Centre backs next season

[dynamite foxes]

Kisnorbo will be one I think. maybe Lee Wilkie anyone else got any good ideas?

[Babylon]

I will be amazed if Kisnorbo is any more than a bench warmer. And considering Lee Wilkie has already turned us down and signed a new contract i very much doubt it.

[Simon]

Also isnt Kisnorbo more of a midfielder anyway?

[davieG]

From Melbourne fox off another forum:

(ps note the date)

Thought this old article (October) from a Melbourne paper might be of interest. I've chatted with the journo who wrote it and he thinks of Kisnorbo as a cultured defender who's comfortable on the ball but too small to play centre back. Apparently he collects the odd red card too.

Patrick Kisnorbo might not have been part of the Socceroo squad that demolished the Solomon Islands in the Oceania championship final this week, but the Heart of Midlothian player has not given up hope of a recall to the national colours.

Kisnorbo, who has played as a defender and midfielder in the Scottish Premier League for the past two seasons since leaving South Melbourne, was omitted from coach Frank Farina's squad for those two games despite having been part of the group that did duty during the Oceania and World Cup qualifiers in Adelaide in June.

His failure to tour Switzerland immediately afterwards with the Olyroo squad probably cost him his place in the Athens Olympic team.

It may have also been a factor in the decision to leave him out here, when another young defender-midfielder who did play in Athens, Jon McKain, was preferred.

Kisnorbo was in Australia, taking advantage of the two-week international break to catch up with family and do promotional work for an apparel company, while his teammates flew to Honiara. He admitted that rather than have the time to relax he would have preferred to be on the plane.

"I would love to have been part of the Socceroos games, but this just makes me more determined to get back in now," he said. "I am still committed. He (Farina) should know that. I have always tried to make myself available and I am always willing to do that.

"I couldn't go and play on the Swiss tour after those Adelaide matches because I was injured. The Australian fitness coaches said I wasn't fit, but Frank still wanted me to go. Instead I went back to Hearts.

"I didn't do any pre-season, I couldn't train, but I wanted to get rested and recovered to be ready for the start of the SPL season. I have no regrets about that decision, because I am playing week in and week out in the SPL, but I would like to try to play at the highest levels and in internationals as well."

Kisnorbo copped his share of the blame for the astonishing 2-2 draw with the Solomons in the last group game at Hindmarsh Stadium in June.

It was his second-half dismissal (when Australia was leading 2-1) that left the team a man down and helped the Solomons get back on level terms. He regrets the red card, but points out that no player goes out to get sent off.

Known as a centre-back when in the National Soccer League, Hearts coach Craig Levein has converted the 23-year-old into a holding midfielder, a role he says he is happy to take. "The boss didn't want me as a centre-back in Scotland because I am not nine feet tall like the others," Kisnorbo added jokingly.

"I am enjoying it and getting more of the ball. My distribution is a lot better and I have worked a lot on other parts of my game. In training I just try to sit in front of the defence, imagine I am in a game situation, playing the ball out."

He has also developed the knack of popping up to score important goals, none more so than in the UEFA Cup tie at Tynecastle against Portuguese side Sporting Braga.

Hearts eventually came through the away leg, and now go into the group phase of the UEFA Cup.

Kisnorbo is out of contract at the end of the season, and is waiting to hear what sort of offer Hearts may come up with.

"I don't know what will happen. Hearts are a good club so I will see how things go . . . I always want to play at the best level possible. If my level is at Hearts in the SPL then that's how it is. But I would like to play at a higher level. You have to have belief in your own ability."

His agent, Lou Sticca, is equally circumspect. "Pat's performances have certainly caught the eye of top people in Scotland, and clubs are aware that he's coming out of contract. Hearts have been very good to him and we want to sit down with them and see what they have to offer. But he's a professional footballer, he's comfortable in Scotland but it's a question of have bags, will travel," Sticca said.

Kisnorbo is now back in Scotland and he could not face a bigger test than tonight when Hearts go to Parkhead to face Scotland's top team Celtic, which is on the rebound from a disappointing Champions League campaign.

It is one he is looking forward to. "It's intimidating, you've got 60,000 people against you," he said. "But it is also inspiring. They are a terrific side with so many quality players and they are in the Champions League, - you can't not rate them."

[foxesfan69]

Maybe Kisnorbo could be here to replace Joey ....