New manager - Vlads a joke(r)

[bighalders]

Hearts' owner Vladimir Romanov says the club are still some way from appointing a new manager and that the new man in charge is unlikely to be Scottish.

 

He told BBC Scotland that managers here are part of a "Scottish Mafia" and too set in their ways.

 

Asked if it was a disappointment to lose out on Motherwell manager Mark McGhee, Romanov was philosophical.

 

"It is not necessarily a bad thing. It is difficult for local managers to rise above that level."

 

Romanov says that in the past he has offered the job to a coach currently working in the Chinese league.

 

However, he was on a very lucrative contract and Romanov could not convince him to come to Scotland.

 

He did not totally rule out appointing a Scottish manager, but would only say: "Never say never."

 

Romanov said that he now understands the football system in Scotland and that it will now be easier for his club to be a success in the future. However, he also said that the Old Firm's dominance of the game in Scotland is not healthy.

 

 

Mark McGhee turned down chance to manage at Tynecastle

 

"It can lead to a decline in Scottish football, those teams have a huge budget and it is very difficult for other teams to compete against them," he said.

 

"It is basically unfair competition.

 

"We had a period when we had red cards and penalties against us but nobody supported us," he said.

 

"But when Craig Levein [the Dundee United manager] brought the issue up it was nice to see that someone thought we've got problems."

 

However, he said that after many disagreements with the Scottish football authorities over competing with Celtic and Rangers in the past it is now time to "rise above" these problems.

 

Romanov says he has no intention of quitting the club - but would be willing to listen to offers if the price was right.

 

He added that he is totally committed to Hearts and is sure that in the not too distant future Hearts will be Scottish Premier League champions.

[Paolo]

It could be a red herring, you know.

[Ryan Gosling]

It could be a red herring, you know.

 

100% I'd say.

 

Although it just means certain fans will be saying 'lying to us again'.

[Pete Seeger]

Hearts' owner Vladimir Romanov says the club are still some way from appointing a new manager and that the new man in charge is unlikely to be Scottish.

 

He told BBC Scotland that managers here are part of a "Scottish Mafia" and too set in their ways.

 

Asked if it was a disappointment to lose out on Motherwell manager Mark McGhee, Romanov was philosophical.

 

"It is not necessarily a bad thing. It is difficult for local managers to rise above that level."

 

Romanov says that in the past he has offered the job to a coach currently working in the Chinese league.

 

However, he was on a very lucrative contract and Romanov could not convince him to come to Scotland.

 

He did not totally rule out appointing a Scottish manager, but would only say: "Never say never."

 

Romanov said that he now understands the football system in Scotland and that it will now be easier for his club to be a success in the future. However, he also said that the Old Firm's dominance of the game in Scotland is not healthy.

 

 

Mark McGhee turned down chance to manage at Tynecastle

 

"It can lead to a decline in Scottish football, those teams have a huge budget and it is very difficult for other teams to compete against them," he said.

 

"It is basically unfair competition.

 

"We had a period when we had red cards and penalties against us but nobody supported us," he said.

 

"But when Craig Levein [the Dundee United manager] brought the issue up it was nice to see that someone thought we've got problems."

 

However, he said that after many disagreements with the Scottish football authorities over competing with Celtic and Rangers in the past it is now time to "rise above" these problems.

 

Romanov says he has no intention of quitting the club - but would be willing to listen to offers if the price was right.

 

He added that he is totally committed to Hearts and is sure that in the not too distant future Hearts will be Scottish Premier League champions.

 

That all sounds pretty reasonable to me. Except the spl champions bit.

[Paolo]

The manager thing aside, he is spot on with his comments, especially with regards to the DUndee Utd issue. I will never have sympathy for them, when they laughed at us for raising referee issues, yet raise the exact same issues themselves,, over two important games.

[rudi]

That all sounds pretty reasonable to me. Except the spl champions bit.

 

Yep,will he never learn that you aint going to win leagues with utter tripe players and a puppet for a manager.

[rudi]

The manager thing aside, he is spot on with his comments, especially with regards to the DUndee Utd issue. I will never have sympathy for them, when they laughed at us for raising referee issues, yet raise the exact same issues themselves,, over two important games.

 

Erm,any quotes or proof?

[bighalders]

So you all agree that Scottish Managers are a Scottish mafia and that McGhee being "local" will never rise above that level. He's a far higher level than we have

[ToadKiller Dog]

That all sounds pretty reasonable to me. Except the spl champions bit.

 

Think thats just a throw away line ,if he had said in the not to distant future Hearts will be back in the top six would you have been happy?.

[Captain Lithuania]

Romanov says he has no intention of quitting the club - but would be willing to listen to offers if the price was right.

 

I wish someone would offer the 'right' price soon.

[Paolo]

Erm,any quotes or proof?

 

Well they certianly did not back us, and if I recall correctl Eddie Thomson, along with officials of other clubs more or less said they did not believe the issues Vlad raised were issues.

 

At best they simply done nothing.

[JamboSean]

So you all agree that Scottish Managers are a Scottish mafia and that McGhee being "local" will never rise above that level. He's a far higher level than we have

 

What Romanov means, is the majority of Scottish players and managers only have eyes for the Old Firm. That's where they want to be, and that's where they are working towards.

 

Romanov has made it clear from day one he doesn't like this. Obviously, he did sell one player to the Old Firm but that was good business.

 

Romanov doesn't go for players or managers who think the Old Firm are the be all and end all. I think he's spot on if true. He just has a bad way of expressing it.

[Mon]

Asked if it was a disappointment to lose out on Motherwell manager Mark McGhee, Romanov was philosophical.

 

"It is not necessarily a bad thing. It is difficult for local managers to rise above that level."

 

 

Oh put your handbag away Romanov. Looking like he looks down his nose at the league. Don't think there was any need for such a comment. How to alienate folk!

[Pete Seeger]

Think thats just a throw away line ,if he had said in the not to distant future Hearts will be back in the top six would you have been happy?.

 

Yes.

[bighalders]

I wish someone would offer the 'right' price soon.

 

Agreed and with the state of our finances, 50p should cover it, you just need to pay off our wee overdraft after that, any takers?

[Ryan Gosling]

Asked if it was a disappointment to lose out on Motherwell manager Mark McGhee, Romanov was philosophical.

 

"It is not necessarily a bad thing. It is difficult for local managers to rise above that level."

 

 

Oh put your handbag away Romanov. Looking like he looks down his nose at the league. Don't think there was any need for such a comment. How to alienate folk!

 

Quite a mature response given the history.

[ToadKiller Dog]

So you all agree that Scottish Managers are a Scottish mafia and that McGhee being "local" will never rise above that level. He's a far higher level than we have

 

yes i think there is a strong union between managers in scotland thats why they have the managers association and work to protect each other under the wing of Alex Smith ,dont see it as a bad thing form them.I think it is difficult for a foreign manager to get accepted did the managers union back Ivanuskas when he went through his problems as vocally as they have been in defence of burley and frail?.

I think the McGhee point is a dig at his perceived by vlad lack of ambition staying at Well.

I would not read that much into vlads words as the proof in vlad is his actions .

[Captain Lithuania]

Agreed and with the state of our finances, 50p should cover it, you just need to pay off our wee overdraft after that, any takers?

 

I dont mind, did some Dubian (or what people from Dubai are called) firm not make an offer a few years ago?

[Mon]

So you all agree that Scottish Managers are a Scottish mafia and that McGhee being "local" will never rise above that level. He's a far higher level than we have

 

 

I disagree fiercely and I find the comment a slight on Scotland.

 

When will that man learn to shut his big trap. He just sounds like a whinging wee kid who never learns.

[sked21]

Quite a mature response given the history.

 

I expected 'Well what do you expect from a fenian ****'.

 

 

[Ron Burgundy]

100% I'd say.

 

Although it just means certain fans will be saying 'lying to us again'.

 

What's Souness up to these days?

[JamboSean]

Quite a mature response given the history.

 

You should have kept your original post, made Romanov out to be a Chelsea fan.

[Ryan Gosling]

You should have kept your original post, made Romanov out to be a Chelsea fan.

Someone 'recommended' I change it.

What's Souness up to these days?

 

Trying to grow his tache back.

 

Damn.

[ToadKiller Dog]

I disagree fiercely and I find the comment a slight on Scotland.

 

When will that man learn to shut his big trap. He just sounds like a whinging wee kid who never learns.

 

To be fair the management training in scotlands is known as the Largs Mafia and the managers seem happy with that..

[Mon]

To be fair the management training in scotlands is known as the Largs Mafia and the managers seem happy with that..

 

 

Sorry but I think the standard of referreeing is very poor at times. I think the Old Firm buying any decent players up from the league is extremely irritating but I do not believe anything illegal is going on and maybe it's about time he gave it a rest. It's getting very boring listening to Romanov going on and on about it.

[colinzeal]

100% I'd say.

 

Although it just means certain fans will be saying 'lying to us again'.

 

You think an appointment is close then?

[Mon]

And from what I just read on the other thread the BBC is now reporting Romanov's comments about the Scottish Mafia and Scottish Managers.

 

What a plonker. This is all bad publicity and is to the detriment of the football club - not him.

 

Yes Romanov take care of your own PR from now on. You're not exactly doing a brilliant job by the way.

 

Players and decent managers must be flocking to Edinburgh now!

[ToadKiller Dog]

Sorry but I think the standard of referreeing is very poor at times. I think the Old Firm buying any decent players up from the league is extremely irritating but I do not believe anything illegal is going on and maybe it's about time he gave it a rest. It's getting very boring listening to Romanov going on and on about it.

 

I am not sure he is saying they are up to anything illegal with that comment more that they(scots managers) stick together and a stuck in there ways resistant to change and new ideas,in that he has a point ,think he here is talking about managers separate from the SFA,old firm bias stuff he spouts.

thats my reading but we are basically reading an edited report rather than the full transcript of the interview ,i would have pressed him further on that answer if i was asking questions.

 

I agree about it being not good publicity for the club

[Captain Lithuania]

I don't think Vlads a joker.. I think he's something that rhymes with Anchor.

[Sheriff Fatman]

Sorry but I think the standard of referreeing is very poor at times. I think the Old Firm buying any decent players up from the league is extremely irritating but I do not believe anything illegal is going on and maybe it's about time he gave it a rest. It's getting very boring listening to Romanov going on and on about it.

 

Using the term Mafia does not always imply a group doing things illegally. The members of Monty Python and the Goodies were part of a group of entertainers called the Oxbridge Mafia, and they certainly were not doing anything illegal. Used in that way it implies a group of people who do things in a very similar way and help each other through out their careers.

[Mon]

I am not sure he is saying they are up to anything illegal with that comment more that they(scots managers) stick together and a stuck in there ways resistant to change and new ideas,in that he has a point ,think he here is talking about managers separate from the SFA,old firm bias stuff he spouts.

thats my reading but we are basically reading an edited report rather than the full transcript of the interview ,i would have pressed him further on that answer if i was asking questions.

 

I agree about it being not good publicity for the club

 

 

 

Yes let's bring back Rima and star jumps. In my opinion he can stuff his own ideas on how to run a football club. Hearts need a proper manager who will bring in his own backroom staff. The less interference from Romanov the better but we already know that he is wanting to keep the pryramid system.

 

He's talked enough about the illegality he sees in Scottish football so of course this is going to be taken in context to what he said before.

 

That's why he should have a decent PR department.

[Ron Burgundy]

I don't think Vlads a joker.. I think he's something that rhymes with Anchor.

 

Banker.

 

Well done,give that man a donut.

[Sheriff Fatman]

In my opinion he can stuff his own ideas on how to run a football club.

 

Up until the day that you buy the club of of him and put the money in that is needed to run it, he is quite within his rights to not really give a monkeys what your opinion on how he runs a football club is.

[Captain Lithuania]

Banker.

 

Well done,give that man a donut.

 

It begins with W lol.

[lawriejambo]

Sorry but I think the standard of referreeing is very poor at times. I think the Old Firm buying any decent players up from the league is extremely irritating but I do not believe anything illegal is going on and maybe it's about time he gave it a rest. It's getting very boring listening to Romanov going on and on about it.

 

I believe that some Ref's are poor with their decisions others imo are cheats.

 

If people believe that Scottish Ref's are the only ones immune from being corrupt...

 

They must live in La La Land. I'd say..

 

p.s Try putting your own handbag down, maybe Vlad will too.

[Ibrahim Tall]

I disagree fiercely and I find the comment a slight on Scotland.

 

A slight on Scotland? That'll be why virtually every player in Scotland sees sitting on an Old Firm bench every week as something to aspire to?

[BobbyJenkins]

I dont have a problem with anything he says in that interview and im sure the way things come across through an interpreter doesnt help soothe the ire of the rabid negheads on this message board.

 

When he says mafia I think hes talkin about the OF fawning football community in this country not anything particularly underhand or illegal. The refereeing on the other hand...

 

Im optimistic.

[Samster]

If those words were indeed uttered by VR it's not a bad start if this is how it's going to be. All reasonable points made clearly and in a non-controversial manner.

[Dazo]

If those words were indeed uttered by VR it's not a bad start if this is how it's going to be. All reasonable points made clearly and in a non-controversial manner.

 

 

I agree although the interview was pretty much a non event IMO it was at least verging on normality. Have to say though for a guy with so much money he really needs to stop shopping at matalan.

[Ryan Gosling]

'The Largs mafia' - exactly the same idea.

[BobbyJenkins]

'The Largs mafia' - exactly the same idea.

 

Yup, thats it exactly.

 

Like it or not we as a country can be very parochial so Im not surprised Vlad's found it diffciult. Admittedly he is to blame for some of it, I cant deny that but he appears to be learning.

 

I get the impression some people wont be happy unless he comes out and grovels for an apology for the 'bad' things that have happened over the past few years.

[crazy_jambo_2006]

I agree with you. I find VR's comments about Scottish managers +players embarrassing and offensive. I am so fed up of Romanov, I wish he'd sell up to a proper football man, who knows British football. I wish Vlad would really speak to us in English too. He's a banker. International Bank language is English, so he should be able to speak it. By using interpreters, I do think sometimes things are lost in translation. Interpreting is not an easy job.

I disagree fiercely and I find the comment a slight on Scotland.

 

When will that man learn to shut his big trap. He just sounds like a whinging wee kid who never learns.

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

Perhaps the 'mafia' comments were inspired by the McGhee "BA Baracus" fiasco? After all, McGhee allegedly was dissuaded from taking the role after speaking to Gordon Strapon.

[Coco]

Perhaps the 'mafia' comments were inspired by the McGhee "BA Baracus" fiasco? After all, McGhee allegedly was dissuaded from taking the role after speaking to Gordon Strapon.

 

I am tired of his paranoia.

 

He has no decency.

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

I am tired of his paranoia.

 

He has no decency.

 

I'm just listening to his blether now. I used to laugh, now I don't.

[Ryan Gosling]

I am tired of his paranoia.

 

He has no decency.

 

You choose to hear paranoia.

 

[Eldar Hadzimehmedovic]

Perhaps the 'mafia' comments were inspired by the McGhee "BA Baracus" fiasco? After all, McGhee allegedly was dissuaded from taking the role after speaking to Gordon Strapon.

 

Agree with this. If Romanov knows McGhee was dissuaded from taking the job by another Scottish manager (Strachan?) then the "mafia" comment is pretty much on the money. If McGhee just decided on his own to stay at Motherwell then I guess it's a wee bit disrespectful.

 

EDIT - Just actually heard the interview. The word "mafia" was clearly just the interpreter trying to think of a word to describe Scottish managers sticking to things they knew and were comfortable with. It didn't even mean "mafia" in the sense that we would understand it.

[shaun.lawson]

Agree with this. If Romanov knows McGhee was dissuaded from taking the job by another Scottish manager (Strachan?) then the "mafia" comment is pretty much on the money. If McGhee just decided on his own to stay at Motherwell then I guess it's a wee bit disrespectful.

 

EDIT - Just actually heard the interview. The word "mafia" was clearly just the interpreter trying to think of a word to describe Scottish managers sticking to things they knew and were comfortable with. It didn't even mean "mafia" in the sense that we would understand it.

 

You sure? I thought I heard VR use that exact word three or four times, no?

[Eldar Hadzimehmedovic]

You sure? I thought I heard VR use that exact word three or four times, no?

 

Maybe, but the first time it's used it sounds like the interpreter just scrabbling for a suitable word to describe people who stick together. Then once he settled on it he used it frequently. I could be totally wrong, just what it sounded like. TBH, whisper it, I turned the interview off after about 9 minutes.

[Ryan Gosling]

Ma?fi?a Audio Help /ˈmɑfiə, ˈm?fiə/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[mah-fee-uh, maf-ee-uh] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –noun 1.a hierarchically structured secret organization allegedly engaged in smuggling, racketeering, trafficking in narcotics, and other criminal activities in the U.S., Italy, and elsewhere. 2.(in Sicily) a.(lowercase) a popular spirit of hostility to legal restraint and to the law, often manifesting itself in criminal acts. b.a 19th-century secret society, similar to the Camorra in Naples, that acted in this spirit. 3.(often lowercase) any small powerful or influential group in an organization or field; clique.