Frail after the game

[Baird, King and Michael]

Last night for the first time ever I found myself in the press box at the game and in the press conference after it. (I was working interviewing Gretna fans for a Borders based social history project.)

 

I sat through the game reflecting on yet another utterly abject performance from Hearts. (How many games this season have Hearts fans thought??That is the worst Hearts performance I?ve ever seen??)

 

As we waited for Stevie Frail to emerge for the press conference I was thinking to myself ?I bet he defends the players, I bet he says the youngsters did well, I bet he says we did well playing with 10 men for so long, I bet he says we?ve done well since January blah blah blah.?

 

I couldn?t have been more wrong.

 

Frail emerged looking genuinely emotional and tired.

 

He said that the 90 minutes summed up the season perfectly, from the opening Monday night against Hibs to Skelton?s last minute goal it had been a nightmare.

 

He made no excuses, said it wasn?t good enough, and nobody was more disappointed than him.

 

I asked if he felt that he got 100% from the players every time they pulled on the jersey?

 

He admitted that there were problems that had never been resolved at Hearts during the past year or so, the number of different nationalities, the fact that even in training the players had to be encouraged to shout at each other and cajole each other, the fact that we lacked leaders on the park, the fact that players who were dropped never seem to get angry, the lack of characters in the dressing room. He understood why the supporters would feel that way and admitted they deserved better.

 

He felt that we had some excellent player and that as a group they were ?nice laddies? but they lacked the passion, determination and leadership to make them better.

 

Most Hearts fans would rightly say that it is Frails job to instill that in the team, to show leadership and to demand 100%.

 

I think in this aspect of the job he has failed spectacularly, but I honestly felt sorry for him last night.

 

Frail is clearly not the man to take Hearts forward and I think even he knows that. I believe that at the very least, Stevie Frail, for all his faults, is one of the few left at the club who know what the name Heart of Midlothian really means to the supporters.

 

The problems at Hearts run much deeper than just who is head coach, as most Hearts fans already know.

 

Probably a different type of manager to Frail, say a Jeffries, a Levein, a McGhee, could get more out of the team, could demand more, could drop players not contributing, could foster a better atmosphere at the club and get more from a bunch of underachievers, would be more tactically astute.

 

However, even then, without the complete relinquishing of interference in team selection and transfer policy from Romanov any manager will struggle to get Hearts back to where we want them to be. (And from Rodney?s performance at the AGM that is not going to happen.)

 

Interviewing Gretna fans last night, 2 years to the day since Romanov and Brookes Mileson were hailed as the bright, new future for Scottish football I was struck by the fact that even on the emotional night that their team may have died, Gretna fans took the time to say to me how far Hearts had fallen since May 2006 and how they genuinely feared for the very existence of our club.

[Ivan Drago]

Would Frail be so downbeat if he thought there was a chance the problems would be fixed anytime soon?

 

Very worrying imo.

[awadooningorgie2]

One more symptom of how the club is run - if a manager has his hands tied in terms of who he brings in, he will not be able to ensure the right type of personalities are employed to give a good balance.

 

Indeed, any leaders we had were systematically drummed out of the club.

 

Many thanks for your interesting post.

[Glamorgan Jambo]

 

I asked if he felt that he got 100% from the players every time they pulled on the jersey?

 

He admitted that there were problems that had never been resolved at Hearts during the past year or so, the number of different nationalities, the fact that even in training the players had to be encouraged to shout at each other and cajole each other, the fact that we lacked leaders on the park, the fact that players who were dropped never seem to get angry, the lack of characters in the dressing room. He understood why the supporters would feel that way and admitted they deserved better.

 

.

 

Thanks a lot for the info. I guess the Riccarton 3 were on to something that day they stepped forward.

[Jammy T]

 

Indeed, any leaders we had were systematically drummed out of the club.

 

.

 

True leaders have their own opinions and respect of others

 

Not compatible within a dictatorship

[The Old Tolbooth]

Thanks a lot for the info. I guess the Riccarton 3 were on to something that day they stepped forward.

 

 

I think as time has wore on, this has become even more abundantly clear! I hold my hands up and admit that I chastised them at the time for their actions, but it's clear now that they only had the clubs best interests at heart, despite some other peoples agenda's on here!

[sked21]

I have been one of Frail's biggest critics but I do genuinely feel sorry for the guy. He and most of the players are so far out of their depth it is unbelievable. Like ducks in a desert.

 

He said a few weeks ago we need 3/4/5 players. We don't. We need a manger and 8/9/10 new players.

[busby1985]

So why does Frail always pick these gutless imposters every week?!! If he knew that certain players weren't 100% behind the club he should have asked them to leave or at least keep them out the team. Every hearts fan this season could list about 15 players that dont care and out of those 15 players Frail always picks his squad. I used to have alot of time for Shaggy but he changes his opions every week, if we win the lad's have been fantastic, training has been good etc...but when we lose all these problems hearts fans no exsist come back out again as he tries to defend himself!!

 

The club need's to dump the ?12 million wage budget and go back to basic's, no new stand till the debt is reduced, no big name signings. We need a manager who is good with a shoe string budget i.e. Levein, who can also devolp youngsters and get us back to being a hard team to beat.

 

Long gone are the champs league days and as for challenging the old firm NO DANGER!!

 

Cut a long story short i want MY HEARTS BACK!!

[Del1812]

Last night for the first time ever I found myself in the press box at the game and in the press conference after it. (I was working interviewing Gretna fans for a Borders based social history project.)

 

I sat through the game reflecting on yet another utterly abject performance from Hearts. (How many games this season have Hearts fans thought??That is the worst Hearts performance I?ve ever seen??)

 

As we waited for Stevie Frail to emerge for the press conference I was thinking to myself ?I bet he defends the players, I bet he says the youngsters did well, I bet he says we did well playing with 10 men for so long, I bet he says we?ve done well since January blah blah blah.?

 

I couldn?t have been more wrong.

 

Frail emerged looking genuinely emotional and tired.

 

He said that the 90 minutes summed up the season perfectly, from the opening Monday night against Hibs to Skelton?s last minute goal it had been a nightmare.

 

He made no excuses, said it wasn?t good enough, and nobody was more disappointed than him.

 

I asked if he felt that he got 100% from the players every time they pulled on the jersey?

 

He admitted that there were problems that had never been resolved at Hearts during the past year or so, the number of different nationalities, the fact that even in training the players had to be encouraged to shout at each other and cajole each other, the fact that we lacked leaders on the park, the fact that players who were dropped never seem to get angry, the lack of characters in the dressing room. He understood why the supporters would feel that way and admitted they deserved better.

 

He felt that we had some excellent player and that as a group they were ?nice laddies? but they lacked the passion, determination and leadership to make them better.

 

Most Hearts fans would rightly say that it is Frails job to instill that in the team, to show leadership and to demand 100%.

 

I think in this aspect of the job he has failed spectacularly, but I honestly felt sorry for him last night.

 

Frail is clearly not the man to take Hearts forward and I think even he knows that. I believe that at the very least, Stevie Frail, for all his faults, is one of the few left at the club who know what the name Heart of Midlothian really means to the supporters.

 

The problems at Hearts run much deeper than just who is head coach, as most Hearts fans already know.

 

Probably a different type of manager to Frail, say a Jeffries, a Levein, a McGhee, could get more out of the team, could demand more, could drop players not contributing, could foster a better atmosphere at the club and get more from a bunch of underachievers, would be more tactically astute.

 

However, even then, without the complete relinquishing of interference in team selection and transfer policy from Romanov any manager will struggle to get Hearts back to where we want them to be. (And from Rodney?s performance at the AGM that is not going to happen.)

 

Interviewing Gretna fans last night, 2 years to the day since Romanov and Brookes Mileson were hailed as the bright, new future for Scottish football I was struck by the fact that even on the emotional night that their team may have died, Gretna fans took the time to say to me how far Hearts had fallen since May 2006 and how they genuinely feared for the very existence of our club.

 

Just to expand a little on this part highlighted.

 

He said that the players not trying was something that has been accused of his players for the past year or so due to the nationalities. I wondered here if he meant so many different nationalities or Lithuanians.

 

He felt the big problem was a lack of characters. That a team sometimes doesn't need a manager to rally the team when things are down, the players on the park can do it. He hinted at it being the major problem for us not finishing higher up the table by saying (paraphrasing slightly) 'i believe this group are the best squad of players outside the OF, though they haven't played like it this year, but they are nice guys'.

 

He says when something happens in training like a player pulling another player up for not working hard enough or not doing something right then others are taken aback by it happening. He says players should be able to say harsh words to each other on the training pitch then go in, get something to eat and laugh about it.

 

Another point Frail made was he had rarely seen a player go to the manager's office and ask why he wasn't playing at the weekend. In my opinion, that's very strange considering the amount of players who have been dropped for no reason over the past year.

[Boaby Ewing]

Just to expand a little on this part highlighted.

 

He said that the players not trying was something that has been accused of his players for the past year or so due to the nationalities. I wondered here if he meant so many different nationalities or Lithuanians.

 

He felt the big problem was a lack of characters. That a team sometimes doesn't need a manager to rally the team when things are down, the players on the park can do it. He hinted at it being the major problem for us not finishing higher up the table by saying (paraphrasing slightly) 'i believe this group are the best squad of players outside the OF, though they haven't played like it this year, but they are nice guys'.

 

 

This 'nice guys' schtick is starting to get on my Bristols.

 

Personally, I couldn't care if they're a shower of utter shiiiiiiits as long as they're performing on the park.

[Coco]

I think that Banks, Neilson, Berra, Jonsson, Miko, Driver and Velicka can be proud of the standard of performances/effort that they produced this season. Glen and McGowan sparkled in cameos right at the end of the season.

 

The effort of most of the rest of the players has been an utter disgrace.

[Debtor]

Good post, but shows a lot wrong with players attitudes.

That comes from Vlads interference. Players know a real manager would dump them and respond accordingly, when they will be retained because Vlad says so they no longer care.

 

Frail annoys me. I have left jobs on points of principle and I realise this costs, but Frail must realise that even Rix spoke up! Rix has not worked in football since, Frail has every chance of a job, although recent results make that less likely. Now is the time for him to get out. That would also force Vlads hand re a manager. He would not have Frail to fall back on!

 

It is possible to feel sorry for him, but it is well past the time he ought to have stood up and been counted!

[Guest Freewheelin' Jambo]

A pretty demoralising OP but valuable.

 

I feel every sympathy for Stevie Frail , though I believe he has lied to Hearts supporters about injuries to certain players, I feel the vile atmosphere at the club has rubbed off on even him but he has tried his best.

 

The only recent analogy I can think of is when Craig Levein came in and took a season and a half to get rid of the dross JJ brought in. It needs someone that ruthless. The entire playing staff needs a total overhaul. With the genuine possibility of maybe three or four players (Berra, Jonsson, Larry, Glen) and a few youth players eg McGowan, EVERYONE should be considered for the door.

 

An autonomous, experienced manager would certainly do this.

 

The depressing fact is that no one really believes we will get that.

 

We may be in serious relegation trouble next year. 4th last year, 8th this year, where will it end next year?

[Cut The Crap]

Just to expand a little on this part highlighted.

 

He said that the players not trying was something that has been accused of his players for the past year or so due to the nationalities. I wondered here if he meant so many different nationalities or Lithuanians.

 

He felt the big problem was a lack of characters. That a team sometimes doesn't need a manager to rally the team when things are down, the players on the park can do it. He hinted at it being the major problem for us not finishing higher up the table by saying (paraphrasing slightly) 'i believe this group are the best squad of players outside the OF, though they haven't played like it this year, but they are nice guys'.

 

He says when something happens in training like a player pulling another player up for not working hard enough or not doing something right then others are taken aback by it happening. He says players should be able to say harsh words to each other on the training pitch then go in, get something to eat and laugh about it.

 

Another point Frail made was he had rarely seen a player go to the manager's office and ask why he wasn't playing at the weekend. In my opinion, that's very strange considering the amount of players who have been dropped for no reason over the past year.

 

The "manager" is the last person a player would ask, surely?

[Nelly Terraces]

The players are not 'nice guys'.

 

They are lazy, feckless, useless deadbeats. Every single one of them should be made available for transfer. They make me sick.

[Jammy T]

The "manager" is the last person a player would ask, surely?

 

But that gets to the route of the problem doesnt it.

 

At a normal club players might get angry and complain to the manager

 

At Hearts players know that there is as much, if not more, chance that it is Vlads decision they are out the team.

 

How on earth can they address that?

 

They have seen what happens at the club if players rock the boat.

 

So they are, for all intent and purposes neutred.

 

This is just as Vlad wants it because as he sees it people that complain are rocking the boat, are not buying into his methodology and risk being a disruptive influence. These sort of people are killing the club and need to be "cured".

 

So Frail is right. But its not his fault and it isnt really the players fault

[The xx]

It seems, listening to what has been said previously that pre-Frail the players got used to being in and out of the team for no, or little, reason and have given up looking for reasons.

 

We definately need a few experinced players. Look at what Falkirk have done this week adding Bullen, McNamara and McCann. They have a first XI with an average age of around 22/23 which is similar to ours if you take Banks out the team. One thing we lack is experienced SPL players. Have you heard our captain being interviewed? He can't even talk! Obviously I would expect us to add a bit more quality than what Falkirk have but **** knows what will happen in the summer.

 

Also, I realise that a lack of experience is only the start of our problems.

[Takis4king]

The most hurtful thing is that there are so many people in the stands on a saturday that would love to pull on the maroon jersey but arent fortunate enuf to do so. We have these imposters on the park who treat the maroon as just a jersey, when really it is so much more than that. They go out and get paid for under performing week in and week out. They dont realise how big it is to play for a club like hearts and the most worrying thing is they dont seem to care:mad:

[rossi_1983]

Would Frail be so downbeat if he thought there was a chance the problems would be fixed anytime soon?

 

Very worrying imo.

 

I think Frail is suddenly so downbeat about it because he knows it has ruined any chance he had of getting the job

 

While he has some valid points, the end of the season is not the time to make them. It should have been said months ago to force the players to respond

[Auld Reekin']

So why does Frail always pick these gutless imposters every week?!! If he knew that certain players weren't 100% behind the club he should have asked them to leave or at least keep them out the team. Every hearts fan this season could list about 15 players that dont care and out of those 15 players Frail always picks his squad. I used to have alot of time for Shaggy but he changes his opions every week, if we win the lad's have been fantastic, training has been good etc...but when we lose all these problems hearts fans no exsist come back out again as he tries to defend himself!!

 

The club need's to dump the ?12 million wage budget and go back to basic's, no new stand till the debt is reduced, no big name signings. We need a manager who is good with a shoe string budget i.e. Levein, who can also devolp youngsters and get us back to being a hard team to beat.

 

Long gone are the champs league days and as for challenging the old firm NO DANGER!!

 

Cut a long story short i want MY HEARTS BACK!!

 

Because he's told to? At the very least, even if he does have a degree of autonomy over selection of the actual team and subbies, almost certainly he is not given free reign to choose his own squad to select from. This was made clear in the recent situation with Basso being omitted.

 

This would also clearly prevent Frail from moving certain players on if Romanov didn't agree. If Frail went to Romanov and told him that Ivaskevicius (for example... no significance at all in my picking him... ) should be returned as soon as possible to Kaunas because he is a trouble-making, non-trier who thinks he's a great deal better than actually he is, Romanov would be unlikely to agree as it was on his say-so that KI was brought here and has stayed as long as he has. It'd be exactly the same if Frail told Romanov he didn't intend to play him again.

 

What Frail seems to be stating is that the balance not being right within the squad (no leaders, not enough "personalities", no passion) is one of the major problems. If Frail, or any other "manager", is not given the authority to bring in players with these qualities into the squad, then it will obviously be very difficult to change things as they are: silk purses / pigs ears, polished turds, and all that...

 

Other than that, I totally agree with what you're saying and also with your assessment of what is needed to take us forward. Unfortunately, it's clear Romanov doesn't.

 

I definitely don't want Frail to continue as acting manager, or have this role made permanent, as I think he's far out of his depth, but I'm not sure what more he could have done given the severe restrictions that he has operated under, and that any future "manager" is also likely to have to endure. Yeah, he could have resigned, but - realistically - how much better of would this have left us?

[Paolo]

This 'nice guys' schtick is starting to get on my Bristols.

 

Personally, I couldn't care if they're a shower of utter shiiiiiiits as long as they're performing on the park.

 

Me too, he calls them 'nice guys', they call him 'Shaggy', no wonder they do not appear to respect him.

 

Imagine if the Man Utd players publicly referred to Sir Alex by a nick name and he referred to them as 'nice guys' - it just would not happen.

[Spitonastranger]

wait a minute, its frails tactics that let us down, forget vlad for a second thats a different debate. At the game last night he kept the same formation, then when he subbed, he took of screpis instead of stewert. Also there was no tactical change to our formation. He brought on lesser players into the same positions already occupied by players he thinks are better at those positons. It dosent make sense. I sat and watched that game last night like many others this season and am astounded by frails lack of technical/tactical savy, he replaces left backs for left backs when we are getting beat, he dosent change the shape of the team to get wins, on saturday a third rate player was getting down our wing and he did nothing to stop it. Frail may be a good guy, but that dosent excuse everthing. I know his hands are tied but he takes training and works out the tactics:mad:

[hhjambo]

Me too, he calls them 'nice guys', they call him 'Shaggy', no wonder they do not appear to respect him.

 

Imagine if the Man Utd players publicly referred to Sir Alex by a nick name and he referred to them as 'nice guys' - it just would not happen.

 

Can we please drop this pointless issue of what they call him. It's not his name that's the problem. It's his lack of authority to change ANYTHING without's Vlad's permission. Vlad can fix this whole sorry mess in an instant and he's been told countless times by many people how to do it. But still he does nothing!

[hhjambo]

wait a minute, its frails tactics that let us down, forget vlad for a second thats a different debate. At the game last night he kept the same formation, then when he subbed, he took of screpis instead of stewert. Also there was no tactical change to our formation. He brought on lesser players into the same positions already occupied by players he thinks are better at those positons. It dosent make sense. I sat and watched that game last night like many others this season and am astounded by frails lack of technical/tactical savy, he replaces left backs for left backs when we are getting beat, he dosent change the shape of the team to get wins, on saturday a third rate player was getting down our wing and he did nothing to stop it. Frail may be a good guy, but that dosent excuse everthing. I know his hands are tied but he takes training and works out the tactics

 

Are you sure about the bit in bold?

[Mr Maroon]

FAO Charlie Mann - I hope you are reading this thread, and in particular the OP.

You need to convey these feelings to Vladamir Romanov, and NOW!

 

We've waited 135 days since the 1 January announcement, and still no appointment of Manager.

Frail is clearly needing relieved of his current duties, and an experienced Manager brought in.

 

Memo to yourself and Vlad - finger, bum, immediately, out get finger your

[Fraggle]

Me too, he calls them 'nice guys', they call him 'Shaggy', no wonder they do not appear to respect him.

 

Imagine if the Man Utd players publicly referred to Sir Alex by a nick name and he referred to them as 'nice guys' - it just would not happen.

 

Exactly!! If that was me, ar*es would be booted into next week. (not saying I Fergie like, my nose has a wee bit to go yet before it's that red )

 

But I'm also sick to death of hearing this from Frail. "They're good lads, since January we are 3rd in form, blah blah blah".

 

Frails attitude is, IMO, summed up by my signature below .......

[The People's Chimp]

Thanks a lot for the info. I guess the Riccarton 3 were on to something that day they stepped forward.

 

Of course they were. While some on here like to kid themselves that the riccarton 3 were engaged in some crafty conspiracy to help Elvis engineer a move to celtic, it was clear that they had the interests of the club at heart.

 

We, as supporters, failed spectacularly. They thought they would have the backing of the fans. They didn't. they were hung out to dry by the regime, which has hung so many others out to dry. We acquiesced, many more defended Romanov, indeed JKB clearly had a majority of prom romanov posters at the time, and many even denied there was a problem. The fact of the matter remains that the fans had the chance to do something then. We didn't.

[Spellczech]

We need a hard barsteward in charge not "Shaggy". All nice guy managers have a barsteward as their assistant and vice versa, all barsteward managers have a nice guy as the assistant.

 

We have a nice assistant pretending to be the manager and he has no assistant...

[Ray Winstone]

Shaggy has come out and been honest for a change, however this makes an even bigger fool of him due to the fact that up until now he has been defending the players week in week out after rank performances.

 

If he knew there was a problem motivating the players then why the hell did he keep picking the same dross?

 

Should have chucked the youngsters in, but he was chasing the job for himself and this latest run of results has hopefully seen the end of that.

 

Mr Frail I implore you to walk away!

[The Mighty Thor]

We need a hard barsteward in charge not "Shaggy". All nice guy managers have a barsteward as their assistant and vice versa, all barsteward managers have a nice guy as the assistant.

 

We have a nice assistant pretending to be the manager and he has no assistant...

 

We need new ownership.

 

Quite simply put, anyone with a modicum of business sense would not fill their 'investment' with substandard staff being 'managed' by a spineless, clueless, useless **** of a man.

 

The only reason i can think that you would do the above is if you were deliberately trying to lose or launder money.

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

I'm glad F®ail is hurting.

 

It doesn't mean he's good enough for the job.

[david mcgee]

Of course they were. While some on here like to kid themselves that the riccarton 3 were engaged in some crafty conspiracy to help Elvis engineer a move to celtic, it was clear that they had the interests of the club at heart.

 

We, as supporters, failed spectacularly. They thought they would have the backing of the fans. They didn't. they were hung out to dry by the regime, which has hung so many others out to dry. We acquiesced, many more defended Romanov, indeed JKB clearly had a majority of prom romanov posters at the time, and many even denied there was a problem. The fact of the matter remains that the fans had the chance to do something then. We didn't.

 

Ditto.

[magicTs]

An interesting OP which just confirms (not that it was necessarily needed) that we are a club that is rotten to the core.

[Stuarty]

"I sat through the game reflecting on yet another utterly abject performance from Hearts. (How many games this season have Hearts fans thought…“That is the worst Hearts performance I’ve ever seen?”)

 

abject... what a very fitting word to describe our season!

 

abject

1. utterly hopeless, miserable, humiliating, or wretched: abject poverty.

2. contemptible; despicable; base-spirited: an abject coward.

3. shamelessly servile; slavish.

4. Obsolete. cast aside.

[Baird, King and Michael]

It?s a shame it?s come to this for Frail.

 

He was learning his trade as a coach at youth level and found himself thrust forward into the farcical managerial circus at Hearts.

 

It?s the ultimate irony that in one of his first acts as owner Romanov sacks Robbo for being too inexperienced and then, following Burley, Rix (and Duffy) Valdas, Angel, Malofeev, Korabotchka (sic) appoints a guy who hasn?t even sat his coaching badges.

 

In the circumstances the failure to secure a top 6 spot and the subsequent results in the last 3 games were an accident waiting to happen.

 

Frail deserves credit for trying in the face of almost overwhelming odds to try and keep things together.

 

What is clear however, is that despite being a nice guy with the best of intentions he is just not up to the job.

 

Despite my anger over performances, tactics and results I can?t bring myself to feel anything other than pity for Frail.

 

He is not the problem just a symptom of the sickness at the heart of our club.

 

I remember sitting behind the goal at Tannadice the night he incurred his bad injury. You could see immediately that it was bad and felt it could be the end for him in a season he had been magnificent.

 

He played in a team that could not claim to be the most skillful ever to grace the maroon but oh for some of the character, commitment and passion that was shown by most of those guys.

[Heart of the Matter]

Of course they were. While some on here like to kid themselves that the riccarton 3 were engaged in some crafty conspiracy to help Elvis engineer a move to celtic, it was clear that they had the interests of the club at heart.

 

We, as supporters, failed spectacularly. They thought they would have the backing of the fans. They didn't. they were hung out to dry by the regime, which has hung so many others out to dry. We acquiesced, many more defended Romanov, indeed JKB clearly had a majority of prom romanov posters at the time, and many even denied there was a problem. The fact of the matter remains that the fans had the chance to do something then. We didn't.

 

Spot on.

[Jammy T]

Spot on.

 

Just a minute

 

Are you the chappy that knows "Ben" the physchologist??

[maroonlegions]

We need a hard barsteward in charge not "Shaggy". All nice guy managers have a barsteward as their assistant and vice versa, all barsteward managers have a nice guy as the assistant.

 

We have a nice assistant pretending to be the manager and he has no assistant...

 

 

AGREE, we need a barsteward manager , someone who will not tolerate wage thieves , lazy feckers and most of all ***** who are not footballers but imposters , we should all fax or right to vlad and demand a barsteward for a manager.

[Frodo Jambo]

The players attitude, commitment, ability, etc. is merely a symptom. Frail's position, lack of leadership, lack of tactical ability is merely a symptom. The root cause is that both the playing and management side are what they are because that is the shape they have been moulded nito by the ownership.

 

Romanov is a successful businessman - he can see, as clearly as any of us, that the structure he has in place at Hearts is not a successful one. He has had many opportunities to remedy that situation. He knows that it would be the simplest thing for him to put in place a proper manager and allow that man and his assistants to run the footballing side of things in a way that would pay dividends in terms of footballing results. A contract would alleviate any fears for the individual in place. Romanov could make that happen. But will he? The evidence points towards a categoric 'No'. So what, then, is Romanov's motivation for owning Hearts? The team we have in place at the oment, if left to continue theway it has this season, will be a serious contender for relegation in 08/09. You can't showcase talent with a view to selling on for p[rofit in the Scottish First Division.

[Billy52]

It?s a shame it?s come to this for Frail.

 

He was learning his trade as a coach at youth level and found himself thrust forward into the farcical managerial circus at Hearts.

 

It?s the ultimate irony that in one of his first acts as owner Romanov sacks Robbo for being too inexperienced and then, following Burley, Rix (and Duffy) Valdas, Angel, Malofeev, Korabotchka (sic) appoints a guy who hasn?t even sat his coaching badges.

 

In the circumstances the failure to secure a top 6 spot and the subsequent results in the last 3 games were an accident waiting to happen.

 

Frail deserves credit for trying in the face of almost overwhelming odds to try and keep things together.

 

What is clear however, is that despite being a nice guy with the best of intentions he is just not up to the job.

 

Despite my anger over performances, tactics and results I can?t bring myself to feel anything other than pity for Frail.

 

He is not the problem just a symptom of the sickness at the heart of our club.

 

I remember sitting behind the goal at Tannadice the night he incurred his bad injury. You could see immediately that it was bad and felt it could be the end for him in a season he had been magnificent.

 

He played in a team that could not claim to be the most skillful ever to grace the maroon but oh for some of the character, commitment and passion that was shown by most of those guys.

 

 

He could always have said that he was not up to and did not want the job! Why did he not do that? Ego? Money? sheer stupidity? If he loves the club as much as is claimed he would have put HMFC first.

[269miles]

He said that the 90 minutes summed up the season perfectly, from the opening Monday night against Hibs to Skelton?s last minute goal it had been a nightmare.

 

He made no excuses, said it wasn?t good enough, and nobody was more disappointed than him.

 

I asked if he felt that he got 100% from the players every time they pulled on the jersey?

 

 

 

He felt that we had some excellent player and that as a group they were ?nice laddies? but they lacked the passion, determination and leadership to make them better.

Most Hearts fans would rightly say that it is Frails job to instill that in the team, to show leadership and to demand 100%.

 

I think in this aspect of the job he has failed spectacularly, but I honestly felt sorry for him last night.

 

.

 

If Frail wants to accept being Vlad's toady that's fine by me. Most posters on here , I believe , perfectly understand the situation he has to work under and that despite any assurances to the contrary a leopard does not change its spots (ie Vlad will continue to dictate). So there's no need for him to get stressed. He just has to do what Vlad tells him and he's watertight until the usual dismissal, gagging order and court case for compensation.

 

As for SF judgements on the players abilities however : just laughable , in my opinion.

As for the qualities he belives they lack : without those they can never be succesful at anything in life, never mind ****ing football.

 

The only criticism I will make of SF is his press comments : I'd prefer him to say nothing rather than be embarrassed by his hollow platitudes towards a group of players who are a disgrace , shame the club and are unworthy of the unearned sums they receive.

[Billy52]

The players attitude, commitment, ability, etc. is merely a symptom. Frail's position, lack of leadership, lack of tactical ability is merely a symptom. The root cause is that both the playing and management side are what they are because that is the shape they have been moulded nito by the ownership.

 

Romanov is a successful businessman - he can see, as clearly as any of us, that the structure he has in place at Hearts is not a successful one. He has had many opportunities to remedy that situation. He knows that it would be the simplest thing for him to put in place a proper manager and allow that man and his assistants to run the footballing side of things in a way that would pay dividends in terms of footballing results. A contract would alleviate any fears for the individual in place. Romanov could make that happen. But will he? The evidence points towards a categoric 'No'. So what, then, is Romanov's motivation for owning Hearts? The team we have in place at the oment, if left to continue theway it has this season, will be a serious contender for relegation in 08/09. You can't showcase talent with a view to selling on for p[rofit in the Scottish First Division.

 

Dead right, but you can put photos of them in the corridors of your hotel and name a few blocks of flats after them.

[IMA MAROON]

He could always have said that he was not up to and did not want the job! Why did he not do that? Ego? Money? sheer stupidity? If he loves the club as much as is claimed he would have put HMFC first.

 

He is doing his best for Hearts. I prefer people like that to them that get up and walk out on the club.

[Ivan Drago]

He is doing his best for Hearts. I prefer people like that to them that get up and walk out on the club.

 

The best thing Frail could do for the club would be to walk, not because he wouldnt be in charge but because it would force Romanov's hand into doing something.

[Auld Reekin']

The best thing Frail could do for the club would be to walk, not because he wouldnt be in charge but because it would force Romanov's hand into doing something.

 

Hmmm... bringing back Mad Eddie or Angel, or putting Korobochka back in charge, would be the most likely outcome in that situation. Even if none of the above, all we would / will get is another pyramid yes-man. As I said before, I don't really see how these options would help us or take us any further forward.

 

Romanov clearly doesn't give a tom-tit what we the fans think, so I disagree that Frail walking or not having taken the job in the first place would have helped us this season. However, I think he should certainly move-on, or step down from the "top job", before next.

[Baird, King and Michael]

The best thing Frail could do for the club would be to walk, not because he wouldnt be in charge but because it would force Romanov's hand into doing something.

 

Maybe so...but force Romanov into doing what?

 

Appoint another out of touch Eastern European yes man?

 

Appoint a "British Style Manager" then force him out the door by interfering in the team constantly?

 

This time, whoever is appointed, it's Romanov that needs to change how he behaves...otherwise we are destined for oblivion.

 

What the last 3 years have shown is regardless of who's in charge, the internal politics, interference, nonsensical decision making and the buying of sub standard players and insisting that they be either played or dropped on a whim has led us into this situation.

[IMA MAROON]

Hmmm... bringing back Mad Eddie or Angel, or putting Korobochka back in charge, would be the most likely outcome in that situation. Even if none of the above, all we would / will get is another pyramid yes-man. As I said before, I don't really see how these options would help us or take us any further forward.

 

I think so too.

[combo74]

Last night for the first time ever I found myself in the press box at the game and in the press conference after it. (I was working interviewing Gretna fans for a Borders based social history project.)

 

I sat through the game reflecting on yet another utterly abject performance from Hearts. (How many games this season have Hearts fans thought??That is the worst Hearts performance I?ve ever seen??)

 

As we waited for Stevie Frail to emerge for the press conference I was thinking to myself ?I bet he defends the players, I bet he says the youngsters did well, I bet he says we did well playing with 10 men for so long, I bet he says we?ve done well since January blah blah blah.?

 

I couldn?t have been more wrong.

 

Frail emerged looking genuinely emotional and tired.

 

He said that the 90 minutes summed up the season perfectly, from the opening Monday night against Hibs to Skelton?s last minute goal it had been a nightmare.

 

He made no excuses, said it wasn?t good enough, and nobody was more disappointed than him.

 

I asked if he felt that he got 100% from the players every time they pulled on the jersey?

 

He admitted that there were problems that had never been resolved at Hearts during the past year or so, the number of different nationalities, the fact that even in training the players had to be encouraged to shout at each other and cajole each other, the fact that we lacked leaders on the park, the fact that players who were dropped never seem to get angry, the lack of characters in the dressing room. He understood why the supporters would feel that way and admitted they deserved better.

 

He felt that we had some excellent player and that as a group they were ?nice laddies? but they lacked the passion, determination and leadership to make them better.

 

Most Hearts fans would rightly say that it is Frails job to instill that in the team, to show leadership and to demand 100%.

 

I think in this aspect of the job he has failed spectacularly, but I honestly felt sorry for him last night.

 

Frail is clearly not the man to take Hearts forward and I think even he knows that. I believe that at the very least, Stevie Frail, for all his faults, is one of the few left at the club who know what the name Heart of Midlothian really means to the supporters.

 

The problems at Hearts run much deeper than just who is head coach, as most Hearts fans already know.

 

Probably a different type of manager to Frail, say a Jeffries, a Levein, a McGhee, could get more out of the team, could demand more, could drop players not contributing, could foster a better atmosphere at the club and get more from a bunch of underachievers, would be more tactically astute.

 

However, even then, without the complete relinquishing of interference in team selection and transfer policy from Romanov any manager will struggle to get Hearts back to where we want them to be. (And from Rodney?s performance at the AGM that is not going to happen.)

 

Interviewing Gretna fans last night, 2 years to the day since Romanov and Brookes Mileson were hailed as the bright, new future for Scottish football I was struck by the fact that even on the emotional night that their team may have died, Gretna fans took the time to say to me how far Hearts had fallen since May 2006 and how they genuinely feared for the very existence of our club.

 

I believe that Frail genuinely has the clubs best interests at Heart and I believe he is hurting as much as any of us. However one of the problems I have is that he contradicts himself so often in interviews.When we are doing well the players attitude is great, the intereference is minimal etc. etc. however when we lose the outside influences have to stop, the players need to show more character etc. etc.

 

At the recent briefings Frail said that he had had more autonomy than any other manager under Romanov and that up until the split, when he was advised to put certain players in the shop window, he stated that there had been very little influence. He also stated that he felt there was not a motivational/attitude problem with the squad and that he felt that he had got a great response from the players since he took over.

 

So which is it?

[HillmanHearts]

Sorry for being late - But I thought that the OP's info was very interesting. I never read all the replies coz they looked like starting on the usual path of predictable Frail abuse ( or defence ) and we all know - We have heard it all be-fecking fore.

 

We have a massive Lack of : Leadership, Spirit, Belief, Passion, Togetherness, Strength, Bollocks, Confidence, Application - ( and thats before we get to actual ability - and tactical direction )

 

I strangely agree with Frail that we do have a batch of technically decent players - However lacking all the above stuff - we are totally fecked.

 

In days gone by our spirit & beleif in the badge would over-come all sorts of sticky situations - but that part of being a Jambo unfortunately no-longer exists. We currently have no bollocks !

 

Get Craigie in ASAP.

[thehibsareintheirbeds]

christ, that OP is like the final nail in the coffin after that season. cheers for the info though.

 

dont know why but it just seems ultimately bleak if even the eternally chirpy frail (best record outwith the old firm) is that downbeat- considering he was in charge of formation and tactics if not fully in control of team selection.

 

more than ever i'm praying for a decent managerial appointment this summer