Dundee United midfielder Morgaro Gomis has promised to banish all thoughts of his future to one side and try to help the Tangerines catch this Saturday’s opponents, Hearts.
Just this week, Tannadice manager Peter Houston expressed the view that Gomis would be gone in the summer, when the Senegalese internationalist falls out of contract.
However, Gomis revealed it is not a done deal he will be heading out the door and, even if he does depart, it will only be after he has given 100% to United in the latter part of the campaign.
“I am not really thinking about it just now,” said Gomis, who was back on form in the well-deserved win against Motherwell on Wednesday night.
“I am going to wait until the end of the season before making my mind up.
“I know other players usually explore other options before then but I am happy to get to the last game then take it from there.
“That is not a problem for me. I will be focusing on football and trying to produce my best form, with everything else put to the back of my mind.”
Gomis joined a posse of other players in really having a go at Well’s goal in midweek and, having scored a wonder strike against the Jam Tarts at Tynecastle in the 1-1 draw at the end of August, is keen to hit the target again at home this afternoon.Fingers crossed”We played a lot better against Motherwell so I have my fingers crossed that we can get all three points,” said Gomis.
“That is definitely the best we have played so far this season. We passed the ball very well and we all had a go with shots.
“The last time we played Hearts I got a good one. Hopefully I can do it again.
“Mind you, they are flying this season and will come here and play. They will seek to win the game just as we will.
“And I think Hearts are the team we have to catch if we want to end the season in third place again.
“Anyone who finishes above them will be the third best team in the country, I think.”
Meanwhile, United coach Gary Kirk believes the biggest factor in Hearts’ recovery is the discipline instilled by experienced management duo Jim Jefferies and Billy Brown.
“Jim and Billy have done a fantastic job there,” said Kirk.
“They have the place totally buzzing and the big thing is that they have brought back discipline.
“In the past Hearts were suffering from players being sent off and doing things on the park.
“But since they went in there they have steadied the ship and really brought the feel-good factor back.
“There was a doom and gloom about Hearts before but that’s gone now and it is all down to the job Jim and Billy have done.
“People have talked about them splitting the Old Firm. That is very difficult to achieve but you don’t know what they are going to do in this month’s transfer window.
“If they get one or two players in then there’s a chance it could happen.”ExcellentDespite Hearts’ excellent league form United, who have been linked with Brechin’s in-form frontman Rory McAllister, have the right to go into this match full of confidence.
“We played very well against Motherwell and are looking to keep that form going,” added Kirk.
“We had been a bit flat until then but things clicked back into place and we easily could have been three goals up at half time.
“It was a great team performance. Also, having Craig Conway back in the squad gave everyone a boost and he will be on the bench again.”
Tynecastle assistant boss Brown knows Hearts must seek to continue their impressive run in a crucial period of games to be considered genuine title contenders.
Brown attended the pre-match media conference as boss Jefferies was in Lithuania at a scheduled meeting with the club’s majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov.
Romanov is sure to have been impressed by events in Edinburgh, with Jefferies overseeing a run of eight wins in nine games before Tuesday night’s 1-0 loss to St Johnstone which led some to suggest they could challenge Celtic and Rangers for the title.
The Scottish Cup defeat means their sole focus is now on the SPL.
“It has been a great run,” said Brown. “It was going to come to an end at some time and it is now how we react after the other night.
“It was the first defeat in 10 games and if we don’t have another poor result and poor performance for the next 10 games we will be quite happy with that.
“There is a long, long way to go. We are up there because of the results we have had and if we can keep playing the way we have been there is no reason we can’t have a really good end to the season.
“We have hard games to come-away to United and Kilmarnock, home to Rangers, home to St Johnstone and away to Rangers.
“If after that we are still in the position we are-third and not many points behind the Old Firm-we will be happy.”
For the short term at least Hearts may have to aim to continue their run without two of their most impressive players this season.
Rudi Skacel is definitely out today with a calf injury, while Kevin Kyle has had a cortisone injection to treat a groin injury and will be given every chance to prove his fitness.
United’s outstanding home fixture against Rangers, originally called off on November 28 because of snow, has been rearranged for Thursday, March 3 (kick-off 7.45 pm). The game will be televised live by ESPN.