Football: Jampacked; WE PULL NAMES OUT OF AIR,SORRY HAT,FOR HEARTS HOTSEAT.

Byline: BY GARY RALSTON

THE RACE to be named new Hearts manager has resulted in one of the most open books Kenny Waugh can ever recall.

The former Hibs chairman is director of Morrison's, a bookmakers chain with 40 branches across Scotland.

But he admits offering odds on the runners and riders to replace John Robertson at Tynecastle is one of the most difficult tasks he has faced.

Waugh said: 'I felt sorry for John because he wasn't given enough time at Hearts but a new brush always sweeps clean when the power base changes at a football club.

'Vladimir Romanov is keeping his cards close to his chest for now on a new manager but it doesn't mean to say we can't offer odds on a few contenders for the post.

'These type of bets are always difficult to monitor so they're offered only as a fun punt for a couple of pounds to regular customers.

'But it might interest others to see just who we reckon is leading the way so far.'

TERRY BUTCHER 5-1jt fav Terry has to done a terrific job with limited resources at Motherwell and I'm sure he would relish the opportunity to take over at Hearts, which is a bigger club with a greater support base. His good work with younger players hasn't gone unnoticed and I'm sure he'd be well received by the fans ROY HODGSON 5-1jt fav Currently in charge at Viking Stavanager and has exactly the type of pedigree the new Hearts backers are looking to attract to the club. He has amassed a lot of experience at clubs such as Inter Milan and Blackburn, as well as the Swiss national side. It would be a real coup if Hearts could tempt him to Scotland.

GARY JOHNSTON 5-1jt fav I know he's favourite among Hearts fans because of his Baltic connections as the former Latvia manager. He helped the Latvians move a lot of players to England, so clearly has a keen eye for a player. He is carrying on his good work at Yeovil Town and is sure to welcome a step up if approached.

BILLY DAVIES 7-1 He has taken Preston to the play-off finals in his first season in full charge and would obviously be out of the reckoning if they made the Premiership next season. But, again, he has a good track record with young players and is a workaholic with good experience of the Scottish game as a player and manger at Motherwell CRAIG BROWN 9-1 It wouldn't surprise me if his name had already been forwarded to Hearts because of his vast experience of the

GRAEME SOUNESS 10-1 He is having a difficult time at Newcastle and I know, as an Edinburgh boy, most fans would love to see him at Tynecastle. However, two big questions remain: Could they afford him - and would Souness even consider a return to Scotland to a team other than Rangers Scottish game. He relates well to players and, like Hodgson, fits the profile of the senior coach the Hearts board are looking to bring in GEORGE BURLEY 10-1 Again, he has a good track record, taking Ipswich Town into the top five in the Premiership and European football and narrowly failing to take Derby to the play-off final this season. It would be very interesting to see him up against his former Portman Road pupil Tony Mowbray next season.

ALEXEI MIKHAILICHENKO 12-1 A bit of a dark horse, this one. He knows the Scottish game from him time at Rangers and has coaching experience as assistant at Dinamo Kiev before he was sacked. The former Soviet connection through Romanov and Anatoly Byshovets makes him an interesting outsider JOSE MOURINHO 1000-1 Wouldn't it be amazing to have the Chelsea manager in Scottish football? What a lift for our game, but it'll never be anything more than a dream, unfortunately SIR ALEX FERGUSON 1000-1 He's going to have to leave Old Trafford sooner or later and the arrival on the scene of Malcolm Glazer has reportedly left his future in the balance. But, again, we're dreaming

CAPTION(S):

BET RIDDLER: Waugh's taking fun punts on the man who'll fill boots of John Robertson