United Celtic ready for Hearts encounter

Tom Boyd reckons the Celtic players have become closer as a unit following the pay row which is almost over. Celtic captain Boyd revealed yesterday the ongoing discussions over the dispute that first surfaced in August ahead of the European Champions' League qualifier with Croatia Zagreb.

A compromise was found amid a bizarre sequence of events which saw both Fergus McCann and in turn the players donate heavily to Glasgow's Yorkhill Hospital.

Matters were put in harsh perspective by a 3-1 aggregate loss to Zagreb but negotiations have continued with leading agent Paul Stretford representing the players' views.

Boyd, speaking ahead of tomorrow's televised Premier League visit to Hearts, reflected on the positive impact the issue has had on the first team squad.

He said: "It can only help you pull together if everyone is going in the same direction. We hope that can certainly help us and feel we are now starting to sort things out.

"We are not far off a solution now, but it was a difficult time because we were not playing well. If results had been better I don't think the bonuses row would have got the same publicity."

"When people were looking for something to blame our bad run of results on that was put up at the top of the list even though we continued to give 100 per cent as a side."

Boyd took an active role in the drama by acting as the spokesman for the players. He released statements and fronted a stormy news conference alongside Paul Lambert in Croatia.

Wins, prompting bonuses or otherwise, have been in short supply for Celtic for much of this term, but last week's 2-0 success over Motherwell made for the first back-to-back victories since last February.

Now Boyd is determined three-in-a-row can be achieved at Tynecastle against a Hearts team who have also struggled to maintain their standards of the previous season.

For Hearts manager Jim Jefferies the frustration at this state of affairs is obvious, but his team's home form has been impressive enough, a trend he is keen to maintain.

Both teams should welcome back their first team goalkeepers for the clash with Jonathan Gould fit again for Celtic after a knee ligament problem and Hearts' Gilles Rousset over a recent virus.

Swedish international Henrik Larsson, whose contract does not expire until the end of next season, could start discussions about a new deal with Celtic early next year.

Celtic's managing director, Fergus McCann, faxed Sheffield Wednesday earlier this season stressing the player was not available for transfer, but the Parkhead club last night made no comment about a time scale on talks.

Andrei Kanchelskis has been forced to adopt the work ethic at Ibrox and admits it has been hard going. The Russian raider's European career has seen him entertain the supporters of Manchester United, Everton and Fiorentina.

But Kanchelskis has found out since joining Rangers in the summer for £5.5 million that he is expected to dash backwards as well as forwards.

He is banking on another tough shift today when top meets bottom, with Dunfermline the visitors in the Premier League.

Rangers follow that game with a UEFA Cup match in Italy on Tuesday against, in which the score is so far locked at 1-1.

Ibrox boss Advocaat said yesterday: "After losing our last league game we need to win tomorrow. We can't afford to drop any points."

Finland striker Jonatan Johansson, whose blistering pace helped demolish Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Cup, will miss today's game and Tuesday's because he is suffering with a groin injury.

Stephane Guivarc'h is expected to replace him but is ineligible for the vital game in Italy. That means either Gordon Durie or Gabriel Amato will partner Rod Wallace in the front-line.

Dunfermline manager Bert Paton is debating whether to alter his formation after the 3-0 defeat by Kilmarnock and drop one of his three strikers in favour of a more defensive structure.

Andy Smith and Edinho are likely to start, with David Graham expected to miss out against his old club.