Pressley stays in SPL after 'emotional' Tynecastle exit

IN THE style expected of the resolute central defender, Steven Pressley yesterday delivered the decision about his future on the day he said he would, with Celtic winning the two-way battle for the former Hearts skipper's signature.

The last-ditch, renewed offer of an 18-month deal by Celtic on Thursday proved persuasive enough for Pressley to shelve initial plans to make a return to the Premiership with Charlton Athletic, although he stressed that football rather than financial considerations were his prime motivations.

"I had a better contract offer from Charlton, a significantly better offer, but this was very much a footballing decision," he explained. "My heart was telling me to come here. I have a good relationship with Gordon [Strachan] and the coaching staff from my time at Coventry. The pull of this club was too great for me to turn down."

Ineligible for today's game against Motherwell, and also Celtic's last-16 Champions' League clash with Milan in February, Pressley is expected to make his debut on Tuesday against Kilmarnock. A return to Tynecastle in just over a fortnight's time is a particularly intriguing date on the calendar.

Pressley was unveiled at Parkhead late yesterday afternoon, the lure of European football next season edging out the uncertainty over where Charlton will compete next season. Alan Pardew's side sit in a perilous position in the Premiership, six points from safety. By agreeing to join Celtic, Pressley can not simply anticipate Champions League football next season, but all but guarantees himself a first SPL title medal. "At this stage of my career I want to win things," said Pressley. "That is no disrespect to Charlton, but at this point they are involved in a relegation battle. I just thought the prospect of winning things was too great."

The Scotland defender also enters an exclusive band of players who have donned the jerseys of both Celtic and Rangers, with Pressley, who has previously admitted his support for the Ibrox club when a boy, following in Kenny Miller's recent footsteps. Like Miller, the length of time separating his Old Firm spells means the impact has been markedly reduced. More fascinating is his imminent return to Gorgie, where he spent the last eight and-a-half-years of his career.

Pressley grew to become a revered figure at the club, and lifted the Scottish Cup last season. However, his stay ended in unsatisfactory fashion at Tynecastle after Pressley led a mini-revolt against major shareholder Vladimir Romanov and his aides. By publicly protesting about the management of the club he effectively sealed his fate. Within a month, and after just three more appearances for Hearts, he reached an "amicable agreement" to leave Tynecastle, much to the dismay of a majority of Hearts fans.

"I had looked destined to finish my career at Hearts," the 33 year-old admitted yesterday. "[But] circumstances changed, and I was forced to make a football decision. It will certainly be strange to go back there and sit in the away dressing room. But I am looking forward to the challenges ahead and I've got a lot to prove here."

He revealed that his long association with Hearts had featured in his thoughts when contemplating the straight choice between Celtic and Charlton. His trademark clenched fist salute to the Tynecastle fans was a symbol which rallied supporters, but on 14 January, in front of live television cameras, he will likely take his place in a pre-match huddle with his new Celtic team-mates. The sight might appear like a breach in nature to some Hearts fans. The thought nagged at Pressley too.

"It was a consideration," he replied, when asked about the awkward nature of this early assignment in his new colours.

"When you have spent such a long time at a football club, it is hard to go back representing another team. But my passion is football and I have been given a fantastic opportunity. It's one I relish. I hope the Hearts fans understand. It was a professional decision and it's a great honour to play at this club. I now have to concern myself with pleasing the Celtic support and I'll certainly be doing my utmost to do that.

"It was emotional. There were a number of factors involved over the past four weeks and that's why it took me so long to make a decision. I had family commitments and it took me several weeks to get over the fact that I no longer play for Hearts. I had to clear my mind and be clear what I wanted to do. Now that's happened, I'm very excited by this."

Pressley thanked those Hearts fans who had penned letters of his support since his removal from the club, but restricted himself to only passing comment on the reasons why his time at Tynecastle ended so abruptly."

"My most enjoyable times at Tynecastle were those when my sole concentration was on playing football," he said pointedly. "I'll certainly get that opportunity here.

"I still have fire in my belly," he continued, the player having kept himself fit with solitary hours of road-running back home in Fife. He last played a first team game in November, for Hearts against Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

"I still have got a lot to do in my football career," Pressley maintained. "I experienced winning silverware for the first time in eight-and-a-half years at Hearts last season and that was a wonderful moment. At this club, there is an expectation to win things on a regular basis. That very much excites me and I want to be part of that."

Strachan played alongside and also coached Pressley at Coventry over a decade ago, and he has watched his development at Dundee United and Hearts with interest. With Celtic suffering from a distinct lack of cover at centre-half, the pursuit of Pressley became a high-priority project. Bobo Balde could miss the rest of the season after breaking his leg on Boxing Day against Dundee United, and Gary Caldwell will likely miss another month with a knee injury. John Kennedy is also still some way off a comeback from his absence of almost three years.

"[Steven] has shown over the last few years he is an exceptional leader," said Strachan. "He has presence, not only on the field but in the dressing room. Our centre-halves are young, and we need a leader. Steven will be the perfect example on and off the pitch of how to deal with being a centre-half and a Celtic player."

Taken from the Scotsman