Jefferies admits to confusion

Jim Jefferies admitted he did not know who some of his players were after his first match back in charge of Hearts ended in defeat.

Jefferies began his second spell in the Tynecastle hotseat on Friday night, giving him less than 24 hours to prepare an injury-ravaged squad for the Clydesdale Bank Premier League game at St Johnstone. Hearts lost 1-0 after an insipid performance that was in stark contrast to the drama which saw Jefferies appointed barely two hours after Csaba Laszlo's sacking.

"You've got to put things into perspective," he said. "I've come in having not seen the team. I spent most of the time talking to the backroom staff who have worked here, saying, 'Does this boy do this? Is he good at that? Can he play here? Can he play there? We've had to patch up a side with so many injuries."

He added: "It was great to find out about boys I've never even heard of.

"There were two or three involved. I've got to be the judge of whether they're good enough or not."

Despite losing by a single goal, Hearts were well beaten today, with Saints wasting numerous chances to add to Kenny Deuchar's first SPL strike for almost two years.

Yet, Jefferies' side could have snatched a draw with the last kick of the game when substitute Gordon Smith's effort was blocked on the line.

"I learned a hell of a lot in 90 minutes today," Jefferies said.

"If we'd played from the start like we did in the last 20 minutes, where we got them on the back foot a wee bit more."