HEARTS midfielder Laryea Kingston has strenuously denied claims that he feigned injury and ignored manager Csaba Laszlo's pleas not to go away with Ghana in an elaborate bid to quit the club.
The 28-year-old, who is out of contract in summer 2010, insists he and his family love life so much in the capital that he would be more than happy to remain at Tynecastle for the rest of his career.
Ahead of tomorrow's televised lunch-time clash
with Rangers, the international has been forced to defend his decision to make an 8,000-mile round trip to Accra for last week's friendly against Tunisia even though he was injured.
Laszlo was furious Kingston travelled home when he could have stayed at Riccarton and received treatment on the thigh tear that has sidelined him since the 1-1 draw with Hibs on 19 October.
After Kingston declared himself fit for the visit of Walter Smith's side, with Hearts looking to build on their run of four straight SPL wins, he said: "All the speculation that I wanted to leave the club and that I was feigning injury is not true, that's not me. I don't want to leave this club, I like to play each and every game until the last minute.
"I have got 18 months left on my contract and I want to work with this club until the end of my career. If the club comes and speaks to me and wants me to stay, I will have nothing against it. I am happy here and my family is happy here."
Explaining the events which led to him returning to Ghana, Kingston said: "I got an invitation for the last two games for Ghana. I told them I could not go to the first friendly against South Africa because I would not be back in time to face Hibs.
"The second time around, it would have created a problem for me if I did not go. If I called off for a second time, they might think I am being disloyal. Maybe the supporters might do something crazy (to my family]."
Hearts have been dealt a double injury blow ahead of Rangers' visit.
Striker Mike Tullberg has failed in his bid to return from injury this weekend and fellow-marksman Jamie Mole is nursing a suspected broken foot.
Tullberg has made only two appearances since agreeing a season-long loan deal from Italian side Reggina in the summer and was forced to abort his latest attempt at a comeback from a ruptured thigh muscle on Sunday. The 23-year-old is now likely to be sent back home to Denmark, where he previously received treatment from Thomas Macon, the physio of his country's WBA super-middleweight boxing champion Mikkel Kessler.
It is not known when he will be back in action.
Tullberg, who sustained the problem on trial with the club during the pre-season training camp in Germany, was recruited to head Hearts' attack this season but his absence gave Mole a rare run in the team. Christian Nade's return to form and fitness has restricted the 20-year-old to substitute's appearances following his last start, in the 2-1 defeat to Kilmarnock on 4 October.
However, an enforced lay-off for the Englishman, on top of Tullberg's extended injury, would come as a severe blow.
Mole was sent for hospital scans yesterday after injuring his foot in training and Laszlo is hoping the tests reveal no serious damage. He added: "Jamie took a blow to his foot so we will see what the scans say. We are obviously hoping there is nothing more than the bruising."
