points. "We don't like losing games at Tynecastle but we paid the penalty for not taking our chances. We had chances to win the game and then we went and switched off at a throw-in, which has eventually cost us a goal. It's a very simple mistake to make and a stupid one."

Taken from the Scotsman