Scottish Premiership side Heart of Midlothian Chair Ann Budge said that she is not "brave enough" to suggest the club playing "home" European games at Easter Road, "no matter how much sense it makes," according to Moira Gordon of the SCOTSMAN. Budge said that it would be "a step too far for fans and added that Murrayfield was the likely option while the redevelopment of Tynecastle is ongoing." Budge, who was re-elected to the Hearts board at Tuesday's club AGM, addressed "the practicalities of the stadium work." Despite what she described as an "incredibly aggressive timetable," she remains confident that the new main stand and relaid pitch "would be advanced enough" for the start of the '17-18 domestic season. However, Budge stressed that would "require all the works to go to plan" and need the Scottish Professional Football League to arrange fixtures "so Hearts do not play at home until September." The "main issue would be the hosting of European ties," if the team were to qualify for UEFA competition. Budge said, "We’ll be replacing the pitch over the summer as well as knocking down the main stand. This is going to be out of bounds for sure. It is about discussing the various options and costings." Murrayfield "looks the most likely option" but Budge "conceded" the home of rival Hibernian "may have been the better football option." She said, "This is a tricky one. With a purely common sense business hat on, it might be a good option but, looking at it from the supporters' point of view, I really have to take that well and truly into account. I’m not sure I’m quite brave enough to go there yet" (SCOTSMAN, 12/21).
