Hearts boss Robbie Neilson gives media the slip... with decoy wearing mask of his face

Robbie Neilson lookalike is used as a decoy (SNS Group / Paul Devlin)

ROBBIE NEILSON managed to cleverly dodge the gathered media outside Hearts’ training ground this afternoon.

The Jambos boss, who looks likely to move down south to MK Dons in the coming days, used a decoy wearing a mask of his face to allow him to slip away quietly.

BBC reporter Chris McLaughlin tweeted: “Robbie Neilson escapes the waiting media at Hearts training ground by using a decoy with a Robbie Neilson mask. I’m not kidding.”

It was a convincing decoy (SNS Group / Paul Devlin)

But Neilson was eventually spotted (SNS Group / Paul Devlin)

There has been no official confirmation on whether or not Neilson has accepted terms at MK Dons, and his future remains uncertain.

Newcastle say they have had no approach from Hearts for Ian Cathro, the favourite to succeed Neilson should he complete his move.

Neilson confirmed after his team’s victory over Rangers on Wednesday night that discussions were taking place after the Sky Bet League One club made an official approach on Monday.

While both clubs discussed compensation, Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez revealed he was in the dark over reports that Hearts had made his assistant coach, Cathro, their number-one choice to replace Neilson.

Benitez said: “Ian is a great coach. We don’t have any official approach. We are happy with him and we will continue with that. He is a young coach, he has some experience and has a great future.

“The media is telling me Hearts will come, but it depends on the head coach they have at the moment if he goes or not. That is football. It is just speculation.”

Neilson was at Hearts’ Riccarton training ground until late on Thursday afternoon, and the trickery involved in his departure has certainly amused fans.

This raises a very pertinent question: did @JamTarts already have a Robbie Neilson mask or did they buy it especially? https://t.co/ypWX7spdrC

— Craig Smith (@CraigRWS) December 1, 2016