VLADIMIR Weiss has been appointed coach of Slovakia to end Hearts' chances of appointing him as their new manager. Weiss was appointed following the announcement that Jan Kocias will quit the post at the end of the month.
Weiss, 41, leaves Artmedia Bratislava, who he guided to a league and cup double last season. He also led Artmedia to the Champions League group stages in 2005, after beating Celtic in qualifying.
Hearts, who are seeking a permanent manager after
finishing last season under the caretaker charge of Stephen Frail, had identified Weiss as a suitable candidate.
However after losing out on Motherwell boss Mark McGhee, who opted to stay at Fir Park, another potential boss has slipped away from the Tynecastle club.
One man who could have unwittingly ended up taking Hearts' pre-season training this week is Neil McCann, had the lure of prolonging his playing career at Falkirk not proved too strong.
The 33-year-old former Scotland winger is looking forward to a fresh career challenge with the Bairns after agreeing a two-year deal with John Hughes' men but had been offered a coaching role at Tynecastle with his playing contract coming to an end.
"Hearts was more emphasis on coaching rather than playing so I wasn't tempted to stay in that respect, but Hearts is a club that I loved," he said.
• Dunfermline have signed striker Graham Bayne from Inverness Caledonian Thistle for an undisclosed fee on a two-year deal.
The full article contains 255 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
