Andy Driver: Paulo Sergio perfect man for Hearts’ future

HEARTS winger Andy Driver today threw his weight behind efforts to keep manager Paulo Sergio at Tynecastle next season, claiming he is the perfect man to lead the club. Sergio’s contract expires after the Scottish Cup final and, as revealed in yesterday’s Evening News, he and the Hearts board are currently involved in ongoing discussions over an extension.

A final decision on the matter is expected in June. Driver spoke out to declare that the first-team squad is fully behind Sergio and want him to stay.

The 24-year-old fell out with the Portuguese coach at the tail end of 2011 but differences have since been resolved and he is keen to continue working with him at Hearts next season. “Of course I’d be happy for him to stay,” said Driver, pictured below. “I don’t think there were too many differences between us when we fell out. I was just a bit miffed that I wasn’t playing.

“It wasn’t anything personal. It was just because I wasn’t getting a game, and not getting paid as well led to me hitting a bit of hissy fit. These things happen.

“It would be good to see the manager stay. Our record this year shows he is right for the team and the players are 100 per cent behind him. Over the course of the season, everything has really started to come together for him and for the team. It would be a shame if he didn’t stay. At the moment, everything is in doubt here – who’s staying, who’s going, everything.”

The last remaining cup final tickets for Hearts supporters were sold yesterday, meaning all 20,000 briefs for Hampden Park have now been allocated by the Tynecastle club. The last one was bought by Rena Smith of Edinburgh around 4pm yesterday afternoon.

Scotrail have announced that extra trains will be in service on cup final day to cope with the mass of fans travelling from Edinburgh to Glasgow and back. Around 11,000 extra seats are being made available, although an alcohol ban will be in place throughout the day and night.

Steve Montgomery, ScotRail’s managing director, said: “We are ready to welcome thousands of extra passengers on board for what is an extraordinary occasion.

“Our plans ensure that we will accommodate as many fans as possible. We want them to have a great day out at Hampden, the first time the teams have met in a Scottish Cup final since 1896.”