Stendel set for a German reunion

HEARTS boss Daniel Stendel is set to appoint Hannover 96 coach Jorg Sievers as his assistant manager. Sievers is expected to leave his post as goalkeeping coach with the German second-tier side, a position he has held since 2003, after being given permission to begin talks with the Gorgie club. The pair were team-mates at Hannover and also worked together during Stendel’s spell in charge of Die Roten. The new Tynecastle boss had initially been keen to recruit his assistants from Barnsley, Chris Stern and Dale Tonge, but contractual issues with the Yorkshire club deterred Hearts. Barnsley insist they will attempt to gain compensation for Stendel (right), who was sacked by the Oakwell club in October, but Hearts argue that those claims are ‘entirely without merit’.

Stendel has been working with Hearts reserve coach Andy Kirk as his assistant on a temporary basis following his arrival in the dugout last month after deciding not to use the help of existing No 2 Austin MacPhee or first-team coaches Jon Daly and Liam Fox. Daly departed the club on New Year’s Day, while MacPhee has taken on an informal role behind the scenes — in the recruitment department. The arrival of Sievers will boost Stendel’s attempts to lead the Premiership’s bottom club to safety. Hearts, seeking Stendel’s first win, return from the winter break on January 18 with a home tie against Airdrie in the Scottish Cup, before league clashes with Ross County in Dingwall and Rangers at home.