Hearts Boss Valdas Ivanauskas to Takee Two Weeks' Leave for Health Reasons

Hearts head coach Valdas Ivanauskas is taking two weeks' leave for health reasons - but intends to resume his role upon his return.

The Tynecastle boss found himself under pressure following Saturday's 2-0 defeat to Kilmarnock and spent today holding talks with majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov in Lithuania.

Hearts sporting director Eduard Malofeev will assume the role of head coach until Ivanauskas returns to the club.

Ivanauskas requested talks with Romanov to discuss the issue ahead of the weekend Premier League game against Dunfermline.

And Romanov claims his head coach has the backing of the club: "Valdas asked me for the meeting and I was naturally happy to see him. He explained to me why he required this time away and I understood what he told me.

"During his absence, the rest of the coaching staff will perform the necessary duties for our upcoming games."

The former FBK Kaunas boss originally took over after Graham Rix was sacked in March. But Hearts were knocked out in the qualifying stages of the Champions League by AEK Athens before hopes of a spot in the Uefa Cup group phase were ended by Sparta Prague last month.

Romanov has parted company with three managers since taking a controlling interest at Tynecastle. John Robertson resigned after refusing to take a 'lesser' role at the club, then, after guiding Hearts to the top of the SPL with a 10-game unbeaten streak, George Burley left citing "irreconcilable differences" with the club's hierarchy.

Rix took over in November last year but was axed despite leading the team to the Scottish Cup semi-finals, before Ivanauskas stepped into the head coach role.