ANDRIUS IS GUTTED BUT THE BEST WAY TO SHUT EVERYONE UP IS STICKING ONE IN THE NET AT IBROX

HEARTS keeper Craig Gordon has ordered Andrius Velicka to shoot down Rangers and stick two fingers up at the critics who have branded him a conman.

The Jambos have followed SPL rivals Celtic in adopting the huddle as part of their pre-match routine. And they closed ranks behind Velicka yesterday to such an extent that referee Charlie Richmond might struggle to prise them apart before kick-off at Ibrox this afternoon.

Scotland No.1 Gordon has made some stunning stops this season but his leap to defend the Lithuanian striker was up there with his best.

His arguments may have rung a little hollow in some ears - those belonging to Darren Barr, John Hughes and Billy Brown for starters - and there was something downright depressing in his admission the SPL is a Shangri-La for soccer shysters.

But if the skipper's anger and passion is matched today by his team-mates against Rangers then Hearts will be back on course for the Champions League next season.

Gordon was joined in his support of Velicka by boss Valdas Ivanauskas, who insists his countryman is not a cheat and raged at rival managers who have been quick to condemn his player and his club this week.

The keeper said: "Andrius has been quiet about the situation in the past few days but I know he has taken in everything that has been said. He is not happy but the best way to deal with it is to stick one in the back of the net at Ibrox and shut everyone up.

"Everyone has been focusing on Andrius and saying he chucks himself about but Hearts have had only one penalty this season.

"If we had players throwing themselves all over the place we'd have been awarded an awful lot more, so criticism levelled at him is harsh.

"He is a physical striker who enjoys a physical battle and if you look over the games he has played for Hearts then that (diving) is not something of which he can be accused."

Gordon admits the SFA's decision to rescind Barr's red card from last weekend's Tynecastle fixture and replace it with a yellow was correct.

However, he reckons the Falkirk defender only had himself to blame for drawing the attention of ref Steve Conroy to the second-half flashpoint in the first place.

He also accused critics of the current Hearts side, such as Killie No.2 Brown, of trying to place undue pressure on referees to clamp down on the Jambos in a bid to boost their own team's chances against the Gorgie club.

Gordon added: "I haven't seen the incident again on television but if the SFA had a chance to look at it and decided it was actually a yellow-card offence then that's probably fair.

"There was no need for him (Barr) to approach Andrius in the first place and having put himself in that position he asked the referee to make a decision.

"Perhaps the red card was a little harsh but he put himself in the position where it was a possible outcome.

"Now others are saying Hearts are a diving team but they're really indulging in gamesmanship.

"If you put a lot of that talk out there, referees are going to be aware of it because they read newspapers and watch the news.

"It will be in the back of their mind they're taking charge of a team of divers when they come to Hearts and that's possibly what others want them to think."

Ivanauskas, a man who can shoot a mean glare when riled, also defended his player and told rival bosses to mind their own business.

He also warned his critics not to see diving and cheating along racial lines because no nationality can claim to be squeaky clean in the shadier arts of the sport. He said: "I say now - my player definitely did not dive. Andrius is not a diver and there was contact in a normal football situation.

"Okay, it maybe looked like a dive but this is normal and if there is a problem then it is a problem shared by foreign players and Scots.

"I've spoken with Andrius about this incident. I've known him a long time and he explained the situation very honestly and said there was contact.

"I was very surprised with the comments that have been made this week and I'm very angry with the comments that have come from other managers.

"How many penalties have we had this season? I tell you, the answer is one - and I can definitely remember four we should have been given.

"But I've never come out and said the referee was good or bad because I respect the officials, I respect the SFA and I respect everyone.

"If the referee says it's red, it's red. If it's yellow, it's yellow - these are the opinions of the referee."

It was difficult at times to remember yesterday lunchtime at Riccarton there is a game of football to be played but Hearts will not be parading new boys Laryea Kingston and Gogita Gogua.

Their deals have still to be finalised and although work permits should not be a problem, discussions are ongoing with Lokomotiv Moscow and Spartak Nilchik.

Ivanauskas said: "There is a problem with their previous clubs. It's very close but not yet 100 per cent. I hope it will be sorted in a few days at most."

It is Rangers who will be fielding their January signings and Gordon reckons Hearts can take advantage of the lack of familiarity in the centre of defence between David Weir and Ugo Ehiogu.

The keeper said: "It's a good time to get Rangers because their new players have still to settle while we've been grinding out results.

"At one stage this season it looked as if we would languish in mid-table but we've got our act together in recent weeks and emerged even stronger.

"We could go eight points behind Rangers and although that's not irretrievable we're not even thinking about it because we're going there to win.

"We're looking to peg back Rangers in second place - it's a six-point game.

"We're certainly going through there looking to win. The days of Hearts travelling to the west looking to defend and take a point are well and truly gone."

Taken from the Daily Record