Vrancken on 'excuses for losers', dangerous Stenny & busy schedule

[SNS] Hearts head coach Wouter Vrancken has been speaking before Friday's Premier Sports Cup quarter-final at Stenhousemuir. Here are the main points. Oisin McEntee will miss the match with a calf injury but could be available for the league trip to Falkirk on Tuesday night. Vrancken says "excuses are for losers" as Hearts look to avoid a shock: "It's not about astro, it's not about stadium, it's not about all those things. You have to prepare yourself and be ready." He stresses the need for Hearts to remain composed and be "above the emotions" of the occasion against fired-up underdogs. Vrancken warns Hearts "cannot underestimate" Stenny, who are a "good side" and top of the Championship "for a reason", adding: "We have to be ready to deal with it without thinking it's going to be easy." The Tynecastle boss says of a packed fixture schedule: "This is the thing we want. Otherwise we don't have to qualify for the league phase in Europe."