We're in major major shite

[Jezza]

This shows it seems certain this has happened.

 

It's too much to make up. Two meetings yesterday.

 

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3911520/Tynecastle-in-turmoil.html#ixzz1cbHrSNLD

[kennyblack'sshot]

They weren't pulling him apart until he gave them the ammunition - and then some. And a key difference between him and David Murray is that Murray revolutionised his club and won bazillions of league titles before he started messing everything up. Therefore, he got the benefit of the doubt.

 

Do I think the press would have treated him like this had he behaved halfway normally to begin with? No I don't. He turned himself into a laughing stock - and I don't doubt that a sizeable number of writers have genuinely been very concerned for our future since they realised what he was like.

 

He has a way of working that is not just confined to Hearts and that can be partly explained to the culture he grew up in. The failure to factor that in when reporting what he says or does is xenophobic in my opinion as the media has made no effort to understand the man but instead resorts to stereotypes and abuse (references to his employees as "Henchmen" for example, or references to "pravda". Keevins called Lithuania a "two-bit country")

 

Given that we have a club in this country that still had a sectarian signing policy as recently as under 30 years ago and as far as I know has never been fined or forced to apologise for this, it's a disgrace that they attack Romanov with such venom. Put it this way, if the media had put as much energy into highlighting the Old Firm's sectarianism issues as they have attacking Hearts under Romanov that particular problem of the Scottish game could have been wiped out years ago.

 

Unlike others who idolised Romanov at the start and then got fed up with him, I didn't like him and was suspicious initially but grew to admire the way he took on the SFA and the Old Firm. If you look at his statements about the SFA, the OF, the media and Scottish football in general and ignore the fluffy language, he's right on the money every time.

[The Real Maroonblood]

Its only ever been a matter of when.

 

I said years ago Vlad had ripped the fabric of the club and wiped his ass with it.

 

Whether you have supported him or not has been down to your own moral stance.

 

If you believe success should be bought at any cost, you are in the "Vlad sheep" camp.

 

If you believe an iconic institution like Heart of Midlothian should be run ethically and honourably, you are a " hatkicker."

 

Money corrupts, just ask the thousands who worshipped Fred Goodwin as if he was a god.

 

It looks as if we will have to re-invent ourselves, but although painful, at least we can get some pride back.

 

Some of us will endure the pain and hang around long enough to see the patient make a good recovery, sadly , some will not.

An excellent post.

[Peebo]

This shows it seems certain this has happened.

 

It's too much to make up. Two meetings yesterday.

 

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3911520/Tynecastle-in-turmoil.html#ixzz1cbHrSNLD

 

Have Hearts ever been anything other than prepared to listen to offers for their players?

[Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC]

Apologies, it was Byshovets, totally forgot about him.

 

Chic Young admitted in his latest shitty piece that Mr Romanov used to make his blood boil. Do you honestly think he merited that? No. Did he write that about Walter Smith when Smith absolutely tore him apart in an interview in the Ibrox tunnel? Did he ****. Why not?

 

Look at some of the players he brought to the SPL. He single handedly made the 05/06 season one that was the focus of the UK and beyond. That should have been enough to earn the respect of the media but it wasn't. There was an underlying hatred amongst the press. You will naturally defend 'writers' no matter what because you used to want to be one so I'm going to call it a night and head to bed.

 

You were right on the No.26 thing btw(I never made it up though). Regret that now because from what I've heard, he's about the only player at Hearts acting like a man regarding wages. Fair play to him.

[kennyblack'sshot]

They had it in for him from the start because they didn't agree with his view of the manager being a coach rather than having full control of the club. And because he was foreign and bringing loads of vile Eastern Europeans into our beautiful game.

I can still remember Sportscene with Burley where they were just trying to trip him up into having a dig at VR for the whole show until he came out with something like 'it's not ideal'.

 

Infact I remember the negative press starting after the Basle game where a dirty lith called Fedotovas had the nerve to go into the changing room and say his piece.

 

This 100 times this. The OF had been packing their teams with foreigners for years before Romanov arrived and every one was greeted by a photographer who gave them a kilt to wear for the back page signing shot.

 

Then after Romanov arrived and started tapping the E European market (not great success but not a bad idea) and all of a sudden these articles started appearing that Hearts were ruining the game by playing foreigners. It was a joke. I remember checking the Celtic team that got to the UEFA Cup final ad found they started with something like 2 Scots and yet were hailed as a great team. Hearts at all times had a strong Scottish core after Romanov arrived, and our youth policy has continued.

 

Then to show just one example of the hypocrisy of the media, Celtic linked up with a Hungarian team with the intention of tapping a new market and were praised to the heavens for their idea!

 

Another example is Hearts were criticised for loaning players not buying them - another sound business decision at the time. Now every team in the SPL is packed with loanees.

 

Romanov's done a lot wrong, but he's had some pretty good ideas too. Execution of his ideas and capitalising on them isn't his strong point though.

 

Romanov was also indisputably the first club owner to forcefully (and successfully) stand up to the OF's tapping-up policy when it comes to trying to sign players on the cheap from other SPL clubs. Hibs (Brown, Thompson, etc), Killie (Naismith) and a few other clubs have since realised that they can hold out for more money or just not sell to the OF.

[Jezza]

Have Hearts ever been anything other than prepared to listen to offers for their players?

 

 

Im not talking about that part, the other bits about Southern telling them, then the players having a meeting after it. Source's (who I believe) saying that there will be players walking out soon and they still have no idea when they are going to get paid.

 

I don't think the sun is making this stuff up and I'm deeply worried. I hope the players have been paid so we could say they have something wrong but it seems a lot of different issues to be made up imo.

[P-Dizzle]

I have to agree with the above posts. Romanov has been met with hostility from day one, I don't think there's any question he was treated differently. We can go through the good and the bad that we've been through under him, but scapegoating him doesn't address the real issues at our club. There was turmoil at our club before he came, and I've got no reason to suspect it'll all go away after him.

[shaun.lawson]

Apologies, it was Byshovets, totally forgot about him.

 

Chic Young admitted in his latest shitty piece that Mr Romanov used to make his blood boil. Do you honestly think he merited that? No. Did he write that about Walter Smith when Smith absolutely tore him apart in an interview in the Ibrox tunnel? Did he ****. Why not?

 

Look at some of the players he brought to the SPL. He single handedly made the 05/06 season one that was the focus of the UK and beyond. That should have been enough to earn the respect of the media but it wasn't. There was an underlying hatred amongst the press. You will naturally defend 'writers' no matter what because you used to want to be one so I'm going to call it a night and head to bed.

 

You were right on the No.26 thing btw(I never made it up though). Regret that now because from what I've heard, he's about the only player at Hearts acting like a man regarding wages. Fair play to him.

 

Not true. I'll lambast bad, cynical writers just as much as you. I just think there was infinitely more cause in what the press said about him than you do.

 

On this 'hatred' thing, incidentally: do I hate bullies and tyrants? Yes I do. Do I hate bosses who treat employees with contempt, don't pay them on time (even den mothers, for God's sake) and make sacked employees or even the taxman chase them through the courts for what they're owed? Yes I do. Common decency, AP? Did it just get lost somewhere?

 

Kenny's mentioned Romanov's "different way of doing things". So secrecy, contemptuous treatment of staff, arrogant dismissal of anyone who questions you and total inability to look at yourself in the mirror is worthy of respect? The requirement to behave like a decent human being is universal; Romanov's problem was that, as we have a free press, he was called on it.

[Peebo]

Im not talking about that part, the other bits about Southern telling them, then the players having a meeting after it. Source's (who I believe) saying that there will be players walking out soon and they still have no idea when they are going to get paid.

 

I don't think the sun is making this stuff up and I'm deeply worried. I hope the players have been paid so we could say they have something wrong but it seems a lot of different issues to be made up imo.

 

The Sun has a history of making things up. Not that I'm saying this is the case here.

 

As I alluded to in another post, possibly in another thread, if the club is to conduct a fire sale (which we were told they would do a season or two ago), then they need to keep paying the players to ensure that they have their registrations to sell. It's two month until the European transfer window opens.

 

I suspect that by the time it does, this latest handful of catnip to the media/Kickback drama queens will be a distant memory, and simply another trough on the Romanov Rollercoaster.

[kennyblack'sshot]

Im not talking about that part, the other bits about Southern telling them, then the players having a meeting after it. Source's (who I believe) saying that there will be players walking out soon and they still have no idea when they are going to get paid.

 

I don't think the sun is making this stuff up and I'm deeply worried. I hope the players have been paid so we could say they have something wrong but it seems a lot of different issues to be made up imo.

 

They described Southern as "ashen-faced". That alone should tell you that much of the article is guess work and hyperbole. There will be a kernel of truth but the paper filled in the gaps.

 

Hearts have been prepared to listen to offers for any of our players throughout our history. If the Sun thought that players were being offered to other clubs they would have said that. They didn't.

[A_GER54]

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3911799/Hearts-tell-big-earners-to-quit.html#ixzz1cb27wPBe

hope this doesn't turn out to be true

[Peebo]

They described Southern as "ashen-faced". That alone should tell you that much of the article is guess work and hyperbole. There will be a kernel of truth but the paper filled in the gaps.

 

Hearts have been prepared to listen to offers for any of our players throughout our history. If the Sun thought that players were being offered to other clubs they would have said that. They didn't.

 

They did actually state in another article that "David Templeton has already been offered to Rangers for a cut-price ?500,000 fee.".

 

Not sure where to start with that one...

[Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC]

Not true. I'll lambast bad, cynical writers just as much as you. I just think there was infinitely more cause in what the press said about him than you do.

 

On this 'hatred' thing, incidentally: do I hate bullies and tyrants? Yes I do. Do I hate bosses who treat employees with contempt, don't pay them on time (even den mothers, for God's sake) and make sacked employees or even the taxman chase them through the courts for what they're owed? Yes I do. Common decency, AP? Did it just get lost somewhere?

 

Kenny's mentioned Romanov's "different way of doing things". So secrecy, contemptuous treatment of staff, arrogant dismissal of anyone who questions you and total inability to look at yourself in the mirror is worthy of respect? The requirement to behave like a decent human being is universal; Romanov's problem was that, as we have a free press, he was called on it.

 

The press have no right to hate anyone on the basis of common decency, that's for sure.

[shaun.lawson]

The press have no right to hate anyone on the basis of common decency, that's for sure.

 

Ha! In fairness, I must agree with that.

[kennyblack'sshot]

Not true. I'll lambast bad, cynical writers just as much as you. I just think there was infinitely more cause in what the press said about him than you do.

 

On this 'hatred' thing, incidentally: do I hate bullies and tyrants? Yes I do. Do I hate bosses who treat employees with contempt, don't pay them on time (even den mothers, for God's sake) and make sacked employees or even the taxman chase them through the courts for what they're owed? Yes I do. Common decency, AP? Did it just get lost somewhere?

 

Kenny's mentioned Romanov's "different way of doing things". So secrecy, contemptuous treatment of staff, arrogant dismissal of anyone who questions you and total inability to look at yourself in the mirror is worthy of respect? The requirement to behave like a decent human being is universal; Romanov's problem was that, as we have a free press, he was called on it.

 

I don't like the guy but then I don't know him. I didn't like Mercer or Robinson either for different reasons.

 

In terms of treatment of staff, there has been no period in Hearts history when so many Hearts players got paid so much money. Romanov's problem, bizarrely, has been he's been too generous with handing out contracts here and there. He is pretty demanding in return though. But then so was Jim McLean at D Utd and he paid a lot less. A tyrant by all accounts. Yet remembered fondly by the Scottish media and even given his own newspaper column.

[kennyblack'sshot]

They did actually state in another article that "David Templeton has already been offered to Rangers for a cut-price ?500,000 fee.".

 

Not sure where to start with that one...

 

Yeh, that in itself should tell us the whole thing is an exaggeration. Romanov has spent his entire time at Hearts trying not to sell the OF players on the cheap!

 

We'll see how many other papers run with it.

[Jezza]

Yeh, that in itself should tell us the whole thing is an exaggeration. Romanov has spent his entire time at Hearts trying not to sell the OF players on the cheap!

 

We'll see how many other papers run with it.

 

 

He's also said at the same time he would build a new stand and would have the best interests of the club to keep us going for years to come.

 

Times change. We sold Wallace to Rangers in the summer for IMO cheap.

[Denny Crane]

I don't like the guy but then I don't know him. I didn't like Mercer or Robinson either for different reasons.

 

In terms of treatment of staff, there has been no period in Hearts history when so many Hearts players got paid so much money. Romanov's problem, bizarrely, has been he's been too generous with handing out contracts here and there. He is pretty demanding in return though. But then so was Jim McLean at D Utd and he paid a lot less. A tyrant by all accounts. Yet remembered fondly by the Scottish media and even given his own newspaper column.

 

Probably because he got results on the park by getting a provincial team to punch well above its weight.

[kennyblack'sshot]

He's also said at the same time he would build a new stand and would have the best interests of the club to keep us going for years to come.

 

Times change. We sold Wallace to Rangers in the summer for IMO cheap.

 

We got FIVE times what was originally offered for a player who could have signed for another club for nothing in January.

[kennyblack'sshot]

Probably because he got results on the park by getting a provincial team to punch well above its weight.

 

At a time when the OF weren't spending ?10-15m every pre-season on new players.

[naeclue]

The press' attitude to David Murray was a shameful disgrace.

 

The press' attitude to Vladimir Romanov is, I'm afraid, being vindicated.

 

But in the case of both, it is generally a good idea in all walks of life to attempt to win friends and influence people - rather than the total opposite.

 

I think that is one of the things that pissed Vlad off most - he couldn't stitch up Scottish football, because it has already been comprehensively done by the OF. The contrast between treatment of Murray and Vlad is striking. I notice they still waited until DM was gone before even discussing the depth of the crap - that and the rise of yon website....

[audrey65]

Good, hope its women, children and old dicks that stay away.

 

[Fareastjambo]

I have had the misfortune to deal with some of the Scottish football community, including administrators, press and managers, and it is one of the most small-minded and xenophobic communities I have ever come across. They can't stand foreigners like Romanov telling them what's wrong with their game, even if it's true.

 

And by the way, their dislike of foreigners is second only to their dislike of football fans. Custodians of our game, my arse. They see Scottish football as their game, run by them for them.

 

I couldn't agree more with what you've said. I actually think Vlad bought Hearts with very good intentions, but once he realised what he was up against in the parochial arena of Scottish football, that's when he began to come out with his now famous outrageous statements thinking he might be able to change things. No chance. I certainly don't agree with the way his behavour now towards the players and indeed the fans - this isn't their fault and I really believe that the media blackout has been for more sinister reasons.

[The Mighty Thor]

We got FIVE times what was originally offered for a player who could have signed for another club for nothing in January.

 

Have we actually had any money from the stickies for Wallace or was it a pound down and 28 weeks at 39p?

[Hearts Heritage]

Probably because he got results on the park by getting a provincial team to punch well above its weight.

 

Who the 'provincial' team ?

[Nucky Thompson]

 

 

We sold Wallace to Rangers in the summer for IMO cheap.

You're having a laugh

[naeclue]

Article in the Scotsman says that players have set a deadline for payment of wages by this weekend, or they'll institute action via PFA:

 

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spl/hearts_players_set_wages_deadline_1_1944261

 

This contrasts with the Sun article saying that they wouldn't, due to fear of further consequences.

 

I have no idea of the process involved to allow players to become free agents, but I guess that is one possibility.

[Deevers]

Time for all the bickering and recriminations to stop. If the worst is going to happen - we need to look for possible solutions.

 

No doubt at all the Romanov has had enough of Scotland and the SPL - mwho can blame him given some of what has happened over the past few years.

 

What we need to look for now is a "white knight" who will buy what's left of the club after all this turmoil settles down and sets about planning a decent recovery for what's left of the club. Romanov was apparently talking to people as recently as the end of last season about selling the club - I wonder if these people will come back in with a bid of some sort.

[Dot Cotton]

Im sure the David Murray rumours will once again surface.

 

I honestly dont think there is any such thing as a 'White Knight' willing to invest in Scottish Football. We need someone who can come in with a business record of balancing the books as we need to address our long term stability. It wont be pretty though.

[The Comedian]

Can somebody confirm that the horrible media are stopping Vlad paying the wages.

 

Thanx.

[world_3]

I have to agree with the above posts. Romanov has been met with hostility from day one, I don't think there's any question he was treated differently. We can go through the good and the bad that we've been through under him, but scapegoating him doesn't address the real issues at our club. There was turmoil at our club before he came, and I've got no reason to suspect it'll all go away after him.

 

The hostility won't go away with Romanov when he leaves.

 

The fact is that the media hate us, the SFA hate us, the referees hate us, other clubs hate us, and the fans of other clubs hate us.

 

Part of it is jealousy because we've got a lot to be proud of, but I think it's mostly fear and envy.

 

Fear from the OF and their media and SFA bumsookers because we're the only conceivable challenger to the OF left in Scotland, and envy from the others because they know it all too well as their clubs have drifted off into pure mind-numbing mediocrity over the years.

 

I don't expect the hate to ever go away but I like it that way, if they didn't hate us we'd be doing something wrong.

[JAMBO1957]

The hostility won't go away with Romanov when he leaves.

 

The fact is that the media hate us, the SFA hate us, the referees hate us, other clubs hate us, and the fans of other clubs hate us.

 

Part of it is jealousy because we've got a lot to be proud of, but I think it's mostly fear and envy.

 

Fear from the OF and their media and SFA bumsookers because we're the only conceivable challenger to the OF left in Scotland, and envy from the others because they know it all too well as their clubs have drifted off into pure mind-numbing mediocrity over the years.

 

I don't expect the hate to ever go away but I like it that way, if they didn't hate us we'd be doing something wrong.

 

 

This post sums up my feelings, I dont want to support some nice wee boring club that everyone likes.

There is a saying that was around when I first started watching Hearts in the early seventies and it still applies today.

"GORGIE RULES"

[IgnatiusReilly]

It is utterly incredible that people are still claiming vlad is slated in the press as part of a conspiracy due to fear of a competitive Hearts.

 

He was treated with suspicion to begin with, but as things stand now, he has lorded it over a doubling of the debt, despite having raked in millions in transfer fees.

 

He has repeatedly failed to pay wages when due.

 

He has repeatedly sanctioned silly wages for pish players.

 

He has repeatedly undermined managers.

 

He has repeatedly blamed everyone but himself for all of this.

 

So, maybe those who treated him with suspicion were right to do so. Maybe this is vindication for them.

 

Right now, he deserves to be slated in the press, he has run our club in an appalling manner. If he ever wanted Hearts to be a sustainable and ongoing concern he would not have run the club in that way.

 

His last chance to make money is gone now, he won't hang about. And wibble is correct in what he says above - administration is unlikely to be a feasible option.

[Dr. Bapswent]

Maybe there's "real hatred for Romanov" because first, he's treated them with total, outrageous, frequently libellous contempt throughout; and second, because since at least October 2005, they've known he was bad news, and that this day would probably come?

 

Hasn't that even occurred to you? People in football talk. People in football often know things. Things that might not be provable 100%, but are still highly likely to happen in the end.

 

 

If people talk in football, why is the club still sucecssfull in signing players ... if people talk in football.

 

If people talk in football, why is there not a queue to get out of the club ... if people talk in football.

 

The accumulation of all the rumours and whispers about Romanov should surely add up to the club being blacklisted by all palyers and the rest of the playesr would also end up wanting out.... (not back in like Webster and Rudi).

 

Even if it is because they are mercenaries and will do anything for the cash....well that excuse seems to have disappeared too.