Jim Jefferies admits homesick Bristol City player Paul Hartley is the type of midfielder he is looking to bring to Hearts - but the Tynecastle boss has other contenders for the role. Hartley is keen to leave the npower Championship club after being left out of their pre-season tour of Sweden following talks with manager Steve Coppell. The 33-year-old, who signed a two-year deal with the Robins last summer, wants to come back to Scotland and has already said he would be happy if Hearts were to be the club he returned to play for. However, Jefferies is also said to be interested in Kilmarnock's Craig Bryson as he seeks a midfielder who can also provide some goals. Jefferies does not want to allow sentimentality cloud his judgement and and is keen to look at the bigger picture before making any moves. Hartley scored 38 goals for Hearts before moving to Celtic in January 2007 and Jefferies believes he can still perform an attacking role despite being utilised in a deeper position at Parkhead.
Jefferies said: "I know all about Paul's situation. We're not going to say whether a deal will be done quickly or not. We just hope that some of the enquiries that we have made, not just for Paul, but other players, that we see where we'll stand and we'll make our moves then when we know the positions for everybody. You can have plenty of midfield players but it's not midfield players of the same type you want. It's something that little bit different. We might have two or three who can get about the midfield and sit and pass it, or get it back. I don't think we have too many who can get beyond. It's got to be someone of that type. Paul Hartley used to do that when he played here and he was a danger. When he went to Celtic and even with Scotland, he was asked to do a more sitting role. We're well aware of what he can do but there are others in the frame and other enquiries that we've made that we'll not say anything about until we find out if it's possible. If it's not possible, we'll find out who is and will decide if it's the right move for us, both financially and team-wise."
Coppell is sympathetic to Hartley's wish to return to Scotland after the midfielder asked for a move. Coppell said: "His family are up in the Scotland and he was back and forth to see them all last season. He is homesick and, in an ideal world, he'd be playing his football in Scotland. That's his point of view and I respect that. He had a very good year for this club last season, but it's asking a lot for him to be making that journey over and over again for another season. I'm anticipating that he won't be here. I think he's too good a player not to be picked up by a club north of the border."
Jim Jefferies admits homesick Bristol City player Paul Hartley is the type of midfielder he is looking to bring to Hearts - but the Tynecastle boss has other contenders for the role. Hartley is keen to leave the npower Championship club after being left out of their pre-season tour of Sweden following talks with manager Steve Coppell. The 33-year-old, who signed a two-year deal with the Robins last summer, wants to come back to Scotland and has already said he would be happy if Hearts were to be the club he returned to play for. However, Jefferies is also said to be interested in Kilmarnock's Craig Bryson as he seeks a midfielder who can also provide some goals. Jefferies does not want to allow sentimentality cloud his judgement and and is keen to look at the bigger picture before making any moves. Hartley scored 38 goals for Hearts before moving to Celtic in January 2007 and Jefferies believes he can still perform an attacking role despite being utilised in a deeper position at Parkhead.