Strikers must earn place - Ivanauskas

HEARTS head coach Valdas Ivanauskas has welcomed the increased competition brought by having nine forwards in his squad, insisting that any striker labouring in a sense of security will be quickly dropped.

The Lithuanian has seen his attacking pack swell since the transfer window opened, with Arkadiusz Klimek arriving on loan from Vladimir Romanov-sponsored FBK Kaunas.

The addition of the Pole brought the number of strikers in Hearts' first-team squad to nine, although Jamie Mole and Juho Makela are certain to leave on six-month loan deals next week.

That would leave Ivanauskas with Klimek, Roman Bednar, Edgaras Jankauskas, Andrius Velicka, Calum Elliot, Michal Pospisil and Mauricio Pinilla to contend the striking berths.

"If I see players outside training thinking they will play regularly then it is not for me, you must work hard," said Ivanauskas. "It's not a challenge for me because we have plenty strikers in the squad. Every forward must be working hard for his place in the first team.

"We have a lot of strikers but some are injured [Jankauskas and Pinilla]. I am looking for my best eleven but injuries are making it difficult."

Klimek scored the only goal of a midweek bounce match with Livingston but was not included in Ivanauskas' squad for today's SPL meeting with Falkirk.

"He is not ready now. He needs more fitness," the Lithuanian continued. "He did well in the small game he played last Tuesday but his fitness needs work."

Romanov continues his diligent background work in trying to broker contracts for trialists Gogita Gogua and Laryea Kingston, with next week being a realistic target for concluding negotiations.

Ivanauskas said: "Kingston and Gogua are discussing contract details with us but it's difficult Fulham boss slams Gordon price tag to say what progress is being made at the moment. Contracts are being sorted so we are waiting."

Negotiations with Serbian midfielder Ognjen Koroman are also ongoing.

Ivanauskas reiterated his desire to keep goalkeeper Craig Gordon at Tynecastle, as the Evening News revealed on Thursday. "He has a contract with Hearts and he is a very important player. Fulham are a big club but he must stay at this club. He will stay in January." Fulham boss Chris Coleman hit out at the club's valuation of the player, saying: "He's a good goalkeeper but apparently the price up there is £10million, which would mean he is the most expensive Scottish keeper. He must be made of gold."

Taken from the Scotsman