FRONTING up at Riccarton on Monday morning would be a surreal experience for Calum Elliot. He is set to return to Hearts imbued with renewed confidence following a goal-laden spell in the First Division but conscious that it is unlikely to change the club hierarchy's mindset.
Despite his contract running until 2011, Elliot remains surplus to requirements in Gorgie. Four months, 13 games and ten goals on loan at Livingston – prior to today's encounter against Airdrie United – are not likely to dissuade Vladimir Romanov, An
atoli Korobochka or anyone else that he should be moved on.
The player is acutely aware of his predicament but will fulfil the obligations of his contract by reporting to Riccarton unless advised otherwise.
Elliot hankers after an extended stay at Almondvale but ceases being a loanee at midnight tonight.
Craig Brewster, the Inverness Caledonian Thistle manager, is also an admirer of his talents having previously attempted to lure the player north.
"Inverness is good bit away from home even though they are an SPL club. I'll need to see what happens over the next few days," said Elliot, an indication of his preference to remain close to friends and family in Edinburgh.
Agent Jim McArthur is working on the player's behalf hoping to renew the loan agreement with Livingston for a further six months. Should he fail, Elliot will have little choice other than to spend the second half of the season striving to convince Csaba Laszlo that he merits a place in the Hearts first team, where he suffered a confidence crisis last season amid criticism from supporters. Elliot said: "I know if I go back to Hearts there will always be people like that, it's part and parcel of football.
"If I managed to get a chance at Hearts there are always going to be people who maybe don't like me.
"I'll just work hard in training and hope the manager gives me the chance to play. I'm going back to Hearts with my confidence high but I just want to be playing. I'll wait to see what they decide in the next few days. I'll try to stay strong and make the best of whatever happens. I've never spoken to the manager but by all accounts he's a really nice guy.
"He's got results with Hearts and got the team playing for one another."
Livingston remain Elliot's preferred destination, at least until summer. The club's Italian consortium recently replaced manager Roberto Landi with Paul Hegarty and retain realistic aspirations of promotion to the SPL. They regard Elliot as central to those ambitions.
"We're still in negotiations with Hearts to try and get Calum until the end of the season," said Hegarty. "It's an ongoing process but we are hopeful. Hearts have been very good with us so far.
"Calum has been excellent since I've been in charge. The entire squad have shown a tremendous attitude and Calum is highly regarded here. He has played at the highest level in the SPL with Hearts and he's a very good player.
"Hearts allowed him to go on loan and he's shown his prowess during that spell with his goals. We're delighted with him, delighted Hearts let us have him and we want to try and keep him here."
Elliot is similarly enthusiastic about continuing his renaissance in the First Division.
"Although it's not the SPL it's still a decent standard," he said. "I've managed to get my form back up to where it should be. I'm not saying I deserve to go back to Hearts and play, but if I go back it might affect my confidence. I need to think about what is best.
"I've only played 13 games this season because of what happened at the start of the season (the loan was not concluded until August 26 and his first match of the season came on September 13]. There will be other players who have played 25 games. But I definitely feel I've improved as a player in the First Division."
He may be unable to change the opinions of his superiors at Hearts, but Elliot can hold his head high when re-entering Riccarton knowing he has proved a point to himself.
• MINDAUGAS NIKOLICIUS, the Lithuanian who conducted Hearts' contract negotiations on behalf of Vladimir Romanov, including the appointment of manager Csaba Laszlo, has left his position at Ukio Bankas Investment Group and is no longer involved with the Edinburgh club.
The full article contains 754 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
