Hearts head coach Wouter Vrancken expects a number of his players to be selected for Scotland's upcoming squad, but has stressed that his team's full attention is on Tuesday's Premiership match against Falkirk. The national side's new manager, Sebastien Pocognoli, will announce his first selection on the same day Hearts travel to face a Falkirk side sitting 11th in the table with just two points from five games. The standings show the full picture of a tight league where every point is key.
Vrancken told reporters he is "confident there will be a few Hearts players" included by Pocognoli, with several key performers featuring prominently in the team's statistics. He acknowledged the significance of the cup semi-final against Hibernian on the horizon, but stated the league fixture at Falkirk is the sole priority for now. "Every team can win depending on the performance on the day," Vrancken said, when asked if Celtic's exit from the competition made the cup more open.
The Hearts boss also praised Tuesday's opponents, suggesting Falkirk's high-pressing style has merited more points than their current league position reflects. He anticipates a positive reception for Calvin Miller, who joined Hearts from Falkirk in the summer, from the home supporters. "Falkirk fans would be thankful for what Calvin Miller did at Falkirk," Vrancken added.
Hearts will choose from the same group that secured a cup win over Stenhousemuir on Friday. Midfielder Tomas Magnusson was unwell but will be assessed ahead of the match, while striker JJ Williams impressed on his first start by scoring and demonstrating his link-up play. Falkirk, whose recent form reads DLLDL, will be without several players including Aidan Nesbitt and Connor McLeod. After this match, Falkirk's next league fixture is away to 12th-placed Kilmarnock on 30 December.
