After being replaced as manager by the former coach of Sporting Lisbon Paulo Sergio, Jim Jefferies has turned down the offer by Hearts to become their director of football.
Jeffries sacking took place on Monday, and reports quickly emerged that 34 year old Sergio had been lined up to take over the reins at Tynecastle.
The one time Journeyman striker, who hails from Portugal, has been duly appointed and when Hearts confirmed his appointment they also announced that Jeffries had rejected their offer to stay at the club. Jeffries also released a statement, in which he voiced his disappointment at leaving the club, especially with the strong connection he had with the Hearts.
He went on to thank the club for the opportunity the club had given both him and Billy Brown over the past 18 months. He went onto say that while he appreciated the offer to stay at Hearts and develop in a new role, he didn’t think the time was right for him to make that move, but he may reconsider it in the future. He ended by wishing the staff and players the best of luck for the new season
The reports that Jeffries was on his way out the door first emerged on Monday following a meeting at the club. It’s understood that the players, probably thinking about their crucial Europa League second leg game against the Hungarian team Paks, were very unhappy when the news was delivered to them on Monday.
The players were the apparently told that they were getting a manager who had previous European experience and that they were to come to Tynecastle on Tuesday to meet that man. Ironically, Sergio’s Sporting Lisbon side were dumped out of the Europa Cup at the last 32 stage in February, by Rangers.