Csaba Laszlo is confident he has put in place the building blocks that could see Hearts go on to challenge for the Clydesdale Bank Premier League title as early as next season.

The former Uganda and Ferencvaros head coach has apparently won over controversial club owner Vladimir Romanov after steering his side from their lowly eighth-placed finish last term to their current position as favourites for third spot.

Laszlo said: "I won't stay here for five, six, 10 or 20 years but I try and I have the confidence. My target was to qualify for the top six and we are in the top six. Now, my target is to qualify for Europe, if possible in third position. I can't get to first place (this season) but maybe next year and for this I fight to bring more players here."

Laszlo has had to trim an overblown squad since moving to Edinburgh last term, whilst at the same time he has been able to bring in few signings of his own.

Defender Christos Karipidis announced this week he will be leaving at the end of the campaign, as will Lithuanian wingers Saulius Mikoliunas and Deividas Cesnauskis, and the likes of Bruno Aguiar and Robbie Neilson are also out of contract.

However, as Laszlo looks to improve the quality of his own team this summer, he insists he also feels a responsibility to improve the overall game in Scotland.

He added: "If the club tells me it is finished for me, I will take my bag and my hat and go. But after me comes somebody else and I would like to see them follow this road.

"For now, I am very happy to be in Scotland and I am not talking only of Edinburgh and Heart of Midlothian.

"I am happy to work for this club, definitely, but I would like to stay here a long time and see Scottish football improve.

"We must fight together for Scottish football. If I am in Germany, I fight for German football; if I am in Hungary I fight for Hungarian football; but now I fight for Scottish football."