Source: Team_Talk
Jambos boss hails 'winner' Hughes
Jefferies, who had only just been appointed, made an approach to the former defender days before Hughes left Falkirk to join Celtic in August 1995.[LNB]The revelation emerged just two days before the duo are set to cross swords in an Edinburgh derby for the first time since they became managers of Hearts and Hibernian.[LNB]"I think we did make a little bit of an inquiry at the time," said Jefferies, who was full of praise for the man he managed at both Berwick Rangers and Falkirk.[LNB]"He's a winner, he's a survivor, he's come into the game late, he's worked at the bottom and he's worked his way up.[LNB]"Nobody could match the enthusiasm that he's got for the game and the determination."[LNB]Jefferies and Hughes are firm friends, despite both having supported, played for and managed their respective clubs.[LNB]But it was not always that way and Hughes could hardly have been more hostile to Jefferies' appointment as Berwick boss 22 years ago.[LNB]However, the pair quickly buried their differences and worked together successfully for most of the next seven years.[LNB]It was during that time when Jefferies' respect for Hughes' wholehearted approach really grew, the Hearts boss recalling one memorable performance from him for Falkirk 16 years ago.[LNB]"We were going for the title and it was getting down to the nitty gritty," Jefferies said. "It was a big match and we had to win it.[LNB]"We were winning 1-0 and there was only about five minutes to go. Somebody had a shot and Gordon Marshall made a great save but he couldn't hold it and the ball was running along the line.[LNB]"Somebody was ready just to tap it in and he (Hughes) threw his head down onto the goalline. He just took a gamble, the boy went to hit it into the net and it just hit his head and went over the top of the bar.[LNB]"Must be how big a head he's got or how hard it is![LNB]"He knew how much that game meant. We got promotion and that's probably the game that defined it, I think."[LNB]As well as the kudos of winning the first derby of his second spell in charge, Jefferies knows victory on Saturday could be crucial to his side's prospects of finishing in the top six of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.[LNB]St Johnstone are now just three points behind in seventh and have two games in hand, but Jefferies believes were it not for a crippling injury crisis, his side would already have secured a place in the top half.[LNB]"There's no doubt what's hampered us in the last few weeks, it's just an unbelievable injury list," said Jefferies, who will be without at least seven first-team regulars this weekend.[LNB]"We've got a lot of what are recognised as our better, stronger players on the treatment table. If we had them all available, we would probably be in the top six by now, I believe."[LNB]Those injuries may force Jefferies to rush Andrew Driver back from a troublesome knee problem, but he is wary of being stung twice after bringing back the winger too soon in last month's Co-operative Insurance Cup semi-final.[LNB]"We'll have a look at him, we'll talk to the lad, see how he feels," Jefferies said.[LNB]"We took a little chance on him in the semi-final and we've not seen him since."[LNB][LNB][LNB] Hearts v Hibernian. Click here to bet.
