Nade may be dropped for Saturday's game against Falkirk

Jim Jefferies has refused to say whether Christian Nade has a future at Hearts following a dressing-room bust-up with team-mate Ian Black.

The Hearts manager confirmed that the Frenchman, who is out of contract in May, is to be disciplined internally.

But Jefferies insisted that Nade had not been dropped for the 3-2 win over Falkirk for disciplinary reasons.

"We will wait and see what the outcome of the discipline is. It's too early to make any decisions on anyone," he said.

The fracas with playmaker Black came in the wake of Wednesday's 2-0 defeat away to Celtic.

Black started the match against Falkirk and notched the decisive third goal with a superb left-footed strike from long range.

We left Nade out and put Obua up there with young Gary Glen and we have scored three goals and I have been justified Hearts manager Jim Jefferies

But Jefferies said Nade was omitted because of recent poor performances and not the behind-the-scenes issue.

"The club have made a statement that we will deal with that internally and I can't tell you what it will be," said the manager.

"In general, if they don't perform and play then that can apply to someone else that might not play for Hearts again because they are not doing well enough.

"They have all got a chance, everyone knows I'm hard but fair."

Nade is set to be fined after being identified as the aggressor in the dispute.

The former Sheffield United forward has struggled for form this term, netting just twice for the Edinburgh side.

"I left him out, maybe a little bit of that but mostly because I don't think he has been doing well and I don't think he has been scoring goals," said Jefferies, who played midfielder David Obua as a striker.

"We left him out and put Obua up there with young Gary Glen and we have scored three goals and I have been justified.

"We didn't leave him out for disciplinary reasons. I left him out because I would not have played him anyway."

Meanwhile, Jefferies revealed "slight" progress had been made over contract talks with defender Jose Goncalves, who has been told he will not play for Hearts again unless he signs a new deal beyond the summer.

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