Hearts manager Jim Jefferies has blasted Jose Goncalves’s stance over a new deal at Tynecastle and rubbished rumours the player had been offered a pay cut. Jefferies made it clear that conversations with the defender had left him in no doubt the player wasn’t committed to the club and said he would not be playing him unless the situation was resolved.
Goncalves, a key player for Hearts when fit, is coming to the end of his contract but has refused to sign a new deal with the club. Reports had circulated that the terms on offer were less than what the player was currently earning but Jefferies was quick to set the record straight.
"I've been in the game a long time and the offer he has been made is unbelievable," the manager revealed.
"I have heard some reports that what he has been offered is less. That's nonsense. He's been made one fantastic offer to stay at this club, let me tell you that.”
Christian Nade, Michael Stewart and Laryea Kingston are also out of contract at the end of the season but Jefferies said there were no problems with those players and the situations were in no way similar. The manager, who succeeded Csaba Laszlo last month, said he wanted to run the rule over the trio but said Goncalves’ attitude made him a special case.
"Let's be clear about this. I've not made any decisions on these guys,” he said. “I will use the time between now and the end of the season to decide whether I want them. They are totally different scenarios.
"I made a decision about Jose Goncalves. He is a good young player. I had four meetings in two days. I was sitting talking to Jose, looking and listening to him, and getting the vibes that before he came here he had turned down the contract.
"And not because of the terms, because they were fantastic. Why does he not want to stay? He's been made a fantastic offer. That tells you he does not want to stay at the club.”
Jefferies has said he will not play Goncalves if he is not committed to the club but said that if the player had a change of heart he may change his stance. The manager insisted it was purely a football decision and one that he alone took.
"It's my decision. It is my decision. You don't know what went on with my conversations with Jose. It's my decision,” he insisted.
"He might tell you differently as they all want to play, but it is convincing me that's important. I will try to convince him to stay but if we can't we'll get on with it.
"If he walked in the door this morning and said 'I'll sign' he would be in my plans tomorrow."
