Rudi Skacel will be given the chance to fill Gareth Bale's boots next season.

The Czech star will be have the opportunity to prove himself capable of being Bale's replacement at left back when the players report back for pre-season training in July.

Skacel started the season at left midfield, the role he made his own with a goalscoring spree at Hearts when signed there by George Burley in 2005.

However, he didn't discover any scoring form at Saints and finished the season out of the side until Bale's injury in the play-off semi-final first leg saw him in for the crunch second match at Derby.

After seeing that performance, as well knowing that Skacel has spent most of his career at left back before being pushed forward at Hearts, Burley will consider making him the long-term replacement for Bale.

He said: "It's something we'll be looking at in pre-season.

"Rudi came in at the end and did well and he'll be given every opportunity.

"I'll be having a chat with him pre-season and will see how he feels about it. But he played there a lot at Marseilles.

"He was a left-back at Mar-seilles but when I brought him to Hearts, he started in midfield and was scoring every game.

"Unfortunately, it didn't quite happen at Southampton in terms of scoring goals but those left-sided positions are very difficult ones to fill.

"It's hard to find left-footed quality players that can play up and down the line and it won't be easy to fill Gareth's boots."

Skacel made 38 appearances for Saints last season after joining for £1.6m last summer.

But he didn't produce all that was expected of him with the fans hoping he would be the missing piece of the jigsaw to deliver goals from midfield.

His career stats show, aside from the blistering start at Hearts, he hasn't been that prolific - because he has played mainly at left back, including in the Champions League on-loan at Panathinaikos.