GF : "Arrogance at AGM gives us all cause for concern"

[jambovambo]

George Foulkes EEN today

 

"Arrogance at AGM gives us all cause for concern

 

 

GEORGE FOULKES

 

HEARTS fans have to ask themselves an extremely difficult question right now. Have we been conned?

 

I am fearful our hopes for the club have blinded us to reality.

 

I'm concerned these millionaire Lithuanians are not so much cuckoos in the nest as vultures waiting to pick our frames of meat.

 

I wonder if there is anything now that can be done to prove otherwise, or halt them in their tracks. My mind boggles.

 

In my heart of hearts I want to give them the benefit of the doubt and accept there is a plan, yet after Friday's AGM and the contemptuous way the shareholders were treated, I no longer can.

 

In this column, I warned the Romanovs they had to treat Hearts fans with respect.

 

Instead, Roman Romanov displayed an arrogance to his audience that was undeserving of a support that had shown him nothing but courtesy.

 

His patent disregard for the views of fans who invested in Hearts long before he and his father appeared on the scene was shocking.

 

The way he blithely ignored questions of substance from the floor further cheapened his already faltering reputation.

 

Both Roman and his father had a chance to stand up before the fans and speak the truth, a chance to tell it as it is. Instead, Roman acted like a petulant schoolchild doing the bidding of a dictatorship bereft of any new ideas other than threat and innuendo.

 

I've been accused of playing the same old record in recent weeks, and maybe I'm guilty as charged, but, if so, there is valid reason ? we are still waiting for answers.

 

We are still waiting for the Romanovs to tell us if we will have a manager of pedigree next season.

 

We are still waiting to find out what effect the burden of debt will have on the club, especially in the midst of a worldwide credit crunch.

 

And we are still waiting for them to deliver the players we were promised.

 

First, it was World Cup-class talent, next it was home-grown British stars. Well where are they, Mr Romanov? While we're at it, where is the top class British-style manager we were promised?

 

Squeezing through the turnstiles at Tynecastle on Saturday I asked myself a question: Why are we doing this?

 

As it happened, those of us who did were glad of it, because we saw Gary Glen score on his big team debut and a great Laryea Kingston goal, but there were plenty of gaps in the stands from those who opted to stay away.

 

While I disagree with their decision, I cannot fault it. I fully understand their reasons. We should support our team for better or for worse. It is like a marriage, but, as the season ticket deadline looms, I think many are heading for a messy divorce, with the Romanovs named in proceedings.

 

After Friday's disgraceful scenes, they only have themselves to blame.

 

It could have been worse but for the intervention, one suspects, of Romanov's spokesman Charlie Mann. The video that appeared on Hearts' website with Sergejus Fedotovas looked like damage limitation, but he looked like he knew what he was talking about, rather than bumbling and contradicting himself as Roman did.

 

There is a parallel universe at Tynecastle where the spirit of Hearts lives through the fans, in spite of the new regime.

 

I spoke to Pilmar Smith, Ian Mercer and Gary Mackay and all agree they had never expected such a divide between the Board and the fans.

 

On Saturday I was approached by more fans than ever, before and after the game, all saying the same thing ? we agree with what you are saying in your column, keep up the pressure and what do you think will happen?

 

That is the crucial question now.

 

It was Hobson's choice bringing Romanov to Gorgie. There really was no-one else at the time. When we first fell out over George Burley and then Phil Anderton, Vladimir Romanov didn't like it. In his office as we argued face to face, Roman looked aghast, as if he'd never seen anyone stand up to his father before. They simply aren't used to it.

 

People with money rarely are, those from the old Russia even less so. They prefer subservience, and that remains a worry.

 

At the AGM "Rodney" told us first to back Stevie Frail, and in the next breath claimed the hunt was on for better. Well, which is it?

 

People are now lining up to ask me if there is anyone who would buy the Romanov's out, someone to love our club.

 

I don't know ? but my eyes and ears are always open, more so when, like this week, I'm in London.

 

The Romanovs may be the only show in town right now, but what use is a clown in a circus if they have no audience left to entertain?

 

 

Whistle blown on Romanovs

 

THE first time their comments were accepted as simply naive, coming as they did from new kids off the Bloc.

 

When it was repeated, people thought Vlad was mad. Now a third time, this insistence that our referees are corrupt makes us look foolish. And it makes the Romanovs look weak and desperate.

 

Hearts have long felt aggrieved about the standard of refereeing in Scotland. Many fans truly believe that refs can be influenced by the crowd in games against the Old Firm. But to suggest that there is deliberate collusion to help them win the league is just plain daft, and potentially defamatory.

 

The Romanovs should stop using referees to protect them from the flak of failing to live up to their promises."

[bigbryanthejambo]

George Foulkes speaking sense....AGAIN!

 

IMO we have been conned and will continue to be conned.

 

Ask yourself if the business you work for would accept the sort of arrogance and childlike petulance when in an AGM and speaking to some of the most important people in the business- In our case us-the fans.

 

Ridiculous.

 

Just wish we knew what we could do to end this saga without ending us as a whole.

[Swanny17]

Yet again, Mr Foulkes is 100% spot on.

 

Very well said.

[Sherlock]

George is right.

[Nelly Terraces]

Spot on from Dode there really.

[Guest JamboRobbo]

People are now lining up to ask me if there is anyone who would buy the Romanov's out, someone to love our club.

 

I don't know – but my eyes and ears are always open, more so when, like this week, I'm in London.

 

 

Very strange second line. A bit like when Foulkes mentioned brushing up on his russian many moons ago.

 

Why mention London?

 

Could the "other interested party" perhaps be based in London?

[jambovambo]

I like this bit:

 

"what use is a clown in a circus if they have no audience left to entertain?"

 

Almost Romanovian ...

 

Bring on the clowns ... goats ... cabbage patches etc.

 

Before people start the usual GF-slagging, I challenge them to pick out parts of what he says that don't ring a chord with them.

[Mr Maroon]

Excellent summary following Friday's AGM.

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

So it was "Hobson's Choice", George?

 

By this then, can we take it that the "mystery backer" to SOH was Vlad himself, because they were never revealed to the general mass of Hearts fans?

 

If so, that makes the idea of a con even more unrealistic because it would be a scam of over 4 years in the making, with his companies sitting at a loss of somewhere between ?5 to ?10m, depending on how much he could liquidate HMFC for.

 

The truth is further on when it is mentioned about the subservience to the master - with that comes the "impertinence" of us even daring to ask a question of them. We are minions in their eyes.

 

Well seen that George Orwell was right - "all animals are equal but some are more equal than others", even if that animal is a prize dipstick!

[winston churchill]

a very good article from dode,he gets it in the neck on here from time to time but the truth is,he was selt a pup like the rest of us.

[Sherlock]

Very strange second line. A bit like when Foulkes mentioned brushing up on his russian many moons ago.

 

Why mention London?

 

Could the "other interested party" perhaps be based in London?

 

Hmmmmm

[NeilC]

Very strange second line. A bit like when Foulkes mentioned brushing up on his russian many moons ago.

 

Why mention London?

 

Could the "other interested party" perhaps be based in London?

 

Probably more likely to find finance down there, more contacts etc. Edinburgh's a pretty small town, I think if there was a serious contender from up here willing to do business we'd have heard about it by now.

[Nelly Terraces]

Very strange second line. A bit like when Foulkes mentioned brushing up on his russian many moons ago.

 

Why mention London?

 

Could the "other interested party" perhaps be based in London?

 

Would've been good if he'd said... "this week when I'm in London, when I will be meeting with billionaire Sheik Jamtartdullah Hatehoboallah over breakfast and the 90 goals v the vermin video..."

[Italian Lambretta]

I noticed that too but not really worth mentioning because it will just generate dozens of pages of speculation and sheer nonesense.

 

You know what I mean?

 

Someone who's in the know at HMFC has a relation in London who's uncles dog had a pee while out walkies around chelsea and overheard 2 men in long leather overcoats discussing a famous club up north. The said club has an owner who parks his submarine off the shore of the Forth and has a numpty off a son who wears a dodgy suit and speaks utter Sheite on his behalf.

[Guest JamboRobbo]

I noticed that too but not really worth mentioning because it will just generate dozens of pages of speculation and sheer nonesense.

 

On JKB? Never.

[jambovambo]

The egos of VR and RR will not allow admission of failure, I suspect.

 

However, big egos don't like being embarrassed.

 

And they may only go away with a "well, we tried but we're just not appreciated, and Scottish football is too big/small/crooked/straight for us, so we're off now."

 

So long and thanks for all yer pesh.

[JamboAl]

I love when GF says in his 2nd last paragraph that it is daft to suggest referees are corrupt: the hack from the Daily ****** says the same thing this morning. They may well be right but I ask "How the hell do YOU know it's not corrupt?" If money or favours were given to the Glasgow refs it is certain it would be done when George wasn't there, so how could he know?

I watched the highlights of the Sheep's game v the Weegie greens and saw a goal chalked off that would have meant the league title was definitely going to Rangers. The ref was Brines who has made mistakes in the past in Celtic's favour.(Ask Takis Fyssis). I have looked at that "goal" several times and cannot see an offence.

For someone to be that incompetent is it not time he was binned?

[Sherlock]

I love when GF says in his 2nd last paragraph that it is daft to suggest referees are corrupt: the hack from the Daily ****** says the same thing this morning. They may well be right but I ask "How the hell do YOU know it's not corrupt?" If money or favours were given to the Glasgow refs it is certain it would be done when George wasn't there, so how could he know?...

 

Oh dear.

[Guss]

When Romanov took over at Tynie I wonder if he'd just seen a screening of "The Prducers" by Mel Brooks. You know the scene, pretend you're trying to put on something successful and at the same time doing all you can to make it fail. In the case of the movie it was so the producers could collect the insurance money in the event of failure, and in the case of Romanov if the club goes backwards, he can blame others and begin the asset stripping.

Let's hope the circus that was our AGM is a wake call to all the Vladsheep, and the response from us fans is enough to show Romanov we're fed up, and embarrassed by him and his entourage. You can hardly blame fans who don't re-new their season tickets after this latest debalce.

[Terrible Trio]

Would've been good if he'd said... "this week when I'm in London, when I will be meeting with billionaire Sheik Jamtartdullah Hatehoboallah over breakfast and the 90 goals v the vermin video..."

 

:107years:

[portobellojambo1]

I love when GF says in his 2nd last paragraph that it is daft to suggest referees are corrupt: the hack from the Daily ****** says the same thing this morning. They may well be right but I ask "How the hell do YOU know it's not corrupt?" If money or favours were given to the Glasgow refs it is certain it would be done when George wasn't there, so how could he know?

 

Interesting reading, does your surname end in kas, nas or ov by any chance.

 

As he says, in the same paragraph, we all know the standard of refereeing in Scotland is p i s s poor, fecking awful, call it what you will, but do YOU really believe money is changing hands to ensure the continued domination of Rangers and Celtic in Scottish football.

 

I would agree with GF, it is daft to assume that because the bigger clubs appear to get decisions which go in their favour that they must by definition be firing handouts here there and everywhere to referees. Martin O'Neill has said that the big clubs in England appear to get all the decisions going in their favour, and that coming from someone who was on the receiving end of such favours while with Celtic.

 

That doesn't make referees corrupt, it does mean they may be influenced by large crowd reaction in certain decisions, and more specifically in Scotland it goes back to the original point, the standard of refereeing in Scotland is p i s s poor, that does not also mean the referees are corrupt.

 

It is a dangerous allegation to make if you do not have proof, and if you do have proof you should present it to the correct authorities to deal with, and in this case I am not talking about sending a dossier to the SFA.

[JamboAl]

Interesting reading, does your surname end in kas, nas or ov by any chance.

 

As he says, in the same paragraph, we all know the standard of refereeing in Scotland is p i s s poor, fecking awful, call it what you will, but do YOU really believe money is changing hands to ensure the continued domination of Rangers and Celtic in Scottish football.

I would agree with GF, it is daft to assume that because the bigger clubs appear to get decisions which go in their favour that they must by definition be firing handouts here there and everywhere to referees. Martin O'Neill has said that the big clubs in England appear to get all the decisions going in their favour, and that coming from someone who was on the receiving end of such favours while with Celtic.

 

That doesn't make referees corrupt, it does mean they may be influenced by large crowd reaction in certain decisions, and more specifically in Scotland it goes back to the original point, the standard of refereeing in Scotland is p i s s poor, that does not also mean the referees are corrupt.

 

It is a dangerous allegation to make if you do not have proof, and if you do have proof you should present it to the correct authorities to deal with, and in this case I am not talking about sending a dossier to the SFA.

 

My solicitor has advised me not to answer this except to say that I could not possibly know unless I was there when a brown envelope changed hands. Crowd reaction is a red herring. It happens at Tynie against the OF when we have by far the majority of supporters. It also happens almost invariably when we have a weegie ref reffing a weegie team. This should not be allowed as a matter of integrity.

On Saturday we had a Paisley ref in the middle and St Mirren come from....... yes you've guessed, Paisley. I asked myself when Johnsson scored if McCurry thought the ball played his hand, as opposed to the other way round, or did he ignore it in view of his (lack of) decision with wee Baz. Fans should not be thinking that way. Incidentally I thought McCurry had an otherwise decent game but there was little at stake.

[ToadKiller Dog]

Corruption does not have to come from payments ,it cam be institutional ,can come from selective picking of refs for promotion to the top grade ,having to tick certain boxes before promotion ,it can come from how they are trained etc.

[peebles jambo]

gf is right, you should never send a laddie to do a mans job, we've all been well and truly conned right from the start

mad fud should have had the balls to attend the agm instead of sending his biggest erse licker

i can't see a happy ending, i'm afraid

[Drylaw Hearts]

Very strange second line. A bit like when Foulkes mentioned brushing up on his russian many moons ago.

 

Why mention London?

 

Could the "other interested party" perhaps be based in London?

 

I've heard a couple boys from London are interested.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbszjo99JAc

[PTBCAL]

Very strange second line. A bit like when Foulkes mentioned brushing up on his russian many moons ago.

 

Why mention London?

 

Could the "other interested party" perhaps be based in London?

 

You tease.

 

Unfortunately they were told NO. Hearts are not up for sale.

[Genghis Khan]

I've heard a couple boys from London are interested.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbszjo99JAc

 

Surely where Dance Nation could be heading?

[ford donald]

EXCELLENT ARTICLE ONCE AGAIN,GEORGE.YOU ARE SPOT ON ABOUT THE ROMANOVS.JUNIOR IS A DISGRACE TO OUR FOOTBALL CLUB.I HOPE THE SFA HAMMER HIM FOR HIS COMMENTS.I AM BEGINNING TO HATE HIM.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK,GEORGE.

[djf]

I can't think of one reason why anybody would buy into Hearts that would be for the good of the club to be honest with you.

 

Surely Hibs would be a far more viable option?

[Fermi]

He is bang on mostly but I don't agree with the referees comment.

 

Scottish referees have had no bearing on Hearts' current position this season, but I firmly believe they are bent. Money may not change hands, but season tickets will be afforded in later life no doubt.

 

But don't let this moan detract from my total agreement with the rest.

[Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC]

Great article.

 

I get the impression he spends a lot of time on JKB, loads of wee quotes/phrases that you read on here!

[CostaJambo]

People are now lining up to ask me if there is anyone who would buy the Romanov's out, someone to love our club.

 

Why would people be asking him? Look what's happened with his last find.

[Buffalo Bill]

I've heard a couple boys from London are interested.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbszjo99JAc

 

 

Did you know that these two are no longer with us?

 

I only found out recently.

 

 

 

Buffalo Bill

 

.

[Drylaw Hearts]

Did you know that these two are no longer with us?

 

I only found out recently.

 

 

 

Buffalo Bill

 

.

 

 

Sad news.

[Dougie Masterton]

So it was "Hobson's Choice", George?

 

By this then, can we take it that the "mystery backer" to SOH was Vlad himself, because they were never revealed to the general mass of Hearts fans?

 

If so, that makes the idea of a con even more unrealistic because it would be a scam of over 4 years in the making, with his companies sitting at a loss of somewhere between ?5 to ?10m, depending on how much he could liquidate HMFC for.

 

The truth is further on when it is mentioned about the subservience to the master - with that comes the "impertinence" of us even daring to ask a question of them. We are minions in their eyes.

 

Well seen that George Orwell was right - "all animals are equal but some are more equal than others", even if that animal is a prize dipstick!

 

 

 

No he wasn't.

[combo74]

Sad news.

 

"Edem Ephraim and Dennis Fuller of The London Boys, were both killed in a car crash in The Alps on 21st Jan 1996, also killed was Edem's wife Bettina.

R.I.P.":eek:

[jambos are go!]

I question the integrity of GFs statement that officials are not unduly influenced. If he reads this I'd like to know if he thinks VRs financial plans are pie in the sky as his management methods because he does not seem to be saying so. The fans deserve to know as well as more detail rather than nods and winks about a White Knight(s) in waiting. I think there is one and I think they think that something can be done in MacLeod Street through a mix of property development and building on the realised potential for HMFC VR has achieved so far.

 

Let me point to something that has been somewhat lost in debates about team selection, performance and management. The scale of the waste and costs incurred in maintaining a huge squad must be staggering - particularly from a banker. The scope for savings is huge by VR or someone else

[Derby Dominance]

GF is a politician and by definition not be trusted. Amazes me how he has such a big fan club on here.

 

Ask yourselves this:-

 

1. Who walked Romanov through the front door with red carpet treatment?

2. What money has Foulkes invested in Hearts?

 

Talk is cheap. At least Romanov has shown the colour of some of his money.

[iainmac]

GF is a politician and by definition not be trusted. Amazes me how he has such a big fan club on here.

 

Ask yourselves this:-

 

1. Who walked Romanov through the front door with red carpet treatment?

2. What money has Foulkes invested in Hearts?

 

Talk is cheap. At least Romanov has shown the colour of some of his money.

 

1. You'd be wrong then - kept his every word with assisting SOH when he was Chairman, including stitching up CPR at the EGM with Jim Clydesdale. As far as VR is concerned - were you telling everyone when he came in that he would be a disaster?

2. He buys a ST every year but never took a penny out in remuneration when he was Chairman.

[Guest Freewheelin' Jambo]

1. You'd be wrong then - kept his every word with assisting SOH when he was Chairman, including stitching up CPR at the EGM with Jim Clydesdale. As far as VR is concerned - were you telling everyone when he came in that he would be a disaster?

2. He buys a ST every year but never took a penny out in remuneration when he was Chairman.

 

All true.

 

If anyone told him about some of the antics Vlad would get up to, he would not have believed it because most of it would have been considered beyond belief.

 

We could never have predicted Romanov's antics. Beyond reason at times.

[Malinga the Swinga]

He never took a penny in renumeration as he is on the politicians gravy train, and has lined his pockets at public expense for years. Ask yourself if he need sthe money as the pension he will be receiving is amongst the best that exists.

 

Sorry George, you can stick your comments. Don't like Rodney, but GF is a windbag of highest degree.

[maltese jambo]

My solicitor has advised me not to answer this except to say that I could not possibly know unless I was there when a brown envelope changed hands. Crowd reaction is a red herring. It happens at Tynie against the OF when we have by far the majority of supporters. It also happens almost invariably when we have a weegie ref reffing a weegie team. This should not be allowed as a matter of integrity.

On Saturday we had a Paisley ref in the middle and St Mirren come from....... yes you've guessed, Paisley. I asked myself when Johnsson scored if McCurry thought the ball played his hand, as opposed to the other way round, or did he ignore it in view of his (lack of) decision with wee Baz. Fans should not be thinking that way. Incidentally I thought McCurry had an otherwise decent game but there was little at stake.

 

 

Look, how long have we been watching scottish football?

 

if it isnt crystal clear to you all that the people in power will do everything they can to help the OF then you badly need your head examined.

 

I had a good laugh at the 'influenced by the crowd' excuse...what a pile of sheite! favourable decisions are being made consistantly at ALL grounds where the OF play.

 

I've watched italian football for years, and although folk may have had slight suspisions that the big boys were being favoured, no-one could have dreampt it was on the scale of what was subsequently uncovered.

 

But really, would officials up here NEED to be bribed? lets be honest, their all openly OF fans anyway!

[jambovambo]

I still find it hard to believe we got the penalty at the start of the Cup Final in '98, when Steve Fulton took that ... tumble.

 

Thought it was going to be the same old, same old, when Cheeky Chappy McCoist took that ... tumble on the edge of the box late on.

 

It's hard to think of breaks we, or other teams for that matter, have had against the OF.

[Sherlock]

...talk is cheap. At least Romanov has shown the colour of some of his money.

 

Has he?

 

Please explain.

[Derby Dominance]

Read the accounts

[Derby Dominance]

He buys a ST every year but never took a penny out in remuneration when he was Chairman.

 

 

Havent' we all. He never put a penny in. I repeat - TALK IS CHEAP, esp for Foulkes. He's a politician, end of story. Thanks for walking Vlad in George; you got us into this mess, you get us out.

 

By the way where does the fee for his EEN column go?