Romanov quotes

[Pants Shaton]

October 2004

 

?My job would be to make sure they don't overspend the money and go over the club's budget, which should be around ?10m, I don't think they would have any debt by the end of this year.?

 

November 2004

 

"Nothing is impossible - there is no reason why we can't win the championship. It's inevitable that we will reach the level of Celtic and Rangers. I could put in a lot of money to win the league in the short term. But I think it is better to invest in stages to achieve progress and in time we will achieve long-term success."

December 2004

"I already feel like I am part of the club, and I am a good part of it. I have got a good feeling from fans."

 

January 2005 ? Fedotovas speaking for Romanov at EGM

 

"He hopes to break the stranglehold that Rangers and Celtic have achieved in Scotland and he hopes to build a stadium which is fit to host a club of such stature. Vladimir Romanov wants to make sure that Hearts is no longer perceived as a selling club and he is prepared to put his personal wealth at the disposal of Hearts to achieve this."

 

 

October 2005

 

Romanov said: "I believe that Hearts has the potential to develop into a major player within European football. And that we can build the current business, both on and off the field, into a club in which the supporters and the city of Edinburgh can have pride. By means of the offer, we hope to consolidate control in order to continue our investment in the business and achieve our stated objectives. Looking to avoid the factionalism and conflict with shareholders is one of the reasons why I sought to acquire an increase in my shareholding."

 

November 2005 ? poem

 

'Don't believe what you see today

For the portrait of the day is viewed through slumbering nights.

It is only through the cobwebs of time

And through the prism of the past that the moments of today will be understood.'

 

November 2005 ? Frontline Scotland (BBC)

 

"I gave these people full control to direct the club and in one year there was no result.

"We would have got to the death of the club as every day these people were present they were damaging Hearts."

"Each day they turned up at the club they were doing harm. I felt that if we had continued with these people then all my ideas would have been buried.

"I've already said I didn't set any high demands. I simply waited for the answer to the question ' what can people do?' and they did not answer.

 

Nov 2005 ? Leslie Deans meets with VR

 

Deans: "He is determined to take this club to the top and intends to break the Celtic and Rangers domination of Scottish football and I believe the man has every chance of achieving that with this club. At the risk of claiming superiority, I've got 30 years business experience and I think he's the real deal."

 

May 2006

 

"In my worst nightmare I never saw a season like that. I built the team to win the championship. But I didn't expect the systematic resistance from the whole surroundings. I didn't expect to be hit by different organisations, especially referees."

"There are parasites in football who just know one word - money. My goal next season is to make sure the parasites don't feed from this club," he added.

"But I am ready. I will sew up my pockets, so nobody can take any money from me and I can concentrate spending it on the team."

"Too often agents make decisions for players, when to play and when not to play."

 

May 2006

 

On Webster: ?I like Andy. He is an excellent player and with Steven Pressley we have the best defence in Scotland. Unfortunately in football there are agents, but the most negative influence is the parents - they shouldn't interfere in matters."

On the club?s medical staff: "They don't take their rings and watches off, I'm now looking for a head doctor, an assistant and a team of specialists."

"When I took over, the club was ruled by amateurs, there was no control. First I had to deal with the organisation, but simultaneously I had to bring in players. Another of our projects is the reconstruction of Tynecastle, where we want to build an hotel and offices at the stadium, but it depends on councillors."

[Pants Shaton]

July 2006

"I don't think we will purchase many players this season. I expect us to promote from the academy. I don't think Celtic and Rangers will progress much and I think we can play at their level. I don't think we will purchase many players this season. I expect us to promote from the academy. I don't think Celtic and Rangers will progress much and I think we can play at their level.?

 

July 2006

 

Malofeev and Ivanauskas: ?They make a team which satisfies me. I wish I had put it together earlier,"

"The best moment (last season) was when Burley left the club, but the worst moment was when Rix came in.

"I very much hope that this nightmare that we had last season will not be repeated. But that doesn't mean I will keep silent if I am not happy with something. Valdas has done good practical work at Hearts and he is willing to work in co-operation with other coaches. Now I have a sporting director, I have the person who works with the scouts, and I have a consultant in Eduard Malofeev who is very experienced."

Romanov said his immediate priority is to replace Rudi Skacel and Andy Webster with ?better players?, after which "the basic shape will be complete (and) we should keep going in getting better and better".

 

 

September 2006

 

"I wanted to buy O'Connor but the deal didn't happen. (Lokomotiv president Valeri) Filatov said he would get back to me on the Monday regarding an offer. Monday came but there was no word back."

 

September 2006 ? website rant

 

"I want to dedicate Hearts victories to those journalists who, because of their hate towards us, only notice our defeats and say it is fair criticism when in fact it is simply hysteria with only one aim - to dismantle the club.

They remain blind to unfair refereeing, even the ruthless one of Athens. We can't do much if the referee does not give us four penalties which we deserve. I am sure fans see and remember everything.

Despite your hysteria I do not only give my approval to every team selection, but also to the plan of the training process. I do, as well, participate in the selection of new players.

Having said this, I am expecting more outbursts of hysteria. They give me confidence that I am on the right way.

You remind me of those Bolsheviks in Soviet times who wanted to shoot a peasant only because he planted the seeds following his own way, and not their instructions.

Once they were ready to shoot a peasant, but a clever one who stopped them and said: 'let's shoot him in the autumn after he has gathered his harvest.'

I guess that if you could, I would have already been shot by now, but whilst you can't, full of hate and anger, you are spreading manure on my crops.

Naturally this is disgusting and offensive to clear up after you. Unfortunately you are bothering the heads of fans and the general public.

The journalists conduct interviews with players and after that wish to turn them into being about the support of Valdas. Indeed, by doing this they act just like small provocateurs, manufacturing a situation where Valdas needs support.

Last season Hearts proved everything that was possible to prove. You will have to fight with our shadow for quite a long time.

As for my naval service I was serving not in the name and ideals of Marx and Engels which were brought up in the west, but to my motherland on the legendary K19 submarine.

Together with other submarine crews we made Cold Wars ideologists sign a peace deal with rescued the whole world from a catastrophic nuclear war.

The sailors were dying, not for the people like you, who are spreading poison on the beautiful vastness of the earth.

Actually, The K19 crew from that horrific nuclear accident has been nominated to get the Nobel Peace Prize. It will be an award to all submariners that conquered the ocean and won against the Cold War's crazy ideologists.

 

 

Nov 2006 ? Hearts fans group meets with VR

"Mr Romanov also stated that he has no influence on team selection. He wants to see Hearts having 70% Scottish players and for Scottish people to be around the club,"

 

 

January 2007 ? Pressbal (Belarus) interview

"In Scotland we have to fight not in the sporting sense, but against constant intrigues.?

On Pressley: ?There was no conflict whatsoever, there was a banal betrayal. Players sold themselves for the striped shirts they were promised; they decided that these were so valuable that they could allow themselves to behave the way they did."

"Hearts are ahead of schedule in their development plan but non-football issues need to be put right. They are created by our rivals, who together with the press systematically accuse us of all kinds of non-existent sins."

On Valdas Ivanauskas' leave of absence: "I didn't relieve him of his duties - he took ill, and so wasn't able to work and (Eduard) Malofeev was there, so I didn't see a big problem in Ivanauskas being temporarily absent. It was simply that there were issues that were impossible to resolve. It was this that was harming Valdas's health. Subsequently, it was impossible to normalise the situation unless we removed footballers who did not want to play against Celtic, Rangers and other teams."

 

February 2007

 

?Celtic and Rangers? Even (Lithuania's) Kaunas are a match for them on the pitch. They have turned football into a type of showbusiness with their underhand games. They buy off players and referees. When it comes to weaker teams then nobody can help.But if two opponents are equally matched then the referees can have a real influence on the outcome."

"Thank God I haven't come across any corruption in Scotland.".

"To my mind, there are no values in this life that are worth betrayal, even if we're talking about hooped shirts. If kids are being pushed towards betrayal, I call it seduction - but seduction of their souls."

"Let's see where it (seduction) led in Webster's case: he hung around in different clubs and didn't play for the Scottish national team for a whole year."

"Edinburgh is an amazing city. I'm so impressed with the genius of those who created it. It fascinates and captivates you immediately. Its beauty was created during the times of the kings of old and now I see that everything that people were gathering for centuries - a culture, all Walter Scott's heritage, is being ruled and destroyed by monkeys from the safari park?

Media: "Monkey the Englightener/An enemy of talent/ A teacher of mediocrity."

 

April 2007 ? Beat interview

 

?I really did devote a lot of money to the club," he told The Beat. "But, as for time, maybe not as much as needed. The debts existed before. Whatever they are, it's important to work, to build the team for next season to come - and to fight."

 

 

May 2007 ? website rant

 

"Today, I will express my opinion in English about refereeing in order that your Mowgli will not make you tell lies. To discuss whether referees take money or not is the same as discussing a woman who gives herself with no love. Isn't it better to concentrate on the standard of their work instead of looking for reasons for their poor performance? A woman cheats herself and nature if she gives herself without love. If a referee officiates a game based on his personal love, he commits a cynical crime, especially when the public has trusted him. I respect those referees who take money from two stupid teams and then honestly officiates a game. They do not harm football in any way. Though it is bad, still everybody is equal for them. Perhaps that is the reason why football in Italy will never die despite all the scandals that continuously shake it. I think that is much better than being the champions for 40 years while building up the same system for further 40 years.?

 

ANY MORE?

[gazmo]

As comprehensive a list as I've seen - and now he's even more of a fool to me

[Eldar Hadzimehmedovic]

This is my favourite ever thread GMAN. It's good to see it again. Every Hearts fan should have a laminated copy of this in their wallet or something.

[BeeGee]

This is my favourite ever thread GMAN. It's good to see it again. Every Hearts fan should have a laminated copy of this in their wallet or something.

 

The previous one died when the old kickback disappeared. This is a pale imitation but it does have the added bonus of a Romanov poem.

 

GMAN (using his brother's laptop)

[Samster]

This is my favourite ever thread GMAN. It's good to see it again. Every Hearts fan should have a laminated copy of this in their wallet or something.

 

Why? Just to make us feel even more crap than we already do?!

 

It should be buried as deeply as possible and never see the light of day again.

[jambos are go!]

Some seem to have different standards - there is as much garbage posted on here on a daily basis.

[tynie]

I think this thread should be used as a sticky for easy reference to the Vlad apologists.

[BeeGee]

"Even the most sacred places on earth, the places that house the remains of Christ are blighted by profiteers and money-grabbers. Likewise in the football world, which is sacred for those who love football there are also those - be they agents, journalists or jealous hangers on or other 'wunderkinds' who seek to ruin all that is good about the game. But it is the Devil that is driving them forward and they are not going to stop. All that will remain for me is to step aside and bid them farewell on the road to Hell." December 2005.

[Charlie-Brown]

So raise the scarlet standard high, within it's shadow we live & die,

though traitors flinch & cowards sneer, we'll keep the red flag flying here.

[jambos are go!]

"Even the most sacred places on earth, the places that house the remains of Christ are blighted by profiteers and money-grabbers. Likewise in the football world, which is sacred for those who love football there are also those - be they agents, journalists or jealous hangers on or other 'wunderkinds' who seek to ruin all that is good about the game. But it is the Devil that is driving them forward and they are not going to stop. All that will remain for me is to step aside and bid them farewell on the road to Hell." December 2005.

 

Looks like a hot future for a few regular posters on here. Over the top but understandable IMO given the great harm they would inflict on HMFC.

[Guest jambomickey]

July 2006

"I don't think we will purchase many players this season. I expect us to promote from the academy. I don't think Celtic and Rangers will progress much and I think we can play at their level. I don't think we will purchase many players this season. I expect us to promote from the academy. I don't think Celtic and Rangers will progress much and I think we can play at their level.?

 

July 2006

 

Malofeev and Ivanauskas: ?They make a team which satisfies me. I wish I had put it together earlier,"

"The best moment (last season) was when Burley left the club, but the worst moment was when Rix came in.

"I very much hope that this nightmare that we had last season will not be repeated. But that doesn't mean I will keep silent if I am not happy with something. Valdas has done good practical work at Hearts and he is willing to work in co-operation with other coaches. Now I have a sporting director, I have the person who works with the scouts, and I have a consultant in Eduard Malofeev who is very experienced."

Romanov said his immediate priority is to replace Rudi Skacel and Andy Webster with ?better players?, after which "the basic shape will be complete (and) we should keep going in getting better and better".

 

 

September 2006

 

"I wanted to buy O'Connor but the deal didn't happen. (Lokomotiv president Valeri) Filatov said he would get back to me on the Monday regarding an offer. Monday came but there was no word back."

 

September 2006 ? website rant

 

"I want to dedicate Hearts victories to those journalists who, because of their hate towards us, only notice our defeats and say it is fair criticism when in fact it is simply hysteria with only one aim - to dismantle the club.

They remain blind to unfair refereeing, even the ruthless one of Athens. We can't do much if the referee does not give us four penalties which we deserve. I am sure fans see and remember everything.

Despite your hysteria I do not only give my approval to every team selection, but also to the plan of the training process. I do, as well, participate in the selection of new players.

Having said this, I am expecting more outbursts of hysteria. They give me confidence that I am on the right way.

You remind me of those Bolsheviks in Soviet times who wanted to shoot a peasant only because he planted the seeds following his own way, and not their instructions.

Once they were ready to shoot a peasant, but a clever one who stopped them and said: 'let's shoot him in the autumn after he has gathered his harvest.'

I guess that if you could, I would have already been shot by now, but whilst you can't, full of hate and anger, you are spreading manure on my crops.

Naturally this is disgusting and offensive to clear up after you. Unfortunately you are bothering the heads of fans and the general public.

The journalists conduct interviews with players and after that wish to turn them into being about the support of Valdas. Indeed, by doing this they act just like small provocateurs, manufacturing a situation where Valdas needs support.

Last season Hearts proved everything that was possible to prove. You will have to fight with our shadow for quite a long time.

As for my naval service I was serving not in the name and ideals of Marx and Engels which were brought up in the west, but to my motherland on the legendary K19 submarine.

Together with other submarine crews we made Cold Wars ideologists sign a peace deal with rescued the whole world from a catastrophic nuclear war.

The sailors were dying, not for the people like you, who are spreading poison on the beautiful vastness of the earth.

Actually, The K19 crew from that horrific nuclear accident has been nominated to get the Nobel Peace Prize. It will be an award to all submariners that conquered the ocean and won against the Cold War's crazy ideologists.

 

 

Nov 2006 ? Hearts fans group meets with VR

"Mr Romanov also stated that he has no influence on team selection. He wants to see Hearts having 70% Scottish players and for Scottish people to be around the club,"

 

 

January 2007 ? Pressbal (Belarus) interview

"In Scotland we have to fight not in the sporting sense, but against constant intrigues.?

On Pressley: ?There was no conflict whatsoever, there was a banal betrayal. Players sold themselves for the striped shirts they were promised; they decided that these were so valuable that they could allow themselves to behave the way they did."

"Hearts are ahead of schedule in their development plan but non-football issues need to be put right. They are created by our rivals, who together with the press systematically accuse us of all kinds of non-existent sins."

On Valdas Ivanauskas' leave of absence: "I didn't relieve him of his duties - he took ill, and so wasn't able to work and (Eduard) Malofeev was there, so I didn't see a big problem in Ivanauskas being temporarily absent. It was simply that there were issues that were impossible to resolve. It was this that was harming Valdas's health. Subsequently, it was impossible to normalise the situation unless we removed footballers who did not want to play against Celtic, Rangers and other teams."

 

February 2007

 

?Celtic and Rangers? Even (Lithuania's) Kaunas are a match for them on the pitch. They have turned football into a type of showbusiness with their underhand games. They buy off players and referees. When it comes to weaker teams then nobody can help.But if two opponents are equally matched then the referees can have a real influence on the outcome."

"Thank God I haven't come across any corruption in Scotland.".

"To my mind, there are no values in this life that are worth betrayal, even if we're talking about hooped shirts. If kids are being pushed towards betrayal, I call it seduction - but seduction of their souls."

"Let's see where it (seduction) led in Webster's case: he hung around in different clubs and didn't play for the Scottish national team for a whole year."

"Edinburgh is an amazing city. I'm so impressed with the genius of those who created it. It fascinates and captivates you immediately. Its beauty was created during the times of the kings of old and now I see that everything that people were gathering for centuries - a culture, all Walter Scott's heritage, is being ruled and destroyed by monkeys from the safari park?

Media: "Monkey the Englightener/An enemy of talent/ A teacher of mediocrity."

 

April 2007 ? Beat interview

 

?I really did devote a lot of money to the club," he told The Beat. "But, as for time, maybe not as much as needed. The debts existed before. Whatever they are, it's important to work, to build the team for next season to come - and to fight."

 

 

May 2007 ? website rant

 

"Today, I will express my opinion in English about refereeing in order that your Mowgli will not make you tell lies. To discuss whether referees take money or not is the same as discussing a woman who gives herself with no love. Isn't it better to concentrate on the standard of their work instead of looking for reasons for their poor performance? A woman cheats herself and nature if she gives herself without love. If a referee officiates a game based on his personal love, he commits a cynical crime, especially when the public has trusted him. I respect those referees who take money from two stupid teams and then honestly officiates a game. They do not harm football in any way. Though it is bad, still everybody is equal for them. Perhaps that is the reason why football in Italy will never die despite all the scandals that continuously shake it. I think that is much better than being the champions for 40 years while building up the same system for further 40 years.?

 

ANY MORE?

 

brilliant post mate

[Pants Shaton]

[/b]

 

Looks like a hot future for a few regular posters on here. Over the top but understandable IMO given the great harm they would inflict on HMFC.

 

Care to elaborate.

[jambos are go!]

Care to elaborate.

 

I'm adding the JKB rebels to the agents etc derided in the quote but suggesting that sending them to hell may be a bit over the top. Its a VR quote is it not?

[shaun.lawson]

I'm adding the JKB rebels to the agents etc derided in the quote but suggesting that sending them to hell may be a bit over the top. Its a VR quote is it not?

 

Stalin would be proud of you.

[jambos are go!]

Stalin would be proud of you.

 

Stalin would have send them to hell forthwith and shot me also for my tolerance. I prefer to point out their misguided foolishness and fight my corner with words.

[JohnT74]

 

It should be buried as deeply as possible and never see the light of day again.

 

Like our heads?

[lost in leith]

Why? Just to make us feel even more crap than we already do?!

 

It should be buried as deeply as possible and never see the light of day again.

 

Disagree mate. There are still far too many folk who think that we are dealing with a rational businessman who has made a few boobs but should be given time to get it right. We're not - we are dealing with a very, very strange man whose paranoia would make Celtic supporters blush.

 

I'm not saying Vlad GTF, as there is no obvious alternative out there. However, the time for blind faith (or any kind of faith in Vlad) is surely over.

[Imeantasong]

30th November 2004

"Rangers have 50,000 at their stadium. If we’re going to develop the club we believe Hearts will be getting a much larger fan base in future."

 

"It’s a club situated in the capital, and the quality is something different from the clubs in Glasgow. We very strongly believe it will get an even better support. This is one of the motives for getting involved with the club. Mission No 1 is to get a bigger fan base than at present. Mission No 2 is to get a bigger fan base than Rangers or Celtic."

 

"We can name two ways of doing this. First is develop the squad and get better quality in order to be more successful. Second is get a quality venue for the club."

 

"We are studying different possibilities at the moment and have not yet completed our search. If we get circumstances in which Tynecastle will be developed, we will do so."

 

"I will put all my efforts into keeping the team playing at Tynecastle [until] we can get a better venue that meets all the requirements of today and tomorrow - and [is] probably better than those in Glasgow.

"I’m sure Scottish football will develop in future and other investors may come too. I’m keen to see that."

 

"The only thing I can say is that some of my years will be dedicated to that. The timescale is difficult to say right now. There will be a lot of difficulties and a lot of despair, but in the end we’ll achieve that result."

 

"Some people may fear the changes we may bring to Hearts, but I’m very glad I’m here. I can’t believe I have such a wonderful opportunity."

 

"Why would I invest money in Hearts if I didn’t think I could make the club No.1 in Scotland? It is the only option,"

 

27th July 2005

"We are still digging the tunnel. But at least we are digging in the right direction."

 

"Robertson explained he had little experience. I offered to find another manager who had experience, and could co- operate with him. But Robertson started making his own decisions, and we finally lost all contact. It was useless trying to co-operate with him in the end. He was saying one thing and doing another. It is good when a manager's ambitious, but he must also have wisdom."

 

"It was I who decided about selecting Jankauskas. But when the manager learned the fact he approved the selection. Jankauskas had so many offers to join other clubs that it would have been a tragic mistake had the manager said 'no'. It took a long time to convince Jankauskas to come to the club. You can only explain to a player why you want him. If he believes it, he will choose the club."

 

"Hearts are on the top of the pyramid, because they have the most players of any of my sides and football is the most popular game in Scotland. I want Hearts to become the type of club where young players would be eager to come to."

 

"The first step is taking ownership, the second is restructuring the debt and the third is developing the club," he said. "We are at the second stage but maybe one day soon Hearts, too, will be playing Liverpool in the Champions League."

[luckystrike]

Top post GMAN. The man is quite obviously unstable and this reinforces the fact that until he goes we are going to remain in this sort of state.

[shaun.lawson]

27th July 2005

"We are still digging the tunnel. But at least we are digging in the right direction."

 

"Robertson explained he had little experience. I offered to find another manager who had experience, and could co- operate with him. But Robertson started making his own decisions, and we finally lost all contact. It was useless trying to co-operate with him in the end. He was saying one thing and doing another. It is good when a manager's ambitious, but he must also have wisdom."

 

 

Amazing how those comments read now, isn't it? A manager making his own decisions? Tch tch - we can't have that! And as for 'wisdom' - is that the wisdom to just do what he's told and on no account challenge his boss about anything?

[rudi]

Top post GMAN. The man is quite obviously unstable and this reinforces the fact that until he goes we are going to remain in this sort of state.

 

No hearts are not my friend,HMFC is on it's way out if this keep's up.

[Craigieboy]

Some belters.

 

He's an absolute ****ing idiot.

 

.

[soulboy]

Vlad's ideas have a lot of vitality and of course he doesn't get everything right and some things quite wrong and misunderstands some things about about Hearts and their supporters and he should definitely listen to advice more often from those who know Hearts and the fans mentality but a lot of his hopes and aspirations are correct and worth pursuing in my opinion.

[Guest Freewheelin' Jambo]

From Willie:

 

What a piece of work is Vladimir Romanov, how noble in reason, how

infinite in faculties, in form and moving how express and

admirable, in action how like an angel, in apprehension how like

a god! the beauty of the world, the paragon of animals—and yet,

to me, what is this quintessence of dust? Agents, Referees, Hearts supporters, the Media, the SFA, delights not me—

nor 134 years of history neither, nor 134 years of history neither.

 

 

 

From Bob

 

You got a lotta nerve

To say you are my friend

When I was down

You just stood there grinning

 

You got a lotta nerve

To say you got a helping hand to lend

You just want to be on

The side that's winning

 

You say I let you down

You know it's not like that

If you're so hurt

Why then don't you show it

 

You say you lost your faith

But that's not where it's at

You had no faith to lose

And you know it

 

I know the reason

That you talk behind my back

I used to be among the crowd

You're in with

 

Do you take me for such a fool

To think I'd make contact

With the one who tries to hide

What he don't know to begin with

 

You see me on the street

You always act surprised

You say, "How are you?" "Good luck"

But you don't mean it

 

When you know as well as me

You'd rather see me paralyzed

Why don't you just come out once

And scream it

 

No, I do not feel that good

When I see the heartbreaks you embrace

If I was a master thief

Perhaps I'd rob them

 

And now I know you're dissatisfied

With your position and your place

Don't you understand

It's not my problem

 

I wish that for just one time

You could stand inside my shoes

And just for that one moment

I could be you

 

Yes, I wish that for just one time

You could stand inside my shoes

You'd know what a drag it is

To see you

 

From Rab

 

Fareweel to a' oor Jambo fame

Fareweel oor ancient glory

Fareweel even tae oor name

Sae famed in football's story

Noo Sark runs o'er the Gorgie sands

Tweed runs tae the ocean

Tae mark where Lithuania province stands

Such a parcel o' rogues in a support

What force or guile could not subdue

Through many wor-like ages

Is rocked now by the coward few

For hireling traitor's wages

The Old Firm steel we could disdain

Secure in valour's station

But Lithuanian gold has been oor bane

Such a parcel o' rogues in a support

O would or I had seen the day

That treason thus would sell us

My old grey heid had lain in clay

Wi' Bauld and loyal Walker

But pith and power till my last

hour

I'll mak' this declaration

We are bought and sold for Lithuanian gold

Such a parcel o' rogues in a support

[Imeantasong]

16 July 2006

 

"Which brings me once again to that infamous Hearts v Hibs game when Edgar Jankauskas was sent off. He got his second yellow card after reacting when a Hibs player kicked his legs from behind.

 

Why did the referee make a decision like that? The only response we have had is that the sunlight was too bright and he didn't see properly what was going on there.

 

I'm totally against behaviour like that from opposing players. I equate it with betrayal when they deliberately provoke and injure their colleagues. I see such behaviour as a sign of weakness and an admission that they lack the necessary skills and flair to win a game by fair means."

 

So that's Broon told.

[Craigieboy]

16 July 2006

 

"Which brings me once again to that infamous Hearts v Hibs game when Edgar Jankauskas was sent off. He got his second yellow card after reacting when a Hibs player kicked his legs from behind.

 

Why did the referee make a decision like that? The only response we have had is that the sunlight was too bright and he didn't see properly what was going on there.

 

I'm totally against behaviour like that from opposing players. I equate it with betrayal when they deliberately provoke and injure their colleagues. I see such behaviour as a sign of weakness and an admission that they lack the necessary skills and flair to win a game by fair means."

 

So that's Broon told.

 

Never!

 

[Imeantasong]

9 September 2006

On picking the team:

 

"I did and I will.

 

"How can I explain? Please try to understand what I mean. To be able to pick the team, you should be at the training ground twice a day. As you can see, I am not. But, sometimes there are times when I ask the coach some searching questions about the make-up of the team.

 

"For example, I may ask Valdas [ivanauskas] why a particular player has been selected. Let's say why Takis Fyssas rather than Lee Wallace at left-back. The coach will say, 'At training, Fyssas was stronger and better'. Then I will ask, 'But did he have a proper medical test before the game?'

 

"If the coach is in any doubt about his answer, it tells me there is doubt about whether it should be Fyssas or Wallace in the team. Then I will ask the club doctor about the two players and if they had fitness tests. That is the level of my involvement - I want to know how much the coach knows about each and every player."

 

"From the moment I took over Hearts," he said, "the target has been to become Scottish champions. We are still working towards that goal. But being champions would not be enough. I don't want title after title if it means we neglect building up the club itself. I want to build a club that is at the highest level of football, a great club."

 

"I would never stop a player moving to the right club if he has the right offer, a chance to really improve his life and his career. I would say 'Good luck' and let the man go. I would sell the whole team, because I know I have 11 more players waiting to come in and take their places.

 

"There was interest in Craig Gordon. We had a chat and we agreed that it would be better for both parties if he remained at Hearts. That is why he was happy to sign his new contract. He needs to play more games for his club and for Scotland to gain more experience.

 

"But there was definite interest and offers and one club tried to steal him away from Tynecastle. So we had to have a long chat explaining to Craig what we want to do for Hearts and for him. He wanted to stay and keep playing first-team football. Now I hope he stays for another five years."

 

"When I came here I had no particular desire to beat Celtic and Rangers - I just wanted to build up Hearts. We are not yet at the stage where we beat them all the time, but that will come. The Old Firm want to kill Hearts, but they are too late now.

 

"We will continue to grow and I want to do that by getting more Scottish players in the team. We have young players like Wallace, Christophe Berra, Andrew Driver, Jamie Mole and Calum Elliot coming through. It was a risk for us to allow Elliot to go on loan to Motherwell, but we want him to have more first-team experience.

 

"But we have hired more coaches in order to do more work with the young players and help them progress quicker. We want the team to have a Scottish accent. There will be other, foreign players in there to help, but I think we can risk developing the youngsters this season because Celtic and Rangers are not that strong.

 

"They may be stronger again a year from now, when I might lose the chance to play the young players. So this is the time for building that. I want all the others to fear the strength of Hearts."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

I hope the bold bit didn't mean "I've already started that".

[Cappuccino Kid]

Can someone give me either the 'european champions in 5 years' or ' want 11 Lithuanians in the team' quotes?

 

Just curious as i've been told about these qoutes for the past 18 months but have yet to see them. Now that Vlad's qoutes are being collated i can now be pointed in the right direction.

[Pants Shaton]

Can someone give me either the 'european champions in 5 years' or ' want 11 Lithuanians in the team' quotes?

 

Just curious as i've been told about these qoutes for the past 18 months but have yet to see them. Now that Vlad's qoutes are being collated i can now be pointed in the right direction.

 

The '11 Lithuanians' I've never seen. 'European champions' is a real VR quote - just couldn't find it this time.

[Cappuccino Kid]

The '11 Lithuanians' I've never seen. 'European champions' is a real VR quote - just couldn't find it this time.

 

Fair do's just being Devil's advocate.

Oh Sh*t that's me tarred and feathered as a romanov lackie with that last statement.

[The Old Tolbooth]

Yet people still insist he's told no lies, dear oh dear!

[Heart of the Matter]

9 September 2006

I may ask Valdas [ivanauskas] why a particular player has been selected. Let's say why Takis Fyssas rather than Lee Wallace at left-back. The coach will say, 'At training, Fyssas was stronger and better'. Then I will ask, 'But did he have a proper medical test before the game?'

 

Like what? An MRI scan?

[paulah]

That man talks some keek eh

[Imeantasong]

Can someone give me either the 'european champions in 5 years' or ' want 11 Lithuanians in the team' quotes?

 

Just curious as i've been told about these qoutes for the past 18 months but have yet to see them. Now that Vlad's qoutes are being collated i can now be pointed in the right direction.

Not yet, but here's the 3 years hope for the SPL:

 

8th August 2005

 

"I want us to be champions in three years time. If we can do it sooner then so much the better."

 

"We are at the top of the table at the moment and the aim has to be to try to stay there. We have a good coach and it will take time for the new players to settle in. But, hopefully, with the help of the kind of atmosphere we had at Tynecastle yesterday, Hearts will achieve great results. I want us to be fighting for the championship, nothing else. And I want all the fans to believe in that dream which will hopefully come true."

 

"This is just the beginning and there is still a lot of work to be done. We will invest in the youth set-up which is the future of the club. I also want to improve the general structure and organisation of the football club because, if you don't have that, then money won't help. It will be like sand disappearing in water."

 

"I was happy to hear them chant my name but I am also wary as that might soon change if I make some mistakes. The love of fans can be compared with the love of a woman - they can change their minds!"

 

Remember that last paragraph?

[Imeantasong]

These two really shouldn't go together, but......

 

December 2005

 

?I cannot understand when a girl comes and tricks a hero such as this coach and says she's older than she is and then sells the story for hundreds of thousands.?

 

3rd April 2006

 

"Today I saw what I have been dreaming about, the way my team played beautiful football. My dream is starting to come true. Glasgow has been the football capital of Scotland, but I will do my best to make sure Edinburgh takes over that crown."

 

"We are just taking the first steps in that ambition, but we hope to repeat Glasgow's success in the world of football. I feel very excited, it was gorgeous today. You had two teams from the capital who came to Glasgow and showed they could play football.?

 

"Our fans were wonderful today, they are the golden fans of this country. I appreciate them much more than all the oil and gas reserves of Russia."

[Jammy T]

what a kok

 

can anyone find the "we wont be beaton 5-0" one

 

or "this season we will play a brand of football never before seen in the spl"

[Jamboy81]

I can't believe you missed out the quote about signing Zidane! That was one of his classics

 

Also his intentions to make Hearts a major champions league force... what can you say, you can't knock someone for having ambition. But you can knock someone for being so completely out of his depth that it is absurd - both financially, and knowledge wise.

[Auld Reekin']

Mad...

 

" September 2006 ? website rant

 

"I want to dedicate Hearts victories to those journalists who, because of their hate towards us, only notice our defeats and say it is fair criticism when in fact it is simply hysteria with only one aim - to dismantle the club.

They remain blind to unfair refereeing, even the ruthless one of Athens. We can't do much if the referee does not give us four penalties which we deserve. I am sure fans see and remember everything.

Despite your hysteria I do not only give my approval to every team selection, but also to the plan of the training process. I do, as well, participate in the selection of new players.

Having said this, I am expecting more outbursts of hysteria. They give me confidence that I am on the right way.

You remind me of those Bolsheviks in Soviet times who wanted to shoot a peasant only because he planted the seeds following his own way, and not their instructions.

Once they were ready to shoot a peasant, but a clever one who stopped them and said: 'let's shoot him in the autumn after he has gathered his harvest.'

I guess that if you could, I would have already been shot by now, but whilst you can't, full of hate and anger, you are spreading manure on my crops.

Naturally this is disgusting and offensive to clear up after you. Unfortunately you are bothering the heads of fans and the general public.

The journalists conduct interviews with players and after that wish to turn them into being about the support of Valdas. Indeed, by doing this they act just like small provocateurs, manufacturing a situation where Valdas needs support.

Last season Hearts proved everything that was possible to prove. You will have to fight with our shadow for quite a long time.

As for my naval service I was serving not in the name and ideals of Marx and Engels which were brought up in the west, but to my motherland on the legendary K19 submarine.

Together with other submarine crews we made Cold Wars ideologists sign a peace deal with rescued the whole world from a catastrophic nuclear war.

The sailors were dying, not for the people like you, who are spreading poison on the beautiful vastness of the earth.

Actually, The K19 crew from that horrific nuclear accident has been nominated to get the Nobel Peace Prize. It will be an award to all submariners that conquered the ocean and won against the Cold War's crazy ideologists.

 

February 2007

 

?Celtic and Rangers? Even (Lithuania's) Kaunas are a match for them on the pitch. They have turned football into a type of showbusiness with their underhand games. They buy off players and referees. When it comes to weaker teams then nobody can help.But if two opponents are equally matched then the referees can have a real influence on the outcome."

"Thank God I haven't come across any corruption in Scotland.".

"To my mind, there are no values in this life that are worth betrayal, even if we're talking about hooped shirts. If kids are being pushed towards betrayal, I call it seduction - but seduction of their souls."

"Let's see where it (seduction) led in Webster's case: he hung around in different clubs and didn't play for the Scottish national team for a whole year."

"Edinburgh is an amazing city. I'm so impressed with the genius of those who created it. It fascinates and captivates you immediately. Its beauty was created during the times of the kings of old and now I see that everything that people were gathering for centuries - a culture, all Walter Scott's heritage, is being ruled and destroyed by monkeys from the safari park?

Media: "Monkey the Englightener/An enemy of talent/ A teacher of mediocrity." "

 

...or just too much vodka?

[The Baldmans Comb]

''You remind me of those Bolsheviks in Soviet times who wanted to shoot a peasant only because he planted the seeds following his own way, and not their instructions.

 

Once they were ready to shoot a peasant but a clever one stopped them and said: 'Let's shoot him in the autumn after he has gathered his harvest'. I guess that if you could, I would have already been shot by now, but whilst you can't, full of hate and anger, you are spreading manure on my crops.

 

Last season Hearts proved everything that was possible to prove. You will have to fight with our shadow for quite a long time."

 

 

This one is already on the list but it's my favourite and I know who it is I want to shoot pallsy wallsy.

[rustyboy]

What a **** of a man!

[Seymour M Hersh]

What a great thread.

[Jammy T]

What a great thread.

 

I know - its like exfoliation having quotes which prove what an incompetent fool we have in control.

 

Refreshing having facts that cant be disputed

[gowestjambo]

Any deluded Vlad supporters out there should digest all the foregoing statements, and if after a brief refelection - still support his actions, please report directly to the nearest Loony Bin!

 

It infuriates me equating the current shambles with all his promises of only a few years ago! How on earth can the support still be divided when studing the evidence?

 

(anybody seen the better players to replace Skacel and Webster?)

[Seymour M Hersh]

I know - its like exfoliation having quotes which prove what an incompetent fool we have in control.

 

Refreshing having facts that cant be disputed

 

[Carnegie]

The '11 Lithuanians' I've never seen. 'European champions' is a real VR quote - just couldn't find it this time.

 

?Our goal has to be champions of Europe. I want us to be at the stage where to do anything else, to come back without the trophy, would be shameful. I?d like to do it quicker but I think we?re looking at three years. Nobody believes us. That?s fine. Three years should suffice.?

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/scotland/article578561.ece

[The Mighty Thor]

?Our goal has to be champions of Europe. I want us to be at the stage where to do anything else, to come back without the trophy, would be shameful. I?d like to do it quicker but I think we?re looking at three years. Nobody believes us. That?s fine. Three years should suffice.?

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/scotland/article578561.ece

 

Did the lying barsteward, sorry i meant visionary footballing entrepreneur, mention which three years?

[Imeantasong]

I can't believe you missed out the quote about signing Zidane! That was one of his classics

 

Also his intentions to make Hearts a major champions league force... what can you say, you can't knock someone for having ambition. But you can knock someone for being so completely out of his depth that it is absurd - both financially, and knowledge wise.

"We shouldn't look at it only from the point of view of how big the stakes were in this game. We should also look at the price the Italians ultimately paid for winning the World Cup.

 

Last week I was talking about how important it is that great players can control themselves. I want to say again that Zidane is a great player and a great personality. And I have to say that I admire people who defend their principles and don't stay silent when somebody insults them on the field.

 

I also think it's a terrible situation when a coach sets his players up to provoke, as some did in the World Cup; and it is awful when players follow these orders.

 

It is equally bad when the referee doesn't stop it and fails to do his duty and hand out punishment.

 

Which brings me once again to that infamous Hearts v Hibs game when Edgar Jankauskas was sent off. He got his second yellow card after reacting when a Hibs player kicked his legs from behind.

 

Why did the referee make a decision like that? The only response we have had is that the sunlight was too bright and he didn't see properly what was going on there.

 

I'm totally against behaviour like that from opposing players. I equate it with betrayal when they deliberately provoke and injure their colleagues. I see such behaviour as a sign of weakness and an admission that they lack the necessary skills and flair to win a game by fair means.

 

I simply will not accept situations when one footballer ends the career of another. So in this sense Italy has lost something though they have won the World Cup.

 

If he was available, and had decided not to retire, I would have no problem in signing Zidane. I'm sure he'd quickly help us in Scotland to reduce the quantity of provocation that we have during games.

 

It's a different matter when the player can't control his temperament off the field, with alcohol maybe. If we are honest, when we look at the Fernando Ricksen case, which of us didn't have a bit too much to drink when we were young?

 

And yet saying that, I understand why a coach will attempt to make sure something like that does not happen again. In the end, it is about a player's career, and football doesn't forgive things like drink scandals. So I see how the coach's strictness can only help Ricksen to control himself better and grow up professionally.

 

As for Cristiano Ronaldo, I would never buy a player who threatens his own club with a strike and, by using such methods, tries to get a move to somewhere like Real Madrid.

 

This is a very good chance for Real to see whose interests - the club's or his own - he sees as a priority. Ronaldo, it is clear, thinks only about himself.

 

Here at Hearts, like all other clubs, we face situations when players say they want to leave. Nothing unusual there, but in the cases of Webster and Skacel I suspect it is more the agents speaking than the players.

 

For the last six months, they have been listening to what agents promise them and then thinking about a move to some other club. My real fear is that they have not been performing properly and may not have been giving their all to bring the SPL title to Tynecastle.

 

We will see how this situation resolves itself, but already I think that by not playing with maximum effort they have jeopardised their chances of getting a move elsewhere.

 

The World Cup has gone now and I confess it has left me full of different emotions. One of the last positive impressions was of that great stadium in Berlin, a fabulous place for sporting events of any kind, but particularly a World Cup final.

 

It was really very useful for me to see the different grounds in Germany. I was dreaming about increasing the capacity of the Hearts stadium up to 70,000 or even 100,000 people, but I see now that when grounds are this big it is easy to lose the intimacy. That is why I returned home convinced that we should cap the Tynecastle capacity at around 40,000."

[Imeantasong]

18 August 2006

 

On Lee Johnson.... and puppets

 

"I don't know who's puppet The Sun is. It is good though when the enemies and the jealous call my subordinates puppets. It would be bad if some day I become the puppet in the hands of my own subordinates.

 

"When I was on duty on the nuclear submarine K19, I was proud of being a puppet in the hands of my commander. I am still proud of it today.

 

"Before every match against the Glasgow teams, the Glasgow media puppets will attempt to disgrace our club because of their impotence. Because of this we enjoy every victory against them even more.

 

"I don't know what kind of experiment Graham Rix had in mind when taking Lee Johnson on. He did not manage to explain it. As a footballer he has no value. This was proved by the fact that nobody was prepared to pay a penny for him and we were even asked to pay money to get rid of him.

 

"Regarding 'pyjama man', that person is a great professional and we are awaiting clearance on a work permit for him so that he can come and work at the club. At the moment he is doing a great job in Kaunas.

 

"Perhaps Lee was jealous of Edgaras Jankauskas placing his finger in equipment to ascertain his health, however it would have been better for the man now at Bristol City to have placed his tongue there to ascertain his suitability to speak."