Source: Team_Talk
Hearts rule out Goncalves recall
New Jambos boss Jefferies defended his zero-tolerance policy with the wantaway 24-year-old, insisting he was not guilty of double standards by continuing to play captain Michael Stewart and striker Christian Nade, even though both are also free agents this summer.[LNB]And despite the club's injury crisis deepening, especially in defence, Jefferies insisted he would not pick Goncalves on principle.[LNB]"Am I better to go for a player who wants to play for the club or somebody who convinces me that he doesn't want to be here?" said the visibly-irked Hearts boss, who takes his side to Celtic in the SPL on Wednesday night.[LNB]"If he walked in the door this morning and said 'I'll sign', he'd be in my plans tomorrow."[LNB]Jefferies revealed he had yet to decide whether he wanted to keep Stewart and Nade, adding: "Other boys are out of contract but I've not made any decision about them.[LNB]"I've seen Jose Goncalves play and he's a good young player.[LNB]"I've had four meetings in two days and in those four meetings I'm sitting talking to Jose, looking at him, listening to him, getting the vibes that for some reason before I came here he refused the contract.[LNB]"Why does he not want to stay at the club? Because he's been made a great, great offer to stay at this football club.[LNB]"If he doesn't want to do that, it tells you he doesn't want to play."[LNB]Jefferies added: "I saw some paper reports say he'd been offered less (money) - it's absolute nonsense.[LNB]"He has been made one fantastic offer to stay at this club, let me tell you that."[LNB]Jefferies claimed even one of Goncalves' agents, former Hearts star Darren Jackson, could not believe the defender had rejected the contract on the table.[LNB]And the Jambos boss - who was today hoping to tie up deals for long-time assistant Billy Brown and coach Gary Locke - has not given up hope of convincing Goncalves to sign on.[LNB]He added: "I'm going to still try, while he's here, to do that and hopefully I can.[LNB]"If he wants to stay at Hearts Football Club, you should ask him the question 'Why are you not signing a really good deal to stay at the club?'.[LNB]"He's putting himself out the game, not Jim Jefferies."[LNB]Goncalves has been repeatedly linked with a move to Celtic, revealing last year he was flattered by reports of their interest.[LNB]Jefferies said: "Maybe the boy thinks he can get a hell of a lot more (money) elsewhere but why did somebody not come in for him in the transfer window?"[LNB]Jefferies insisted the Goncalves situation was different to that of Paul Ritchie towards the end of his first spell in charge at Tynecastle.[LNB]Ritchie eventually left for Rangers on a free transfer in the summer of 2000 after a spell on loan, but no transfer window was then in operation.[LNB]Meanwhile, Jefferies gave his backing to under-fire Celtic boss Tony Mowbray and revealed he was looking forward to tackling loan star Robbie Keane.[LNB]Also relishing the prospect is new signing Ryan Stevenson, who joined Hearts from Ayr on transfer deadline day.[LNB]The former Chelsea trainee said: "I think what he's done for Scottish football in the past week has been unbelievable, the hype that surrounds him.[LNB]"Coming up here for the short term is only going to benefit Scottish football."[LNB]Keane was upstaged by fellow new signing Chris Maguire on his debut at Kilmarnock last week.[LNB]And asked if he could spoil the Republic of Ireland international's home bow tomorrow, Stevenson said: "I'm just trying to show the Hearts fans that the manager's made the right choice picking me."[LNB][LNB][LNB]
