Romanov Item on Football Focus ( updated )

[milky_26]

FYI the hearts story is scheduled to be on at 12:35 and it looks like it will be a 15 minute piece

Edited November 27, 2021 by milky_26

[Riccarton3]

8 minutes ago, jonesy said:

Had it been Deyvid Murrayovich then I'm sure they'd have been falling over themselves to make such vids.

 

The small-minded, insular, xenophobic world of Scottish football is really quite something.

 

There's so much context to the Romanov story that 7 mins will never do it justice. So let's show pics of him boxing Bednar instead.

I don't think they would if you mean productions north or south of the border. Football Focus wouldn't go near it. The acceptance  of Rangers  cheating is more important. 'Time to move on' the Scotsman were suggesting after 2 weeks.

Edited November 27, 2021 by Riccarton3

[martoon]

13 minutes ago, 1971fozzy said:

can’t stand the man. Ignorant, with the personality of cardboard.  How the hell he’s managed to be a pundit for so long is baffling. But then I remember it’s the bbc 

 

Astonishing.

 

But it's the way it is.

 

Up here too.

[martoon]

14 minutes ago, Special Agent Dale Cooper said:

I haven't watched in years tbh. Is he really still on the go? Clinging onto the last vestiges of his mullet?

 

Don't watch it myself anymore, bud. Although I am right now.

[Special Agent Dale Cooper]

1 minute ago, martoon said:

 

Don't watch it myself anymore, bud. Although I am right now.

Same. He seems to have got even more cranky without Hansen.

[Armageddon]

Two women and Mark Lawrenson hahaha tokenism is ruining life, never mind football and TV.

[Mikey1874]

1 minute ago, Armageddon said:

Two women and Mark Lawrenson hahaha tokenism is ruining life, never mind football and TV.

 

Yeah token idiot ex footballers on tv has been bad overall. For the quality of analysis especially.

[milky_26]

on now

[Zen Jambo]

Great piece. 

 

Still brings a tear to my eye. 

 

HHGH

[Nookie Bear]

49 minutes ago, Beni said:

 

If Ann Budge comes past in her yacht and with the help of 8000 others puts you back safely on solid ground, I'd say yes thanks for saving us Vlad.

 

Contrast that with David Murray and ra people who all did a disappearing act as soon as flames appeared in the big hoose.  

But Budge was never part of Vlad’s plan. He was long gone by the.  
Surely Vlad did exactly the same as Murray et al. 

[Special Agent Dale Cooper]

Lovely stuff. It's been one hell of a ride!

[hereford_hearts]

Let's hope Robbie sits the squad down before kick off, and shows them it. So they know what hearts are about!

[Riccarton3]

We have benefactors now but back then when it was really needed, nothing but Ann Budge. 

[Beni]

2 minutes ago, Nookie Bear said:

But Budge was never part of Vlad’s plan. He was long gone by the.  
Surely Vlad did exactly the same as Murray et al. 

 

No it was never a plan, but being chased out of Tyncastle by the Pitman's mismanagement would have been a disaster. Vlad averted it, and the fight to save the club was put off for 8 years, when luckily the wherewithal was available to do it.

If David Murray or the Rangers fans had put their hand in their pocket maybe a real white knight would've emerged in a year or two..

Fortunately we'll never know. 

[Nookie Bear]

11 minutes ago, Beni said:

 

No it was never a plan, but being chased out of Tyncastle by the Pitman's mismanagement would have been a disaster. Vlad averted it, and the fight to save the club was put off for 8 years, when luckily the wherewithal was available to do it.

If David Murray or the Rangers fans had put their hand in their pocket maybe a real white knight would've emerged in a year or two..

Fortunately we'll never know. 

Not sure how Vlad can be praised for delaying the endgame until Budge was on the scene. 
Can Pieman be praised for delaying the endgame until Vlad came along?

 

Playing Devils Advocate here. 

[ramrod]

6 minutes ago, Nookie Bear said:

Not sure how Vlad can be praised for delaying the endgame until Budge was on the scene. 
Can Pieman be praised for delaying the endgame until Vlad came along?

 

Playing Devils Advocate here. 

Robinson was committed to selling Tynecastle and renting Murrayfield, a plan which would have almost finished us as a top flight club. I will never ever forgive the man for that alone 

 

[Beni]

7 minutes ago, Nookie Bear said:

Not sure how Vlad can be praised for delaying the endgame until Budge was on the scene. 
Can Pieman be praised for delaying the endgame until Vlad came along?

 

Playing Devils Advocate here. 

 

It was under Pieman's watch that most of the debt accumulated. He caused the crisis so I can't see the logic in praising him.

It's maybe just a quirk of fate the way things worked out, but if Vlad hadn't popped up when he did HMFC would be very different today.

Getting off topic now, but it was nice to be reminded that he also had a sweet left hook. 🥊🥊

[HeartsandonlyHearts]

Can someone please post it on here. Can’t watch in my location.

license issues I guess.

 Thanks 

[jambonian]

Hearts have been in debt for decades, even before Vlad, Pieman and Mercer. 

Mercer came in and turned us into a competitive football club for the first time in nearly 20 years. As with all chairmen, it started off great then by '93' 94 time we wanted a change. Deans and Robinson were the change we needed at that time and they, together with Jeffries, gave us lots of great memories and some of the best players i've seen at Hearts since i started watching them in '82. Then, as with Mercer before, we wanted change. Romanov came along and brought in some  big money players before it all crashed down in front of us. Budge was then the hero and after a few years, we wanted her out as well. No matter who is in charge there will always be a time that something needs to change. Let's see what the next few years have in store.

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

13 hours ago, heartsfc_fan said:

 

Should be shown to ever player when signing and before every crucial game.

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

31 minutes ago, ramrod said:

Robinson was committed to selling Tynecastle and renting Murrayfield, a plan which would have almost finished us as a top flight club. I will never ever forgive the man for that alone 

 

Although a slow death…

 

Romanov had us on cardiac arrest and on at least two occasions hours away from being finished.

 

Just as well, although mental, we are the fans we are.

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

42 minutes ago, Nookie Bear said:

Not sure how Vlad can be praised for delaying the endgame until Budge was on the scene. 
Can Pieman be praised for delaying the endgame until Vlad came along?

 

Playing Devils Advocate here. 

I take that view personally.

 

Robinson built most of the stadium we now love - was a dick - but gave us 98 but nearly ****ed everything up.

 

Romanov kept the stadium we love and gave us what he did, but nearly ****ed everything up.

 

Both important eras in our history one way or another.

[john thomas]

17 minutes ago, jambonian said:

Hearts have been in debt for decades, even before Vlad, Pieman and Mercer. 

Mercer came in and turned us into a competitive football club for the first time in nearly 20 years. As with all chairmen, it started off great then by '93' 94 time we wanted a change. Deans and Robinson were the change we needed at that time and they, together with Jeffries, gave us lots of great memories and some of the best players i've seen at Hearts since i started watching them in '82. Then, as with Mercer before, we wanted change. Romanov came along and brought in some  big money players before it all crashed down in front of us. Budge was then the hero and after a few years, we wanted her out as well. No matter who is in charge there will always be a time that something needs to change. Let's see what the next few years have in store.

Sorry that is a pretty inaccurate potted history.

There is no doubt Robinson nearly finished us . Never forget him being exposed as a blatant liar at an EGM . 

Probably can't say what I think his motivation was but his behaviour was disgraceful

[Costanza]

If it wasn't for a housing pricing crash, Vlad would have fulfilled Robinson's plan to sell the ground for housing and forced us to leave Tynecastle.

Yes Romanov averted it first time around for which we should be grateful but we were lucky he didn't finish us.

[Taffin]

Romanov ❤️❤️

 

Gave me some of my best days and memories. What a rollercoaster it was. 

[jambonian]

Just now, john thomas said:

Sorry that is a pretty inaccurate potted history.

There is no doubt Robinson nearly finished us . Never forget him being exposed as a blatant liar at an EGM . 

Probably can't say what I think his motivation was but his behaviour was disgraceful

 

As you'll see by my post, i didn't mention what he did or didn't do, i was pointing out that when change is needed we are full of expectation for what that change brings...and it works, for a few years then change is usually needed again when staleness sets in. We were all happy to see us signing the likes of Rousset, Adam, Flogel, Cameron, Fulton and whoever else and that may not have happened without the Deans./Robinson input.  I'm not defending Robinson's other actions, it's just an oversight of what happens when change comes. We all opened our arms to Mercer, then Robinson, then Vlad and not forgetting Budge but in the end, we wanted rid of them all at some point for various reasons. 

As for Robinson personally...i don't particularly like him as a person and I hate seeing him sitting in a shiny new stand knowing he didn't think Tynecastle was "fit for purpose" and probably sits there for free. All our chair-persons have had good moments and very bad moments  at various times in their tenure.

[kingsknowe_jambo]

It’s a shame this film seems to be completely blocked outside of the UK. Would love to watch it.

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

Kingsley is more important to re-sign than Souttar IMO.

 

 

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

I do like Souttar but I think his agent has a self-inflated idea of his importance to the team

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

But there is an argument that Kingsley is better than Souttar 

[Spellczech]

3 hours ago, jambonian said:

Hearts have been in debt for decades, even before Vlad, Pieman and Mercer. 

Mercer came in and turned us into a competitive football club for the first time in nearly 20 years. As with all chairmen, it started off great then by '93' 94 time we wanted a change. Deans and Robinson were the change we needed at that time and they, together with Jeffries, gave us lots of great memories and some of the best players i've seen at Hearts since i started watching them in '82. Then, as with Mercer before, we wanted change. Romanov came along and brought in some  big money players before it all crashed down in front of us. Budge was then the hero and after a few years, we wanted her out as well. No matter who is in charge there will always be a time that something needs to change. Let's see what the next few years have in store.

Yes but there is a difference between manageable debt and reckless debt. Manageable debt is an effective way of running a business - it is also called leveraging- as it means banks fund the excess spending instead of the owners themselves. It is particularly good if interest rates are low.  However, getting a company into the position where debt is 4-5 times turnover is reckless levels as the interest payments are so high that it risks the operation of the business entirely.

 

The one thing Mercer did was know when his time was up - when he could no longer afford to be the owner of Hearts. Similarly Deans knew when he was personally in danger of being over-extended. Robinson simply didn't. He built 3 new stands, squandered most of the SMG cash injection and then sought to sell the stadium for houses so he could get himself out of trouble...Vlad made Hearts part of a bigger Investment Group which should've meant stability and strength, but that investment group turned out to be very susceptible to a crash in the commodities market for metals. Exactly same situation as for Murray at Rangers BTW, except Murray also found Investment Property (which he was also useless at) more sexy than metals, and had been doing some tax wheezes in order to pay players and managers he couldn't really afford...

 

 

Edited November 27, 2021 by Spellczech

[Samuel Camazzola]

1 hour ago, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

Kingsley is more important to re-sign than Souttar IMO.

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

I do like Souttar but I think his agent has a self-inflated idea of his importance to the team

 

58 minutes ago, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

But there is an argument that Kingsley is better than Souttar 

 

[Beni]

Fan ownership isn't without problems. There were angry scenes at fan owned Bayern Munich's AGM when the board refused to allow a vote on the club's sponsorship deal with Qatar Airlines.  

 

 

[john thomas]

4 hours ago, jambonian said:

 

As you'll see by my post, i didn't mention what he did or didn't do, i was pointing out that when change is needed we are full of expectation for what that change brings...and it works, for a few years then change is usually needed again when staleness sets in. We were all happy to see us signing the likes of Rousset, Adam, Flogel, Cameron, Fulton and whoever else and that may not have happened without the Deans./Robinson input.  I'm not defending Robinson's other actions, it's just an oversight of what happens when change comes. We all opened our arms to Mercer, then Robinson, then Vlad and not forgetting Budge but in the end, we wanted rid of them all at some point for various reasons. 

As for Robinson personally...i don't particularly like him as a person and I hate seeing him sitting in a shiny new stand knowing he didn't think Tynecastle was "fit for purpose" and probably sits there for free. All our chair-persons have had good moments and very bad moments  at various times in their tenure.

He knew it could be made to be fit for purpose , UEFA compliant , at very little cost . He was , basically , ambushed at the EGM by Foulkes and the architect (?) 

Which is why I was extremely suspicious of his agenda 

Anyway your main point is correct and , up to a point , our structure now will eliminate previous problems we had with owners 

For a while 

[Snedds76]

Guy was fecking egotistical arsehole that almost finished us for good... Thank god we'll never be in that mess ever again now that we're fan owned. 

[Rc55]

Robinson  for me the  most detestable chairman (and  highly paid CEO).

He seemed to want to change everything  to his own peculiar blueprint. 

Changed the crest. 

 Invented  the  name  "Roseburn".  Tynecastle  Park  to  Stadium.  Disingeneous  about  the ground  being  not fit for  purpose.   

Brought  in Tommy McLean. 

Tried  to  change  the official  name  of the Club to Hearts FC.  (Less  well known  but  verifiable).   

 

A parasite  who is still leaching.

[John Gentleman]

1 hour ago, Rc55 said:

Robinson  for me the  most detestable chairman (and  highly paid CEO).

He seemed to want to change everything  to his own peculiar blueprint. 

Changed the crest. 

 Invented  the  name  "Roseburn".  Tynecastle  Park  to  Stadium.  Disingeneous  about  the ground  being  not fit for  purpose.   

Brought  in Tommy McLean. 

Tried  to  change  the official  name  of the Club to Hearts FC.  (Less  well known  but  verifiable).   

 

A parasite  who is still leaching.

Still bigging himself on Linkedin Christopher Robinson
Excerpt from his CV:
"Eleven eventful years as Chairman and Chief Executive Of Heart of Midlothian FC in Edinburgh."

 

He's no' half kidding there, is he?

[SpruceBringsteen]

Best owner we've ever had (albeit I've only been a fan since the mid 80s). Glad it didn't descend into the simpleton ****wit chat of calling him a dick. 

[Samuel Camazzola]

8 hours ago, John Gentleman said:

Still bigging himself on Linkedin Christopher Robinson
Excerpt from his CV:
"Eleven eventful years as Chairman and Chief Executive Of Heart of Midlothian FC in Edinburgh."

 

He's no' half kidding there, is he?

Regarding his profile, the lack of necessary spacing and misuse of capital letters bothers me. 😠

[The Real Maroonblood]

Excellent piece.

[Alex MacDonald]

A very good piece on FF, it’s not easy to condense the craziness of the past 17 years into 7 minutes. Telling that they had to use an STV reporter to give the media slant and not some clueless David Currie/Jonathan Sutherland from BBC Glasgow.

[jambo-in-furness]

 

 

“Not fit for purpose”

 

every time I hear that phrase it takes me back to the pieman,  it makes my hackles stand on end,  that and the fact that Robinson still sits in his free seat in the ground he sold from under us.

[davemclaren]

6 minutes ago, jambo-in-furness said:

 

 

“Not fit for purpose”

 

every time I hear that phrase it takes me back to the pieman,  it makes my hackles stand on end,  that and the fact that Robinson still sits in his free seat in the ground he sold from under us.

I think the free seats for past chairmen stopped a while back. 

[gashauskis9]

On 27/11/2021 at 11:57, William H. Bonney said:

It’s a good article but perhaps too heavily focussed on Romanov 

I disagree. His mismanagement got us to the point of desperation in the first place.  Also important to highlight the rollercoaster ride vs the stability of today. 

[Arfur]

On 27/11/2021 at 19:42, Snedds76 said:

Guy was fecking egotistical arsehole that almost finished us for good... Thank god we'll never be in that mess ever again now that we're fan owned. 

Couldn’t agree more. Can’t understand some of the loving for the mad idiot who nearly finished us for good.

[heartandsoul]

7 minutes ago, Arfur said:

Couldn’t agree more. Can’t understand some of the loving for the mad idiot who nearly finished us for good.

This

[HeartsandonlyHearts]

Can someone please post the video. Not allowed where I am due to license issues with BBC

Thanks in advance