Hearts player Calvin Miller out for two months after suffering knee injury

Hearts boss Wouter Vrancken has revealed Calvin Miller will require surgery on a knee injury that will keep him out for two months.

Both Tomas Magnusson and Miller came off during the first half of the Jambos’ 2-1 Premier Sports Cup semi-final defeat to Edinburgh rivals Hibernian at Barclays Hampden on Sunday.

The Iceland midfielder was taken to hospital with concussion and the former Celtic, Morton and Falkirk attacker left the national stadium on crutches and his knee in a brace.

Vrancken, who will be without ten first-team players for the Conference League game against FC Thun on Thursday in Switzerland, was asked about Miller and said: “It will be two months, let’s say, depending on what the surgery says because it’s a meniscus injury.

“It’s a pity, but it is what it is.

“Tomas is doing good. The day after was already a lot better.

“There is a protocol, of course, with concussions. He will be for sure back after the (international) break.”

Vrancken will have to put together a side capable of getting a first win in the competition, after a 1-1 home draw against Nordsjaelland and a 2-0 defeat away to Trabzonspor.

He said: “Yes, it’s a puzzle. I’m always happy to see that the players we work with and play out of position or talk with are always directly motivated to do it.

“They know how much they help the team by doing it.

“It’s good to see because they take responsibility and they don’t live by excuses.

“They have already done it for weeks. That’s how we also get good results and good performances.

“Now we have to try to do it two more times before the break.”

Vrancken is confident his side will respond positively to their defeat by Hibs in Glasgow.

He said: “I think so. They showed already a few times this season that they can bounce back in performance.

“I think when you leave out the last 20-25 minutes of the first half, we played a good game.

“It’s just a pity that we couldn’t reward ourselves in the second half with a goal that could spin it around.

“But I’m confident in the players that they are mentally ready to play the game.

“They (Thun) have a good team, they have a lot of energy, they have a lot of intensity. They have direct play, going fast forward a lot of moments.

“With a lot of energy, good quality players also in front.

“We will have to be spot on, we have to be on our level to make the result. But the aim is to try to get a win here.”