Our Heart Is In It Now

Sep 30 2007 Euan Mclean

Frail: We've Bonded Since Hell Of Last Trip To Paisley St Mirren V Hearts Today, Kick-Off 2pm Live Setanta Sports

LAST time Hearts went to Love Street there was no love lost with their squad split down the middle and the captain vowing to take the club to court.

So don't try telling Stevie Frail his side are heading to Paisley today just one defeat away from another crisis in their stuttering league campaign.

The Tynecastle atmosphere has been transformed since that dark December day when their civil war hit boiling point.

Skipper Steven Pressley had just been sacked and players' union rep Fraser Wishart stood in the main stand threatening legal action against Vladimir Romanov.

On the pitch, stand-in captain Paul Hartley's harsh, late red card sparked more chaos as keeper Craig Gordon refused to take his armband.

It was passed to Robbie Neilson but Gordon's public action fuelled belief the players saw the captaincy as a poison chalice.

Compared to then, Hearts' disappointing start to this season is a picnic and Frail insists there is much more harmony in the squad.

He said: "It seemed to be turbulent after the statement made by the three players - Pressley, Hartley and Gordon - and now none of them is at the club.

"There was a lot going on but it's important we put all that to bed and concentrate on going forward.

"Love Street is a hard place to get a result from at any time, never mind when all that is happening in the background too.

"But team spirit is there now and we have to show that by getting the win."

Frail has worked hard to unite the players since being named as assistant to Anatoly Korobochka, particularly on a team-bonding trip to Germany last season.

A jaunt to Lithuania last week appeared to have the same effect when Jambos returned to dump Rangers 4-2 with their best performance of the season.

However, Frail said: "That trip wasn't seen by us as a bonding thing, it was just to keep those not on international duty ticking over.

"It was viewed as us trying to get this team back together but that's not the case. It just seems to be highlighted more with us.

"The Germany trip last year was definitely when we set out to get the players talking and finding out about each other."

One man not present on a st month's trip was Deividas Cesnauskis who was playing for Lithuania against Scotland and the Faroe Islands.

Yet the midfielder has not kicked a ball all season for his club.

Frail's explanation is that Cesnauskis was injured against the Faroes and earlier in the campaign wasn't match fit.

But fit enough, it seems, for the national side. Which is ironic considering Lithuania boss Algimantas Liubinskas sent home four Hearts stars he deemed physically and mentally unsuitable to play in March.

Frail said: "We didn't request Cesnauskis pull out because we still thought he was fit to play - just not at the level we're looking for.

"But I was surprised they said Andrius Velicka wasn't fit last season because he was playing with us.

"I don't think Lithuania have a lot of players to choose from so that's why Cesnauskis was called up.

"He is getting treatment on his hamstring but will hopefully be back soon."