Pressley- Pressure will be on Hearts

Last updated : 12 February 2010 By Team Talk

Pressley steps into the hotseat against Jim Jefferies, who signed him for Hearts almost 12 years ago but is enduring a difficult start to his second reign amid an injury crisis.

Former Hearts captain Pressley has been subjected to abuse on his recent returns to Gorgie but a run of four successive defeats, three under Jefferies, means they have more cause for concern than ex-players.

Pressley said: "I don't seem to get the best of receptions wherever I go in Scotland these days. That's part of football.

"If we go there and apply ourselves, I have no doubt we can win the game.

"We played well there earlier in the season, drew 0-0 and were very unfortunate not to win the game."

Pressley added: "Jim's an experienced manager and been through the course many times but there's no doubt they're on a little bit of a difficult run.

"Sometimes playing in front of your home support brings an additional pressure.

"We have to use that to our advantage and turn in a positive performance and get a result."

Eddie May quit Falkirk after Wednesday's 1-0 defeat by Kilmarnock returned them to the bottom of the Scottish Premier League eight days after their first win at Aberdeen in more than 50 years.

Pressley is determined to build on some of the encouraging performances by adding a winning mentality.

"If you look back at the last three months I think there has been a great deal of improvement in the side," he said.

"Just as we seem to have taken strides forward, we seem to have been set back on a number of occasions. That's been extremely disappointing.

"It's about continuing to progress and bringing a greater degree of consistency, and that's up to me to bring to the football club."

That lack of consistency prompted May to hand over the reins.

"We have improved since the start of the season," he told BBC Scotland. "It just so happens that every time we got a good opportunity, we never took it.

"I have got morals and an honesty about me to say someone else might be better."

Skipper Darren Barr felt May could have allowed himself more chances after describing his departure as a "bolt from the blue".

"Obviously I can't speak for him and if he feels that it was time to go then fair enough, but I think he could have given himself more time," Barr told Falkirk's official website.

"I think, in time, he would go on to back up my belief that he is a very good manager.

"Everyone here appreciates what he's done for the club, as a player, coach and manager.

"Eddie's a friend of mine and we go way back. He couldn't have done any more for the lads.

"We're the ones who go onto the park and didn't get the results for him. We let him down.

"He's come straight into a job when things weren't going right and it's hard to build a new team overnight.

"As players you just feel gutted, that you could have done more.

"He obviously has his reasons for going as he knows his own mind. That was, for me, one of his biggest strengths.

"Eddie always had the respect of the players because he always told it how it is."

Barr, who signed a pre-contract agreement with Hearts last month, will give the same backing to Pressley.

"It's obviously not the way Steven Pressley would have wanted to take over, but he's exactly the right guy to take charge in a situation like this," the 24-year-old added.

"Right throughout his career he's been a leader of men. He's had a big influence on the dressing room as a coach.

"He'll want to come in and get positive results and he's right - there's no way we are finished."

Source: Team Talk

Source: Team Talk