Thor would demand full control at Hearts

[maroonlegions]

Thor would demand full control at Hearts, says Dorigo

 

 

 

Published Date: 12 June 2008

By MARK BONTHRONE

GUDJON THORDARSON would never settle for anything less than full control of team affairs if appointed manager of Hearts.

That's the view of former England star Tony Dorigo, who played under the Icelander at Stoke City.

 

Thordarson is one of three names on the Jambos' managerial shortlist with Slovakian Vladimir Weiss and Belarussian Andrei Zygmantovich the others.

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Thordarson is currently in charge of IA Akranes in his homeland but has plenty of experience of the British game, one of the criteria identified by Hearts as being key in their search for a new boss.

 

He helped guide Stoke City to the League One play-offs in 2000/2001 where they were beaten in the semi-finals by Walsall, but won promotion to the Championship the following year before a fall-out with club owners just days later saw him leave the Potters. He went on to have less successful spells with Barnsley and Notts County.

 

Ex-Leeds and Torino defender Dorigo believes the Jambos would be wasting their time unless he is given full control of team selection.

 

"I wouldn't think he would take kindly to being told what to do and I can't see him being anyone's puppet, put it that way," said Dorigo, capped 15 times by England.

 

"He has very strong ideas and he always stuck by his beliefs. I really liked the guy.

 

"He's extremely determined and would give it 100 per cent if given the chance. But I'd be extremely surprised if he allowed any interference.

 

"Certainly at Stoke, if somebody didn't agree with him then they weren't around very long."

 

Hearts endured a hugely disappointing season last year ending the campaign in eighth spot.

 

Fingers were pointed at the Jambos' pre-season schedule with accusations from some quarters that the players weren't fit enough while a lack of discipline throughout the season also contributed to a number of their well below-par displays.

 

Having experienced working with Thordarson first hand, Dorigo has warned the current crop of Tynecastle stars they'd better be prepared for a hard taskmaster if his old boss is given the nod.

 

"The Icelandic race seem to be quite hard men and he certainly doesn't suffer fools gladly," said Dorigo, who hung up his boots after leaving Stoke.

 

"He is very disciplined and, as a player, you have to do it his way. When I was there I was coming to the end of my career so was quite experienced and he would listen to what you had to say but, ultimately, you knew the final decision rested with him.

 

"He didn't mess about and the same rules applied to everyone no matter who you were and I quite liked that.

 

"The fitness element was a high priority of his as was the application of the players. Anything less than 100 per cent was unacceptable as far as he was concerned and he would tell the players that in no uncertain terms.

 

"Having said that I enjoyed my time with him at Stoke and I had a pretty good relationship with him."

 

Should Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov be able to give Thordarson the assurances he is likely to require on team-matters, Dorigo believes the 52-year-old possesses all the qualities required to be a success in Scotland.

 

"He has good experience internationally and he was able to use that to bring a few Icelandic players in that did well for us," he said.

 

"I think in many ways he's ideally suited to the British game as effort and fitness are key components. That's not to say he's tactically inept ? far from it. He worked hard on formations as well and wanted the players to play a certain way.

 

"The base was always the fitness and discipline and straight away that gives you a chance of succeeding in the British game.

 

"We had a good season when I was there and we got to the play-offs which, unfortunately, we ended up losing out in.

 

"But we played good football and the players liked him, so if Hearts can put forward a package that interests him I'm sure he can do well."

 

FROM ICELAND TO THE POTTERIES AND BACK AGAIN

THORDARSON spent his playing career in Iceland, turning out more than 400 times for hometown team IA Akranes where he won five league titles and five cups.

 

He moved into management with KA Akureyri in 1987 and guided them club to their only championship two years later.

 

He went back to relegated Akranes as boss in 1991, steered them back into the top flight at the first attempt and won the title the following year.

 

He moved on to KR Reykjavik, Iceland's biggest club, where he won the cup before taking over the Icelandic national team and they came close to qualifying for Euro 2000 during his three-year tenure.

 

He was appointed Stoke City boss after an Icelandic consortium took over the club and guided the Potters into the then Division One. He was, however, sacked just days later after a fall-out with the owners.

 

A brief spell in Norway followed before a year-long stay with Barnsley which started well before falling away dramatically, eventually leading to him being sacked.

 

He was due to become interim manager of Hibs after the departure of Bobby Williamson in 2004 but had a change of heart at the last minute.

 

Notts County were next for Thordarson, although he was only able to guide them to 21st place in League Two before leaving by mutual consent.

 

He returned to Akranes last season and helped the club to finish third, although so far this campaign has been a disappointing one with only five points taken from the first six matches of the season.

 

 

well its his way or no way eh, clash of personalities i see here with vlad in the same mould as , his way or no way.

[Mac_fae_Gillie]

If Vlad does appoint him I would assume he would have free reign.

Vlad must know the guys rep' and hopefully it is a turning point...

luv the idea of Butcher as No2 he knows Scots players(ref No2 scotland)and has connections down south...

Even if Thor is not top manager we need a settled team to get back to Uefa

Cup that is not a hard task if the team is left alone...

[WeeToonJambo]

The more I read about this guy the more I think he might be just what we need to sort out our bunch of underachievers, particularly if he has Terry Butcher at his shoulder. They'd be scared not to put in a decent shift.

[gazmo]

I think he's just covering his ass. He'll know that the presumption for any managers that VR appoints is that they allow interference, so he's probably just wanting to seem like the good guy just now.

 

Just hope he's genuine.

[Guest JamboRobbo]

The more I read about this guy the more I think he might be just what we need to sort out our bunch of underachievers, particularly if he has Terry Butcher at his shoulder. They'd be scared not to put in a decent shift.

 

I feel the same about the way he talks.

[jack D and coke]

He's saying the right things as far as i'm concerned but cant help thinking he's talking his way out of the running. Vlad wont like the thought of a manager that thinks he's going to pick the team as he sees fit. That would mean none of his favourites would get a game. Cant have that.

[benny]

The more I read about this guy the more I think he might be just what we need to sort out our bunch of underachievers, particularly if he has Terry Butcher at his shoulder. They'd be scared not to put in a decent shift.

 

Same here.I can just picture him running on to the pitch and grabbing Chesney or Miko by the scruff of the neck and dragging them off for not trying.

[JamboAl]

If the story in the Record is true, I fear he is trying to talk himself OUT of the job. He is saying what may be the right things and what fans may want to hear but these are points that should be kept for the privacy of an interview.

 

Laying down the ground rules in public to a prospective employer is not the best approach however commendable and honest it may seem.

[vegas-voss]

If the story in the Record is true, I fear he is trying to talk himself OUT of the job. He is saying what may be the right things and what fans may want to hear but these are points that should be kept for the privacy of an interview.

 

Laying down the ground rules in public to a prospective employer is not the best approach however commendable and honest it may seem.

 

Yeah especially if he is dissing the other candidates.I think he has already fallen down the pecking order and this is why he has come out with these statements.

[redm]

Same here.I can just picture him running on to the pitch and grabbing Chesney or Miko by the scruff of the neck and dragging them off for not trying.

 

Hmm. He could be a complete disaster, but he could also be a total hero.

Much as I've appealed for some sort of normality at Hearts, a part of me quite enjoys the whole rock'n'roll thing and if we can't have Bilic...this guy might do. Hehe.

 

 

I'm watching myself type this and I just know I'm going to regret being so flippant about it all...

[Jamboy81]

He'll just be another patsy. I'm sure he's thinking he can put up with some interference as it gives him a way back into British football. The great thing about taking the Hearts job is when he gets sacked people in England will perceive it as the lunatic owner losing the plot again as opposed to showing him in a bad light. He could then go for another job in the championship.

[JamboAl]

Yeah especially if he is dissing the other candidates.I think he has already fallen down the pecking order and this is why he has come out with these statements.

 

You could well be right.