UEFA Cup: Hearts head coach John Robertson insists there will be no conflict with Anatoly Byshovets when the former Russia coach takes over the role of director of football at Tynecastle.
Byshovets will become part of the hierarchy when chief executive Chris Robinson completes the sale of his stake in the club to Lithuanian banker Vladimir Romanov next month.
The ex-USSR international has travelled to Switzerland with the official Hearts' party ahead of the tie against Basel.
But, on the same day Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp quit his post after owner Milan Mandaric brought in Velimir Zajec as director of football at Fratton Park, Robertson insists he is keen to learn from Byshovets.
The Tynecastle boss said: "He (Byshovets) is a football man and his pedigree with regards to where he has worked is immense, it is fantastic. You have got to learn from these people."
Hearts are bottom of Group A with no points from their opening two games against Feyenoord and Schalke and John Robertson's plight has not been helped by selection worries. Patrick Kisnorbo and Paul Hartley are suspended, while skipper Steven Pressley is struggling with a flu bug.
Robertson is hoping the defender will still be able to play a part in the game. He said: "We want all our players available, especially the captain. He is an influential player both on and off the park, but there is nothing we can do if influenza robs us of him. There are other players who will have to come in."
Basel v Hearts Stadium St Jakob Park, 7.15
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)