McGlynn warns Hearts team

John McGlynn: Hoping his players are ready for the challenge of facing Liverpool

Hearts manager John McGlynn has warned his players not to be intimidated when they face Liverpool in the Europa League on Thursday.

The last time an English club visited Edinburgh to take on Hearts in the competition was just last season when Tottenham dished out a 5-0 thrashing at Tynecastle.

But the former Raith Rovers manager is determined to ensure his team are not star-struck this time around.

"That could well be what happened last year," McGlynn said. "There's a great atmosphere and occasion and before you realise it you've lost two goals.

"We don't want to just sit back and hold fort and hope it's 0-0. But if tomorrow night it's Liverpool nil then we'll be in with a chance in the second leg."
John McGlynn Quotes of the week

"That's the difficulty so we've got to get across that we don't get caught up in the hype, really focus on the job.

"The noise is going to be great so when you're talking to your team-mates, you have to make sure the information gets through."

Nervous

"We need to make sure we make it difficult for Liverpool and make them a bit nervous.

"We have to strike a balance between not being too cavalier but at the same time causing them a threat. We have to be very much switched on for the 90 minutes.

"There will be a great atmosphere but we have to make sure we don't get caught up and are playing the game rather than the occasion.

"We've got a lot of young players so our concentration levels have to be massive.

"We have got to have flair players who can go at them and take them on.

"We don't want to just sit back and hold fort and hope it's 0-0. But if tomorrow night it's Liverpool nil then we'll be in with a chance in the second leg.

"But we'll have to have players on the park who cause one or two problems for them."

Goalkeeper

McGlynn is hoping to include Jamie MacDonald in the squad after the goalkeeper became a father on Wednesday afternoon.

MacDonald's partner delivered a baby girl on Wednesday afternoon with the club reporting that both mother and the healthy baby were doing well.

The first-choice goalkeeper's place for the play-off first leg was earlier in doubt after his partner was admitted to hospital at 4am on Wednesday morning, with Peter Enckelman put on standby.

But MacDonald could now retain his place. McGlynn told Hearts News on Wednesday: "I'm delighted for Jamie and his partner and all of his family.

"I'll be speaking to Jamie later tonight on my way back from the Morton v Aberdeen game to see how he is.

"We just need to play it by ear and see, when the baby does arrive, how Jamie is feeling, and then make a decision."