Source: FOOTYMAD
Jefferies Not Ready For Move Upstairs
Jim Jefferies still thinks he has what it takes to be a manager Jim Jefferies wants to stay in management despite his rather unfortunately timed dismissal from Hearts. After sleeping on the offer to take up a new Director of Football post from Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov, he decided the post was not for him just now. Former Sporting Lisbon boss Paulo Sergio was confirmed as his successor, becoming Hearts' 11th manager in Romanov's near seven-year tenure at Tynecastle. Jefferies led Hearts to third place in the SPL last term, but the club are without a win in 11 games. Jefferies said: "Mr Romanov never put me under any pressure to win the league. I knew what the strategy was and I tried to carry it out to the best of my ability. They were pleased with a lot of things I did at the club, and that's why they offered me the position (of director of football). It was just maybe too soon having just gone from saying they didn't want me to that situation. You can understand why I felt a little bit uncomfortable. It's a tough job. It gets tougher. We just have to accept that and move on. It doesn't dampen you're enthusiasm to want to remain in it and that was probably one of the reasons I didn't take up the position of director of football." Sergio's first game in charge will be Thursday's Europa League third qualifying round second-leg game with Paks. Jefferies was in charge of last week's 1-1 first leg in Hungary and wished the team well. Jefferies went on: "I'm a Hearts man, I've got a great affiliation with the club, supported, played and managed on two occasions. I want the players to do extremely well, I want the new manager to succeed and for the club to go on and do well. It's a little bit disappointing not to be there on Thursday having been there for the first leg and put a lot of work into it, but I'm really hoping that they get through. They've got to now knuckle down - they're professional football players - and do the best they can. They're at a great club and hopefully they can go on and get through to the next round. The main target is to try and qualify for that Europa League and nothing else, no distraction, should go against that." Jefferies and his assistant Billy Brown received backing from Scotland manager Craig Levein and Peter Houston, who is Scotland assistant manager and manager of Dundee United. Levein, who was in charge at Hearts before departing soon before Romanov took control, said: "I think Jim's a great manager and he brought a level of stability back to Hearts. I don't own a football club, I don't make the decisions at Hearts, but it's a disappointment for me that we've lost another good manager after a short period of time when he doesn't have enough time to put his ideas into practice. It's unfortunate. You wonder whether we should just advertise for temps rather than permanent managers." Houston added: "I think it's nothing short of disgraceful. I think he's started the season well. It's a sad state of affairs that two very, very talented coaches are out of a job simply because of the guy up top."
