Christophe Berra

[Pasquale for King]

10 minutes ago, Peebo said:

I agree.

 

Not sure how “training with the reserves” will impact that, though. The Oriam ain’t that big (and neither is our playing staff)!

You sure about that? There’s 25 players in this photo and Berra isn’t one of them.

Edited January 6, 2020 by Pasquale for King

[Jamboscanbevicius]

27 minutes ago, SpruceBringsteen said:

I'll not hear a bad word said against him, but this is what is best for both parties - glad DS has seen it that way. 

This. Berra has been tremendous for us, and will be sad to see him go. But it is the right call if we’re going to progress out of the hole we’re in. 

[gnasher75]

I was never very keen on the idea of a player coming back to Hearts "to finish his career". Very sad to see it come to this but it is probably the right thing for Hearts as long as we have at least one if not two central defenders lined up. 

 

Wouldn't be surprised to see Berra announce his retirement as I don't imagine he will be inundated with offers. But presumably he is within his rights to see out his contract.

[colinmaroon]

15 minutes ago, cosanostra said:

 

Damn, you're right. Frail was not great after his long injury and Locke never recovered after his first massive injury.

I don't remember Peter Oliver.

 

Then you won't remember Peter Shields either.

 

Crocked by Danny McGrain with a shocking tackle.

 

[LarrysRightFoot]

Thanks big man you’ve been a great servant.  
 

As others have said though he never recovered from the injury he suffered v Celtic. 

 

Can see him going to DUFC on loan or permanent.
 

 

[Bring Back Paulo Sergio]

Feel really bad for Berra as he's gave his all for Hearts. Hope he can find a role in coaching somewhere. Seems a bit whiny at the moment and feel he needs to leave the club and have a fresh start. Ultimately the correct decision.

[Peebo]

2 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

You sure about that? There’s 25 players in this photo and Berra isn’t one of them.

That’s a few hundred yards away from the main part of Hearts’ quarters in the Oriam. My point is that if he is indeed “training with the reserves” (whoever that may be, perhaps younger players), he will still be very much around the place! 

[Jeff]

Stendal is doing everything right

[Holyrood_Hearts]

18 minutes ago, Coco said:

In addition, Halkett has been a far greater bombscare defensively this season than Berra.  After MacLean and Whelan he should have been next out the door.

Halkett?

[Pasquale for King]

1 minute ago, Peebo said:

That’s a few hundred yards away from the main part of Hearts’ quarters in the Oriam. My point is that if he is indeed “training with the reserves” (whoever that may be, perhaps younger players), he will still be very much around the place! 

Definitely. Can maybe have lunch with Levein and Macphee in the dunces corner.

Edited January 6, 2020 by Pasquale for King

[bajthejambo]

Where does everyone see his next move coming from? 

[Holyrood_Hearts]

I’m proper gutted for Christophe but this is best for all parties. All the very best to him & I sincerely wish him best of luck in the future 

[Romulus]

It is 100% the correct decision to keep him off the park, as proven against Aberdeen. I’m afraid he has cost us in a lot of games and it has been a hard decline to watch, with other teams using his weaknesses.

 

Would have quite liked him to stay on as a coach and does seem harsh if he has been told to leave but we do really need better going forward. A great servant all the same. 

[Peebo]

1 minute ago, Pasquale for King said:

Definitely.

So in answer to your question - yes, pretty sure! 

[Bridge of Djoum]

1 minute ago, bajthejambo said:

Where does everyone see his next move coming from? 

Player/coach perhaps. Not at Hearts, though.

[Holyrood_Hearts]

22 minutes ago, Spoleto said:

If this is true I think it's a disgusting way for Berra to be treated and does Stendel absolutely no credit.

 

The man has given his all for the club and deserves to be treated with respect.

Get real ffs. Stendel’s done **** all wrong here

[jayjay]

A terrific servant and player in spells. However sentiment cannot come into this. It’s 100% the correct decision. 

[132goals1958]

Sad that prior to his injury against Celtic he was the first name on the team sheet. An inspirational captain who gave nothing less than 100 per cent. Wish he had got his wish to end his career with us but we have to move on.

[CornhillHearts]

If the report is true, would have to think there’s another centre half on his way. We’ll struggle against the bigger forwards in the air with the current incumbents.

Cosgrove not playing for Aberdeen last week made dropping Berra an easier decision imo.

[All roads lead to Gorgie]

Thank's Christophe for your service to the club and I hope you can still play at a level where the pace is a little less than the top league.

 

It has been obvious for some time that Berra was off the pace and his old positional sense was not enough to carry him any more. He was forced to play too many hurried long balls as teams targeted his lack of pace by putting their quickest players on him.

Correct decision for both parties!

[Spoleto]

25 minutes ago, Coco said:

In addition, Halkett has been a far greater bombscare defensively this season than Berra.  After MacLean and Whelan he should have been next out the door.

 

Agreed. 

 

Berra has been "hung out to dry" by Halkett time after time. As was Clare for his sending off.

 

I hope there's a player in Halkett but I'm not seeing it.

Edited January 6, 2020 by Spoleto
spelling

[Peebo]

Just now, Mort said:

It is 100% the correct decision to keep him off the park, as proven against Aberdeen. I’m afraid he has cost us in a lot of games and it has been a hard decline to watch, with other teams using his weaknesses.

 

Would have quite liked him to stay on as a coach and does seem harsh if he has been told to leave but we do really need better going forward. A great servant all the same. 

We have enough inherited staff currently serving as coaches. He can’t be told to leave, but he can be told he won’t play and that he’s free to find another club. That is doing him a favour.

 

Not convinced he will make a great coach. Never seemed vocal or particularly influential. Personally never saw him as being a particularly good captain, especially once his body started to fail and he could no longer lead by example. He was very good at defending, though and has done very, very well for us across the two stints. 

[Bazzas right boot]

10 minutes ago, The Apprentice said:

It can’t go much more horribly wrong than it has done so far this season though. Big changes are needed. 
 

Not purely out of sentiment but I’d be happy to keep Berra as backup as he’d still do a job when needed, but he can’t be relied on every week now. 

 

Heard that before. 

 

 

I agree. 

[Pasquale for King]

5 minutes ago, Peebo said:

So in answer to your question - yes, pretty sure! 

The question was that we didn’t have a big squad, 25 players with no sign of Souttar or Haring is not a small squad, which was my query.

[ford donald]

42 minutes ago, Mister Dee said:

Shame for the guy, he’s been a good servant to the Club. 
He never recovered from that injury against Celtic

 

Wish him all the best,in the future,his heart was always in the right place.

[Peebo]

2 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

The question was that we didn’t have a big squad, 25 players with no sign of Souttar or Haring is not a small squad, which was my query.

My point is we don’t have a stand-alone “reserve squad” that trains in isolation from the rest of the senior players. 

[Cut The Crap]

Good guy but should never have been offered an extension in the summer. Good luck to him.

[tcjambo]

36 minutes ago, Smith's right boot said:

 

People say things like that all the time on here about players, managers, coaches ..... 

 

Probably also a bit too close to the previous regime for DS's liking

[Cruyff]

Berra has been a great servant to Hearts and was a great centerhalf for us. He was a colossus for us pre injury. 

 

Sad that his time is up but it's for the best. He has never been the same since that injury and clearly isn't suited to playing a high line. 

 

I think we need to replace his aerial prowess.

 

If he goes, all the very best to him. I certainly couldn't slag a guy off who gave everything for the jersey and played 250 games or so for us. 

[Pasquale for King]

6 minutes ago, CornhillHearts said:

If the report is true, would have to think there’s another centre half on his way. We’ll struggle against the bigger forwards in the air with the current incumbents.

Cosgrove not playing for Aberdeen last week made dropping Berra an easier decision imo.

Doidge gave both CH a bit of trouble, Cosgrove causes more bother on the ground as his goals against us show. I can’t think of many other big strikers who are good in the air currently playing in the league?

[Mister Dee]

1 minute ago, ford donald said:

 

Wish him all the best,in the future,his heart was always in the right place.

Absolutely. 
Hope he gets a respectful exit from the Club -& supporters. 

[ToadKiller Dog]

Was it not said Stendel preferred a younger overall side to develop and play his way ?

Sad that Berras times up a great servant to the club ,but clearly injury has taken its toll on him .

I'm hopefull he can have a season or so for maybe a club like Inverness or the likes .

[Pasquale for King]

Just now, Peebo said:

My point is we don’t have a stand-alone “reserve squad” that trains in isolation from the rest of the senior players. 

Who was he training with then, none of the guys that usually play for the reserves, Hamilton, Moore etc are in the photo.

[Alan_R]

Echo others sentiments, it's a shame it's came to this

We rushed him back too soon (as we have with others) and he's suffered. We are as much to blame for his form as we were so desperate and like Naismith he's rushed back in with only the best intentions

Whole teams been rotten so refuse to single him out but appreciate he's probably not in the mould stendal is looking for.

 

Got to feel for him, can't imagine his new wife wants to relocate. Probably got married thinking he'll be settled and winding down his career.

 

Could maybe see him at Raith or even Edinburgh City due to that, would be some drop for a great servant to this club.

 

[indianajones]

Would heider a cinder block for Hearts. 

 

Bravest man at the club. Only best wishes for him! 

 

Edit: right decision imo. He's clearly struggling these days. 

Edited January 6, 2020 by indianajones

[gashauskis9]

34 minutes ago, Spoleto said:

If this is true I think it's a disgusting way for Berra to be treated and does Stendel absolutely no credit.

 

The man has given his all for the club and deserves to be treated with respect.

Pish.  How do you know Stendel hasn’t treated him with respect?

[Pasquale for King]

Just now, Alan_R said:

Echo others sentiments, it's a shame it's came to this

We rushed him back too soon (as we have with others) and he's suffered. We are as much to blame for his form as we were so desperate and like Naismith he's rushed back in with only the best intentions

Whole teams been rotten so refuse to single him out but appreciate he's probably not in the mould stendal is looking for.

 

Got to feel for him, can't imagine his new wife wants to relocate. Probably got married thinking he'll be settled and winding down his career.

 

Could maybe see him at Raith or even Edinburgh City due to that, would be some drop for a great servant to this club.

 

We? Levein 👍🏽.

[Absolute Scenes]

I have serious love for Stendel just now

he is not messing about 🤩🤩

[ericb]

Three pages and everyone is treating this as gospel, it's the sun!

[Peebo]

1 minute ago, Pasquale for King said:

Who was he training with then, none of the guys that usually play for the reserves, Hamilton, Moore etc are in the photo.

I’ve no idea who he was training with when that photo was taken. Could still be in his honeymoon as far as I know.

 

But even if he was training with another group of players, my other point still stands - the Oriam ain’t that big! He will still be “around”...

[Rocky jamboa]

That's a shame in some ways. I quite like him and great in the air. Wins pretty much every header he goes up for! Lacks a bit of pace now though, which probably doesn't fit with stendels style of play.

 

If him and whelan leave, plus mulraney, it will probably save not far off £15k per week in wages, which we could use to bring what we need in.

[Weakened Offender]

Berra has been a good servant to the club and a fine player. He's been an atrocious leader on the park for over a year though. 

 

Loving the approach by Daniel. Zero sentiment. 

[Anderson5]

If true this leaves a bit of a sour taste in the mouth. Christophe turned down a lot more money at Ipswich to return to Edinburgh due to personal reasons. We were the main beneficiary of that decision. 
 

I don’t like to see us tell him he’s no longer wanted and to move on elsewhere halfway through that agreement. Where is he going to go?

 

However, I agree that it wasn’t DS that signed him to this contract and therefor he has no loyalty to CB. 

[Bridge of Djoum]

''Training with the RESERVES''

''Axed''

''Stunned''

''Bombshell''

 

It's been years since I picked up a tabloid, I see the dramatic language is still in use. One or two posters on this thread lapping up this diatribe. 

 

Berra was fantastic for Hearts, sadly injury got the better of him. It's unfair to call him ''not good enough''. Age and injury just catches up with you. Anyone with a bad word to say about him really needs a shake.

 

 

 

 

 

[Alan_R]

Just now, Pasquale for King said:

We? Levein 👍🏽.

Perhaps. Whatever it is there is something underlying in how many injuries we get and secondly how we handle them.

 

Certainly CL has been a part of that.

 

I was told a story that at one of the AGM CLs name was captioned on the power point as coach/director of football/medical

 

He claimed to have study a video of JS op and also attended a briefing from a medical professional regarding this.

 

Not sure if bollocks or not but he shouldve been leaving that to the actual experts?

 

[Bridge of Djoum]

6 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

We? Levein 👍🏽.

House!

 

[Taffin]

2 minutes ago, Bridge of Djoum said:

''Training with the RESERVES''

''Axed''

''Stunned''

''Bombshell''

 

It's been years since I picked up a tabloid, I see the dramatic language is still in use. One or two posters on this thread lapping up this diatribe. 

 

Berra was fantastic for Hearts, sadly injury got the better of him. It's unfair to call him ''not good enough''. Age and injury just catches up with you. Anyone with a bad word to say about him really needs a shake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is it? Would you keep him as one of our starting centre backs? 

 

I've the utmost respect for Berra and I'm gutted for him and us that it's ended this way but if he was good enough...then I imagine the ending would be different

[Jambo 4 Ever]

34 minutes ago, sadj said:

what? You need help

Ummm no 

 

Levein was a great captain for us too and did well for us previously as well

 

 

[JyTees]

Absolutely no place for sentiment and I'm delighted the new boss isn't showing any. Probably a big part of the reason we're in the state we're in is down to certain character's at the club showing too much loyalty and sentiment. I dare say there's a hint of attempting to remove the remnants of it in this decision. It's football. The club moves on.

 

Berra was the elephant in the room. Finished. I seriously doubt we'll get him off the wage bill unfortunately.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kyle1874]

I have to admit I wanted him to go now that it looks like that is the case I am sad to see the man go I will always remember him as a true hearts man that gave his all thank you mr Berra for all you have giving to this great club