THE Lithuanian sports television channel co-owned by Vladimir Romanov will begin broad- casting tomorrow with the match between Rangers and Hearts as its' first live project.
Sport1, Lithuania's first dedicated sports channel, aims to purchase rights for Scottish, English and Spanish football throughout the season as well as matches from the country's own league. Initial plans to screen Sunderland v Liverpool tomorrow ha
ve been scrapped, with resources instead spent on purchasing an international signal for the match from Ibrox.
"There are so many hidden meanings attached to Rangers v Hearts," explained Andrius Tapinas, Sport1's controller. "Andrius Velicka is a Rangers player now, they were defeated recently by FBK Kaunas and of course Hearts' ownership situation.
"There could be four or five Lithuanian players on the pitch at any one time and that is a great advert for the country's football."
Tapinas added that matches featuring Hearts and Rangers will take prominence for live broadcast in the coming months. "There are a lot of Hearts supporters in Lithuania now and we would hope to have some of them in the studio when matches are on," he said.
Meanwhile, Hearts have secured an option to make Danish striker Mike Tullberg's loan deal a permanent move.
The Edinburgh outfit negotiated a clause in the 22-year-old's contract which entitles them to first refusal should parent club Reggina choose to sell in May.
Tullberg, who will not recover from a thigh injury in time for tomorrow's trip to Ibrox, has revealed his long-term future could be at Tynecastle.
"Hearts have the option to buy me after the one-year loan. I would like to stay if possible and become a permanent player," he said. "I'm only thinking about this season but I would like to join the club on a permanent contract. I don't want to go anywhere else."
Manager Csaba Laszlo warned the player – who has three years left on his Reggina contract – would have to impress before Hearts exercised their option to buy him.
"Before we buy somebody, he must show us his best performances," Laszlo said.
"If Mike gives us good performances, he can have a very nice time in Edinburgh but, for someone to sign for this club he must give his best. It's important for Mike to be hungry and show everybody he wants to be here before we buy him."
David Obua will also not make his debut at Ibrox, Laszlo confirmed. The Uganda international became the Hearts manager's first signing when he was granted a work permit last week. But the club are still working with the Foreign Office to complete paperwork, meaning the 24-year-old former Kaiser Chiefs midfielder will not be ready for Ibrox.
"There is no rush for David," Laszlo told Hearts News. "He has a 10-hour flight to get here and probably won't be here until Friday so won't be playing against Rangers. He has four years to show what he can do for Hearts so there is no point in putting pressure on him to play."
Goalkeeper Janos Balogh has returned to Hungary with no decision made on any move to Hearts. The 25-year-old had been hoping to clinch a loan deal, but the Debrecen shot-stopper flew back to Budapest yesterday.
The full article contains 553 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
