EDINBURGH (AFP) - Hearts manager Jim Jefferies is concerned by how the fall-out from Craig Thomson's conviction for sexual offences will affect the rest of the Scottish Premier League club's squad.
Edinburgh side Hearts decided to let the 20-year-old
defender resume his career with the team after Thomson was convicted for lewd, libidinous and indecent behaviour.
Earlier this month, Thomson pleaded guilty, was fined and placed on the sex offenders register in relation to his inappropriate conduct towards two under-age girls over the Internet."There will be some games now where this gives us a situation," said Jefferies on Monday, as he anticipated the reaction from fans of rival clubs.
"We have to make sure that if Craig ever gets back in the team—and let's not forget there's competition for places—how will he handle what's coming to him?
"We have to be sure as well because at the end of the day that's going to affect the performance of the rest of the players if it becomes a bit of a sideshow which gets out of hand."
Jefferies added: "This is the worst thing I've ever had to deal with. Of course, part of a manager's life is dealing with situations.
"You don't want your club to be associated with anything like this.
"You accept as a manager that you'll have to deal with problems along the road. But I have to be honest and say I've never felt like this.
"There's a big part of me that is sorry the player got involved because I knew what the reaction would be and he can't have any complaints because it was a bad, bad thing he did. He has made a grave error."
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