From Hearts News in Barsinghausen, Germany

Michael Stewart has revealed that he would be honoured to take the captain's armband next season.

The Scottish international midfielder has made it clear that he is ready for that responsibility.

Michael, who scored the winner in Hearts 2-1 victory against Goslar 08 on Tuesday, said: "It would be a real honour to get it and I am sure it would interest anybody and I'm no different. It would be a fantastic honour and something I'd hold in high regard.

"It's not really something I have thought about. After the last game of last season I was out of the country the next day and didn't get back until a couple of days before pre-season.

"When I came back the gaffer came up and spoke to me about the situation and I was happy to take it on board."

Michael also knows that the target ahead for the team is to build on the foundations of the previous successful campaign.

He said: "We can improve on last year as a team and compete for third place again and hopefully I can lead the team forward in a positive manner.

"It's an important season with what we've got to contend with.

"The manager is looking to get some new faces in and that's a big part of what we're looking to do and slowly we're starting to bring in a few guys. The manager has reiterated that to the team as a whole.

"Given the players we've lost I think that if the gaffer was to guide us to third place and getting us into the group stages of Europe I think he would cement his place in the history of the club."

Michael has never hidden his admiration for the Scottish Manager of the Year and explained that it is based on long conversations, perhaps not surprisingly, on football that his respect is based.

"I've got a good relationship with Csaba," he said.

"I speak to him a lot about football, the team, the club and hopefully we can move things forward.

"I think though if you spoke to any of the players he's got a good working relationship with them all and obviously he likes to have a hierarchy within the team.

"It was the same last year with myself, Christophe, Bruno and Kari. These were the boys that he sought advice from and bounced ideas off and that's something that will continue this year.

"He likes to get a group of four or five guys in the team that try to self manage the team and I'm sure he'll do the same this year."

On Hearts.TV today - Catch Csaba Laszlo, Calum Elliot and action from last night's defeat to Slask Wroclaw