 Rudi Skacel is confident Hearts can improve next season - but the midfielder knows that here is still much to do this season to prevent this seasons efforts do not fizzle out. Despite losing to fourth-placed Kilmarnock at the weekend, Hearts are still sitting 13 points ahead in third place in the league. Manager Jim Jefferies is already planning for next season and the next transfer window may well see him bringing midfielder Mehdi Taouil from Kilmarnock on a Bosman transfer. Jefferies will be heading to Lithuania at the weekend to visit owner Vladimir Romanov for talks about other transfer targets. Skacel, who is confident of shaking off an Achilles problem to face Dundee United at Tannadice tomorrow, feels young players like David Templeton and Craig Thomson can hit even greater heights next season under the right tutors. The Czech Republic international said: "We have a young squad and so many are playing their first season, they can definitely improve and Hearts can be stronger next season." Skacel was part of the last Hearts team to win a trophy, playing in the 2006 Scottish Cup final win over Gretna, but he did not want to get drawn into making comparisons between the two Hearts sides he has played in. He said: "I don't want to compare the teams, you can't compare the teams. We had great players, experienced players and at this point you can't compare them. There is still a big difference. I don't think these young guys know what happened here five or six years ago, they can't imagine the atmosphere after the Scottish Cup. It's past, it's a nice history for Hearts but we have to look forward. We have a young team and have to help this young team to grow. I believe next season can be better because we are out of the Scottish Cup, it was a big disappointment because it was the chance to go to the semi-final or final." Skacel agreed a deal until the end of the season when he rejoined Hearts in September, but there was an option for another 12 months and he will soon hold talks over his future. He went on: "I feel young as well, so I am glad I am part of this family! We have to finish the job, I will focus on the next couple of games and we will wait and see what happens." Beating United, who are 15 points behind with one game in hand, would go a long way to securing a top-three finish for the Jambos. However, Skacel has warned Hearts must rediscover their form after taking one point from games against Aberdeen and Kilmarnock. The former Southampton player said: "We should be feeling confident and under no pressure but we didn't play very well in the last couple of games and we have to change something and play better football and bring back three points. It's not the end of the season. So far I have enjoyed it but we're not playing the way we were earlier in the season. We have to show the attitude and fight as we did before. We have a young squad, you can't expect to play the same football all season, but we have to try our best." |