Youth to the fore as old friends reunited

John Collins threads the word into the conversation as naturally as he used to guide passes through midfield. His playing career took him around Europe and to a World Cup with Scotland, and there will be those who would be pleased to see the Livingston director of football reprise his former role when the Irn-Bru First Division club tonight alight at Tynecastle to take on Hearts in the Scottish Communities League Cup third round.

One of them will be Collins. His role at Livingston will constrict him to a place in the stand, but there will be a slight regret that he will not be able to unbutton his shirt to reveal a Livingston jersey and trot on to the pitch should the club find themselves in distress. His prior affiliation with Hibernian – the club he managed to League Cup success in 2007 – will also make Tynecastle a tempting arena in which to make a notable appearance.

Collins is not cut off from the Livingston players, though, despite the physical gap between them. The former Scotland internationalist assessed his club's hopes of an upset with an almost breathless enthusiasm and spoke about the challenge facing the players as if he were facing up to Hearts with them.

"We're a team full of young players, so we've got to look forward to going to an excellent venue," said Collins, whose Hibs side defeated Hearts en route to their cup win five years ago. "We're playing against the big boys and hopefully there will be a decent crowd there. This competition holds wonderful memories for me and Tynecastle was the semi-final venue when we had a tough game and extra time against St Johnstone, and won.

"I like Tynecastle as a venue, it's a terrific little stadium. The stands are at a great angle, right on top of you, and the fans are right on top of you, and it sets it up nicely for the boys. I only wish I was out on the pitch. I won't be in the dugout either, I'm always up in the stand. The manager and the coaches will be in the dugout but I'll be up in the stand kicking every ball as usual."

And another former Hibs manager will also command attention at Tynecastle tonight.

John Hughes helped nurse Darren Barr through his formative years as a defender at Falkirk and – having reinvented himself as a midfielder at Hearts – the 27-year-old is looking forward to the chance to catch up with his former mentor, now manager at Livingston.

"Yogi was really good to work under, his ways are right and he wants to play good football," said Barr. "He demands a lot and he is a top manager. I can't say enough about the guy, he gave me my chance and all the best to him. I can't thank him enough.

"I think he would tell you himself that he can be a bit mad at times but he's got the football brain as well, and he has got a lot of people about him. It's a different scenario when the game comes, the two of us will just want to win for our respective sides."

Meanwhile, rumours continue to whirl around Tynecastle that Rudi Skacel is close to re-signing at the club. The midfielder left a comment on Twitter that he was this week to complete a deal at an unspecified club, but the fervour that has created was yesterday played down by manager John McGlynn.

"I can't comment on talks. It's at a higher level than I am," he said.

Taken from the Herald