Defender Marius Zaliukas today admitted it feels "awesome" to be back in full training again.

The centre-half is eyeing a return to the first team fold after nearly three months out with an ankle injury.

Having returned to the training ground this week, the Lithuanian international is hoping his fitness problems are now behind him once and for all, the latest period on the sidelines having been the most frustrating of his career.

"It feels awesome to be back in training and I am just looking forward now," he said.

"It has been very hard to be out for over two months, to sit and watch. Initially, the doctor said a couple of weeks but then nothing helped. We had a scan again and we saw something had come off the bone.

"I have never been so long out."

Speaking to the media at Riccarton ahead of Sunday's televised clash with Celtic, the Jambos' vice-captain is desperate to be involved this weekend but admits he might need another week's training before being considered by boss Csaba Laszlo.

"I am looking forward to even being on the bench on Sunday," he said. "I would like to play but maybe I need one more week to get fitter.

"Obviously I want to be in the team as results haven't been going so well.

"There are maybe nine or ten teams who are exactly the same this season. We need to work hard and everyone has to fight for every point.

"Anything can happen between now and the end of the season."

On Hearts.TV today, Csaba Laszlo and Marius Zaliukas meet the media at Riccarton.