IS IT any coincidence that the recent outbreak of sanity at Tynecastle has been accompanied by decent results? A Uefa Cup place, which looked remote only recently, can be grabbed from Aberdeen if the scorelines fall into place this afternoon.

Hearts must beat Kilmarnock and hope Rangers do them a favour at Pittodrie. That makes Aberdeen still slight favourites, but at least comparatively settled teamlines and the absence of distracting pronouncements from Vladimir Romanov have given Hearts a fighting chance.

That didn't look likely in mid-March when a 1-0 defeat against Aberdeen was followed by a 4-0 humiliation by Dundee United at Tynecastle. Stevie Frail, the assistant coach, spoke of factions in the dressing room and his club's European aspirations looked scuppered.

Fortunately for Hearts, international fixtures provided a breathing space and the first game back, against Hibs at Easter Road, provided the platform for a decent run. The key, according to Greek defender Christos Karipidis, was the bonding achieved on a club trip to Germany.

The 24-year-old had for much of the season found himself one of the discontented extras at Tynecastle, virtually disappearing from view soon after signing from PAOK Salonika during the summer. He admitted contemplating a quick exit, but has played his part in the Hearts revival by being given a regular game at right back.

"It was very difficult for me when I first came here," he admits. "At PAOK I usually played all the time. I didn't start to play so often here and it was difficult at the beginning.

"I spoke with my agent and the agent spoke with the club before Christmas that it was maybe better for me to take some games somewhere else if I didn't have the opportunity to play here. It's very important to have games.

"No-one likes to be in the stand but I worked hard every morning in training and kept myself fit. I wanted to take the opportunity to show my value."

The early season misery of Karipidis, who has a further two years of his contract to run, might have been worse had it not been for his fellow Greek Takis Fyssas, as his English was poor when he came to Scotland.

As well as being Karipidis's countryman, Fyssas is an optimistic and compassionate fellow who took his duties seriously. The left back, who staged one of the longest farewells ever seen when he departed the Tynecastle pitch during last week's 2-0 win over Hibs, is heading out of the club, as is another favourite, Julien Brellier. Surely more than these two will have to be shipped though, if there aren't to be continuing problems with squad players, like Karipidis, who can't get a regular game.

The Greek confirmed that the trip to Germany had restored morale in the squad. "The week was very positive for the players to be together all the time," he explained. "The good result against Hibs also made us very close and we started to believe again. After that victory, I understood the fans were also close to the players, and players close to the fans. That has gave the team very big power for the rest of the season."

Even so, the fate of the interim head coach, Anatoly Korobochka, and his assistant may depend on the outcome of today's game. There are hints of an announcement tomorrow, and even an unexpected, unofficial job application by former Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock, but as far as Frail is concerned nothing has been decided.

"Whoever Mr Romanov decides, ultimately it's his club," the former Hearts player pointed out. "If we're not here next season we just move on because we know football's like that. But I try to keep that at the back of my mind because the most important thing is to finish third.

"There is no timetable whatsoever for meeting Romanov. I'll wait to hear. It might be after the game on Sunday if he comes or it may be in August. I really don't know."

Even if he is forced out after doing what most would consider as a decent job since being elevated to work with the first team squad, Frail believes Romanov has been good for Hearts.

"I think some of the coverage of Mr Romanov has been unfair," he said. "He has lifted the whole profile of Hearts and to some degree Scottish football because in England and sometimes abroad the focus is on Celtic and Rangers. He's shaken the whole thing up and when you do that I'm certain that you get criticism. But I've always found him fine and ultimately he's passionate about Hearts and he wants us to be successful."

There's a lot at stake for Frail today, but he scoffs at any suggestion that either Kilmarnock or Rangers will take their foot off the gas against desperate opponents.

"No coach would want the stigma that they laid down to a side," he says. "I'm pretty sure Rangers and Kilmarnock will have their strongest teams out."