TAKIS LOVED HIS TIME AT TYNECASTLE AND WOULD NOT MIND A RETURN TO THE EDINBURGH CLUB

TAKIS FYSSAS admits that he yearns for an emotional return to Tynecastle.

A marquee signing as a flood of optimism swept Hearts in the early days of the Vladimir Romanov revolution, Fyssas joined from Benfica in 2005, just a year after winning Euro 2004 with Greece.

Now employed as the technical director of the Greek FA, Fyssas has avoided the managerial route followed by his former team-mate Robbie Neilson, who currently bosses the Edinburgh club.

But the 47-year-old would be open to return to Scotland’s capital in an administrative or coaching capacity.

‘My job now is to be a sporting director,’ he says. ‘I have done that with Panathinaikos and with Greece, so why not Hearts one day? Who knows, it would be fantastic for me one day to be a member of Hearts as a sporting director or even a member of the coaching staff.

‘I know the job very well and have great experience, so you never know. Now, I have the national team. Unfortunately, we are not in the Euros but we are working towards the World Cup.

‘But I would be open to discussions with Hearts in the future. When I came to Scotland in 2005, it was like starting my career again. I felt motivated to give more. To show personality to the fans and my team-mates.

‘I wanted to show my quality. It was two fantastic seasons. Probably I should have stayed more but this is life.’

Fyssas maintains one playing link to the current Hearts squad in goalkeeper Craig Gordon.

Together the pair lifted the Scottish Cup and helped split the Old Firm as runners-up to Celtic in the 2005-06 SPL season. The

ex-Tynecastle defender would love to see his former team-mate, now 38, represent Scotland at Euro 2020 but is just glad to see him still playing all these years later.

‘I give all my positive thoughts to Craig,’ says Fyssas — he is a fantastic goalkeeper and I wish him so much luck. I was always sure he would make a great career. He was humble, he worked very hard and even in that moment he was one of the best players in the Hearts team. He had everything needed to be a great goalkeeper.

‘He continues to prove that he is a great keeper and I’m happy to see him back with the national team for these finals.’

While Gordon vies with David Marshall for a starting spot in tomorrow’s game against the Czech Republic, Neilson is laying the groundwork for Hearts’ return to the Scottish top flight.

‘I always had a fantastic relationship with Robbie,’ adds Fyssas. ‘I visited Tynecastle when I was director of football at Panathinaikos. This was during Robbie’s first spell in charge, so it was good to see him go back to the club like Craig.’