Vlad - Progress Since the Take Over "An Open Letter"

[RussAsia]

Another one in the "I'll stick my head in the sand as I don't want to debate it brigade"

 

My opinion is that I think we are the same on the pitch now as we were before Vlad took over. We are no better and we are no worse. That in my opinion equals no progress. We have not improved the ground, other than what had to done to comply with the law, and that equals no progress

 

To be fair if we had received the TV money that Shalke has received or the funding from Gazprom they have received over the last 4 years i think we would have improved immeasurably.. Since that hasnt happened and the Old Firm continue to take what they want from the SPL coffers it stands to reason that we haven't improved.. You would be better sending an open letter to Sky asking why the TV money they give is nowhere near what they give the premiership and why what is given isn't shared around as evenly as in England as well.. i dont expect 2 billion per season or whatever it was but i would love say 25% of what they get.. then share it round evenly and the entire standard of Scottish football in the SPL would improve..

 

As for open letters.. I dont like them..

[51 Shirts -Moments in Time]

My feeling on this is that the average fan is again bewildered and frustrated by our beloved leaders actions over the last couple of weeks. It makes most fans feel helpless. We have him now and unless some mutli billionaire charges in we are certainly stuck with him. The most frustrating thing appears to that he feels he must meddle when any genuine progress appears to be being made. Perhaps this is how all self obssessesed millionaires behave! It doesnt make it right though. Every hearts fan has a right to air their views whether they are right or wrong. However on this site it appears they will be ridiculed with various jpegs...not exactly constructive!

Just because we are stuck with him doesnt't mean you have to agree with his actions, everyone has the right to at least attempt to criticise or comment.

he has done good things for the club, but has countered them with some crazy stuff as well. However have renewed my season ticket and await the next couple of months with anticipation and fear!

[The Real Maroonblood]

I'm not going to bother with debating this whole post but one or two things in the above one.... "what has Vlad brought to the club"? A manager that was sitting pretty at the top of the League then sacked, team interference, handing various managers players they either don't rate, haven't heard of or are just not interested in, a lot of players that were never good enough for Hearts, with a few exceptions..Takis, Skacel & possibly Aguiar. Folk like Goncalves were just greedy fekwits. As for this pathetic attempt to finish 3rd... previous teams would've had it rubber stamped by now. As much as the pieman was a total div, in his days 3rd was almost guaranteed under Jefferies initially then Levein. We had some good players who played for the jersey, not like half of them today, folk like Stamp, McKenna, DeVries, Hartley, Fuller, even Webster, added to some players that were there under JJ's first term like Pressley, Kirk etc.. these guys worked their socks off unlike some of today's players who hide when the going gets tough. I think we'd all rather watch a team wear their hearts on their sleeve than certain players of today, one win in 10 or something? Fair enough, we're not losing many but it still should've been wrapped up by now, injuries or not, don't think too many would disagree.

Great post but the the ones right Romanov's ar se will not see this they will only see shy te.

[The Treasurer]

Another one in the "I'll stick my head in the sand as I don't want to debate it brigade"

 

My opinion is that I think we are the same on the pitch now as we were before Vlad took over. We are no better and we are no worse. That in my opinion equals no progress. We have not improved the ground, other than what had to done to comply with the law, and that equals no progress

 

My head is nowhere near any sand.

 

Whether we have improved on the pitch since Mr Romanov took over could be argued either way if you choose to break it down.

What can't be argued is that we are definitely better off playing wise than we would have been under the pieman and we are firmly established as one of the "best of the rest".

To me that is progress.

The ground has been improved to the extent that (results this week permitting) we are able to host European matches at a ground that would no longer exist without Mr Romanov, again something I consider progress.

[Getintaethem]

Dear Vlad,

 

Your as mad as a sackful of monkeys in a jelly factory, but if we qualify for Europe no one will care.

 

Yours insincerely

 

GETINTAETHEM.

[Heartbeat]

My head is nowhere near any sand.

 

Whether we have improved on the pitch since Mr Romanov took over could be argued either way if you choose to break it down.

What can't be argued is that we are definitely better off playing wise than we would have been under the pieman and we are firmly established as one of the "best of the rest".

To me that is progress.

The ground has been improved to the extent that (results this week permitting) we are able to host European matches at a ground that would no longer exist without Mr Romanov, again something I consider progress.

 

 

I must concede the question of whether we have actually improved or not has made me think long and hard.

 

Lets be honest we won the cup in 2006 and split the OF yes definate progress but have done not a lor since qualifying for europe every year would be the minimal requirement but we havent even done that.

 

Yes we have brought in players initially we would never have seen at Tynie, Indeed without the mad one we wouldnt be at Tynie but real progress? There are other teams and I would cite Dundee United as the best example with a fraction of our funds and support they have done well. They have secured a cup and assembled a team for not a lot of dough, sadly for them and possibly Scottish football this team will be dismantled in the summer.

 

I would have to come to the conclusion that if we had secured third or better every year and either won or had a good cup run it would have been progress but clearly we have not.

 

JJ was gobsmacked at the money we were paying when he arrived and I understand believed we could have secured players of that qualify for condierably less wages, yet you cannot argue with vlad transfer dealings. He plays hard ball and generally does well.

 

Its not a straight yes or no question cos without a doubt every manager would or could point to team meddling and the upset it causes. JJ could argue that being without Zal until November and then being without Kello in recent weeks has had a massive impact and who could argue, certainly other teams that dont have as big squads and revenue seem to settle into systems and either have peaks and troughs in there performance but with the means they have and not cos someone is directing operations from afar.

[Rudy T]

My head is nowhere near any sand.

 

Whether we have improved on the pitch since Mr Romanov took over could be argued either way if you choose to break it down.

What can't be argued is that we are definitely better off playing wise than we would have been under the pieman and we are firmly established as one of the "best of the rest".

To me that is progress.

The ground has been improved to the extent that (results this week permitting) we are able to host European matches at a ground that would no longer exist without Mr Romanov, again something I consider progress.

 

If this is a comparison to the Pieman - then we all know what would have happened had he stayed, however I still firmly believe a McGrail / Deans takeover would have saved Tynie the same way Romanov did, And Pieman's term did bring us a Scottish Cup, third places and Europe. Same as Romanov - but without the grand circus that comes as the package.

 

The post/letter seems to be a reasonable ask of Romanov as to what he thinks we have achieved under his ownership. I side with the not as much as we were lead to believe when he arrived. For all the good things, you have Rix and other managerial debacles / The Riccarton 3 / The countless run in's with the SFA / The team changes etc etc

 

Then on the pitch - I struggle to see how much further ahead we really are from when he took over. So in conclusion I think we have to say it's been an entertaining roller coaster of a ride with Romanov and he's continued to keep the club as the 3rd team in Scotland, but we are very much a still a selling club with little chance of anything more than 3rd and the possibility of a cup win.

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

Thanks for the warning Geoff. I didn't realise that there was a group on here that wanted to stifle genuine concerned debate, which is what I had intended with my OP.

Don't worry there isn't. There is a new Facebook group which is causing much amusement (see The Shed).

 

Anyway, to look at your points....

There are some serious questions that those who run this club need to address. If this club was employee in any business it would have been sacked a long time ago due to lack of performance and failing to meet the very KPI's that Vlad had set for himself at the outset. As supporters we are the only people who can call the owners and the management to account and we need some answers very soon.

 

See, there is a fundamental flaw with that argument. The only way that supporters can call the club 'to account' is not to part with their hard earned, which is entirely an individual choice. However, the present budgets the club works on mean that the club isn't self funding and relies on UBIG largesse to fund it. That the club don't use that money to full effect is a given but since it isn't our money, do we have to the right to question how it is spent? In addition, I don't think Vlad is the type to work to rational objectives like KPI's.

 

What are the ambitions for next season? Try to finish third again or try to compete with the OF and have a decent run in the Europa League if we make it.

I honestly think it is the latter. The problem we've had this season is injuries in key positions and we need strength in depth at them. JJ has indicated he is happy with the budget so let's see what happens.

 

What are the ambitions for the new stand?. It has to built soon and no matter what some on this board think we can't get away with it for much longer. Vlad is happy to use the nonsense about Health and Safety as a cover for not being willing to invest.

Given the reduction in available capital for property investment, it is no surprise that it hasn't been built. It doesn't help that the council are desperate to scoop money off any development to help fund the tram farce as well.

 

So my OP was trying to illicit some genuine questions that, I think, need addressed and need addressed quickly or we are going to enter another season without any real vision or goals. If the Facebook group don't like that they might want to consider where they watch their football next season.

 

Mark

 

The Facebook group are unimportant (the most important issue to some of them is singing The Sash FFS!). However, I would challenge you on the vision and goals. This type of thread didn't exist in the midst of our winning run. Why? Because football is a results based business and that is all that matters to most people. We are on a shite run to end the season but I think most people can see why we are. To me, the key short-term 'objective' is addressing the deficiencies in the squad. The rest is unimportant for now.

 

In addition, if Vlad does have goals, we would be the last to know.

[The Treasurer]

If this is a comparison to the Pieman - then we all know what would have happened had he stayed, however I still firmly believe a McGrail / Deans takeover would have saved Tynie the same way Romanov did, And Pieman's term did bring us a Scottish Cup, third places and Europe. Same as Romanov - but without the grand circus that comes as the package.

 

The post/letter seems to be a reasonable ask of Romanov as to what he thinks we have achieved under his ownership. I side with the not as much as we were lead to believe when he arrived. For all the good things, you have Rix and other managerial debacles / The Riccarton 3 / The countless run in's with the SFA / The team changes etc etc

 

Then on the pitch - I struggle to see how much further ahead we really are from when he took over. So in conclusion I think we have to say it's been an entertaining roller coaster of a ride with Romanov and he's continued to keep the club as the 3rd team in Scotland, but we are very much a still a selling club with little chance of anything more than 3rd and the possibility of a cup win.

 

I'll reply to you and Heartbeat in the same post as both of you have given good well thought out replies.

 

I'm not so sure the McGrail/Deans plan would have had the same financial backing that UBIG have behind them and would have seen a serious reduction in player quality and our ability to compete.

Of course we as fans have the right to question the club on achievement (or lack of) if we wish to.

The way Scottish football is set up just now would require a huge cash investment to just match never mind overtake the OF and under new UEFA rules that won't be possible so 3rd place and a realistic chance of cup success is what we have to aim for. We have achieved one part of that but cup runs have been disappointing, no argument about that. So in order to remain in this position we have to sell certain players.

Heartbeat cites DU as a good role model but as you say their team will be dismantled this year with the club getting little or no return on most of the players that leave.

This is one area that Mr Romanov has definitely improved things with the club no longer grabbing the first offer that comes along.

Yes there have been mistakes, some big ones but in general I'd say the positives far outweigh the negatives.

You're right it can be a rollercoaster at times but when has supporting Hearts ever been anything else

[Tynie b]

My head is nowhere near any sand.

 

Whether we have improved on the pitch since Mr Romanov took over could be argued either way if you choose to break it down.

What can't be argued is that we are definitely better off playing wise than we would have been under the pieman and we are firmly established as one of the "best of the rest".

To me that is progress.

The ground has been improved to the extent that (results this week permitting) we are able to host European matches at a ground that would no longer exist without Mr Romanov, again something I consider progress.

 

 

I believe that when it was mutted we may be going to another stadium, built by David Murray, on the outskirts of Edinburgh, You were one of the people who said that we should stay at Tynecastle, BUT, if it was to improve Hearts you would go along and support the team and Mr Romanov...You keep bending over Treasurer, and Madfud will keep pumping...There's a good Laddie!!

 

I Hate Madfud and his freaky looking Son with a Passion, but unfortunately the **** is the only show in town so he'll do as he pleases, no change there...He can't be around forever though

[The Treasurer]

I believe that when it was mutted we may be going to another stadium, built by David Murray, on the outskirts of Edinburgh, You were one of the people who said that we should stay at Tynecastle, BUT, if it was to improve Hearts you would go along and support the team and Mr Romanov...You keep bending over Treasurer, and Madfud will keep pumping...There's a good Laddie!!

 

I Hate Madfud and his freaky looking Son with a Passion, but unfortunately the **** is the only show in town so he'll do as he pleases, no change there...He can't be around forever though

 

Not really sure what your point is with this strange rant

 

However I'll try and humour you.

My first choice has always been to remain at Tynecastle and always will be.

However if the choice was between moving and remaining in business then I'd back that option because HMFC as a club are more important than where we play.

Sorry if I've not addressed all the "points" you've made but that's about all that makes any sense and merits a response

[scott herbertson]

Dear Jim

 

Scared of a bit of debate that exposes what real progress has been. Basically we have remained static.

 

 

Given that there was 99% agreemnt amongst Hearts fans prior to his takeover that we were going down the pan faster than a hibs supporter's season ends, static is very good indeed.

 

Static, cup winning qualifying for Europe will do for me compared to homeless and penniless

[Tynie b]

Not really sure what your point is with this strange rant

 

However I'll try and humour you.

My first choice has always been to remain at Tynecastle and always will be.

However if the choice was between moving and remaining in business then I'd back that option because HMFC as a club are more important than where we play.

Sorry if I've not addressed all the "points" you've made but that's about all that makes any sense and merits a response

 

 

My point is that people just keep coming back with the same old sheeite re Madfud "If it wuzznae fur him we widna be at Tynie..." BUT, when it looked a possibility (Granted a Small possibility) he may want to move the club Away from Tynecastle, those same people felt this would be an idea worth considering...I never wanted to move to Murrayfield with the Pieman and was delighted when he was ousted, I was a Lot less delighted when I seen who was taking over. This clown tried to get about 3 or 4 clubs before we went scrambling to him, he couldn't give a **** about Hearts, Hearts support or Staff. This egomaniac is only interested in number 1.

BUT It seems to me that a few on here would see anything that Madfud does as acceptable.

[Walter Bishop]

My biggest concern is why we still do not have a statue of Mr Romanov outside the main stand?

[Paolo]

My biggest concern is why we still do not have a statue of Mr Romanov outside the main stand?

 

As long as he is not pals with Michael Jackson.

[Rudy T]

I'll reply to you and Heartbeat in the same post as both of you have given good well thought out replies.

 

I'm not so sure the McGrail/Deans plan would have had the same financial backing that UBIG have behind them and would have seen a serious reduction in player quality and our ability to compete.

Of course we as fans have the right to question the club on achievement (or lack of) if we wish to.

The way Scottish football is set up just now would require a huge cash investment to just match never mind overtake the OF and under new UEFA rules that won't be possible so 3rd place and a realistic chance of cup success is what we have to aim for. We have achieved one part of that but cup runs have been disappointing, no argument about that. So in order to remain in this position we have to sell certain players.

Heartbeat cites DU as a good role model but as you say their team will be dismantled this year with the club getting little or no return on most of the players that leave.

This is one area that Mr Romanov has definitely improved things with the club no longer grabbing the first offer that comes along.

Yes there have been mistakes, some big ones but in general I'd say the positives far outweigh the negatives.

You're right it can be a rollercoaster at times but when has supporting Hearts ever been anything else

 

McGrail / Deans I agree regarding the cash, however I think "the Romanov was the only saviour" argument is a slight red herring used to justify some of his antics. The reduction in quality point I also think is debatable, while we have seen some excellent players during VR's reign we have also seen utter dross, so perhaps we would have seen a more balanced quality of player and we would certainly have had a more stable (or traditional) managerial model to run the playing side top to bottom.

 

I still believe with the right blend of youth and experience coupled with a manager who can take the fear out of a team a challenge can be made without throwing buckets of cash at it. Pains me to say it if Hibs had kept their young side together for two seasons longer than they did there was a league winning side there. Which leads nicely to your other point about Utd - this is where I agree, if you can secure players and not jump at the first offer, you have a chance of doing well in this league. Or alternatively if the money is too good to reject you use it to replace the out going player then it?s a sustainable model.

[The Treasurer]

 

BUT It seems to me that a few on here would see anything that Madfud does as acceptable.

 

Please name one person on here or anywhere else for that matter that has said "anything" that Mr Romanov does or has done is acceptable.

I have always maintained that he has made mistakes, some of which are whoppers, but overall his positive influence far out weighs his negatives.

If you were "less than delighted" when he took over, bearing in mind none of us really knew much about him I would suggest that your view was biased from the start and you still allow that one sided view to cloud your judgement to this day.

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

McGrail / Deans I agree regarding the cash, however I think "the Romanov was the only saviour" argument is a slight red herring used to justify some of his antics. The reduction in quality point I also think is debatable, while we have seen some excellent players during VR's reign we have also seen utter dross, so perhaps we would have seen a more balanced quality of player and we would certainly have had a more stable (or traditional) managerial model to run the playing side top to bottom.

 

I still believe with the right blend of youth and experience coupled with a manager who can take the fear out of a team a challenge can be made without throwing buckets of cash at it. Pains me to say it if Hibs had kept their young side together for two seasons longer than they did there was a league winning side there. Which leads nicely to your other point about Utd - this is where I agree, if you can secure players and not jump at the first offer, you have a chance of doing well in this league. Or alternatively if the money is too good to reject you use it to replace the out going player then it?s a sustainable model.

 

 

McGrail and Deans? You are forgetting that the problem HMFC had under Robinson was that SMG wanted the loan stock debt repaid that hadn't been converted to equity and no line of credit was forthcoming, so Robinson was selling assets to alleviate the issue. McGrail's plan was to sell Tynecastle to him and then rent it back!

[Eckauskas]

More Madfud chat

[Homme]

McGrail / Deans I agree regarding the cash, however I think "the Romanov was the only saviour" argument is a slight red herring used to justify some of his antics. The reduction in quality point I also think is debatable, while we have seen some excellent players during VR's reign we have also seen utter dross, so perhaps we would have seen a more balanced quality of player and we would certainly have had a more stable (or traditional) managerial model to run the playing side top to bottom.

 

I still believe with the right blend of youth and experience coupled with a manager who can take the fear out of a team a challenge can be made without throwing buckets of cash at it. Pains me to say it if Hibs had kept their young side together for two seasons longer than they did there was a league winning side there. Which leads nicely to your other point about Utd - this is where I agree, if you can secure players and not jump at the first offer, you have a chance of doing well in this league. Or alternatively if the money is too good to reject you use it to replace the out going player then it?s a sustainable model.

 

No there wasn't. There was a half decent side capable of third place.

 

That's another argument though.

[Rudy T]

McGrail and Deans? You are forgetting that the problem HMFC had under Robinson was that SMG wanted the loan stock debt repaid that hadn't been converted to equity and no line of credit was forthcoming, so Robinson was selling assets to alleviate the issue. McGrail's plan was to sell Tynecastle to him and then rent it back!

 

So I was right, under Deans/McGrail we would still have been playing at Tynie???

[Rudy T]

No there wasn't. There was a half decent side capable of third place.

 

That's another argument though.

 

Based on what ? Just for a minute take the maroon tints off and that side was better than what the old firm had two years later - bearing in mind a lot of that Hibs team strenghtened the OF at that point. I for one am very glad it got broken down as quickly as it did.

 

They had a strong team with other capable youngsters coming through, I know its an alien concept to Petrie but with the addition of maybe 4 experienced players that side would have challenged.

[Mid Calder Jambo]

Given that there was 99% agreemnt amongst Hearts fans prior to his takeover that we were going down the pan faster than a hibs supporter's season ends, static is very good indeed.

 

Static, cup winning qualifying for Europe will do for me compared to homeless and penniless

 

I hear what you say Scott. But as we are not penniless, although that in itself may be up for debate, and not homless we should be progressing on the field.

 

I accept what you say about the cup and Europe,but as a club, that appears to accpet that third place in the league is a God given right, my expectation would be that improving on third and doing something POSITIVE in Europe should be the Key Performance Indicators on which those that run the club should be judged. On both of these indicators we are static and not improving. As has been said on this thread, football is a results business and I still think that if failed to perfrom on my KPI's at work as those that run this club have failed to do I would have been sacked, consequently those that run the club have some explaining to do to the fans.

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

So I was right, under Deans/McGrail we would still have been playing at Tynie???

No, because it's irrelevant. McGrail's offer for Tynie was significantly lower than that made by Cala, so company law forbade acceptance of that offer.

[Rudy T]

No, because it's irrelevant. McGrail's offer for Tynie was significantly lower than that made by Cala, so company law forbade acceptance of that offer.

 

Ah ok, so it was McGrail who was buying and renting back ? So if I'm reading this right to allow McGrail/Deans to take over they had to match the Cala bid ?

[The Treasurer]

I hear what you say Scott. But as we are not penniless, although that in itself may be up for debate, and not homless we should be progressing on the field.

 

I accept what you say about the cup and Europe,but as a club, that appears to accpet that third place in the league is a God given right, my expectation would be that improving on third and doing something POSITIVE in Europe should be the Key Performance Indicators on which those that run the club should be judged. On both of these indicators we are static and not improving. As has been said on this thread, football is a results business and I still think that if failed to perfrom on my KPI's at work as those that run this club have failed to do I would have been sacked, consequently those that run the club have some explaining to do to the fans.

 

When did 3rd place become our "god given right"

We are the 3rd biggest club, no doubt about that but as this season is proving, we have to work hard for that 3rd spot.

Progressing in Europe is not that simple as there are bigger clubs in bigger leagues than ours who fail to "do something positive" in Europe.

You say we are in a results business, well without checking back I would suggest that our overall results since Mr Romanov took over would stand up quite favourably against those of any other club, with 2 obvious exceptions of course.

[The Comedian]

1)To establish business relationships in the west.

2)To open his bank in Scotland / Edinburgh ( capital of scottish finance)

3)To attain his banking licence (which remains outstanding as bigger fish to fry for FSA, etc during current recession)to freely operate and potentially increase in size within uk.

4)To take advantage of Scotlands co-effiencies into Europe, thereby, increasing business exposure elsewhere

 

I wouldn't say we have toddled along since he bought us.

 

Splitting the OF and entering CL qualifier which was ultimately a waste of time cost VR loads and was unsustainable.

 

Csaba's jotters were marked after his inept showing in Zagreb and I would have done the same in VR's shoes.

 

If VR had known the recession would still be with us all these years later, his banking licence would still be outstanding and scotland would manage to screw up its co-efficiencies, I very much doubt he would have entered Hearts or Scotlan at all - let's not forget he was sniffing around others clubs before us!

 

Tellingly, none of your four reasons are football reasons. If it has been primarily a business move then that has been a spectacular failure.

 

I tend to leave the finacial chat to the KB beancounters. I'm just interested in the football. If Vlad cannot afford to bankroll the club towards improvement short term then what is the plan to get to where we want to be? For instance, I don't see a massive improvement in our youth policy over previous regimes. I also see one Scottish Cup and a average league placing of 4th for this and the previous reign.

 

I'm delighted to remain at Tynecastle but looking over the entire Romanov reign I don't see a massive difference.

[Heartbeat]

Tellingly, none of your four reasons are football reasons. If it has been primarily a business move then that has been a spectacular failure.

 

I tend to leave the finacial chat to the KB beancounters. I'm just interested in the football. If Vlad cannot afford to bankroll the club towards improvement short term then what is the plan to get to where we want to be? For instance, I don't see a massive improvement in our youth policy over previous regimes. I also see one Scottish Cup and a average league placing of 4th for this and the previous reign.

 

I'm delighted to remain at Tynecastle but looking over the entire Romanov reign I don't see a massive difference.

 

 

If the u19s are included in this or maybe you mean the scouting of younger players? then I would disagree.

I am not the expert that footballfirst and JIG are on these issue but have watched the 19s on a few occasions this season and there are several that I would say have the potential. These have all been nurtured or scouted into our system in the Vlad era I would assume.

 

I was told the other day that Celtic spent 800k assembling there u19 squad and after watching us beat Rancers recently there is nobody in that squad that I would covet, The likes of Holt, McHattie,Mullen, Morton have real potential and there are more depending on the way they develop.

 

John Murray has been there a long time even rejecting a chance to move to Celtic and if reports are to be believed Vlad was instrumental in Darren Murrays appointment or so I have heard. They come under the youth banner and have progressed under his stewardship of our club so in the interests of balance if we are going to criticise him for his obvious fek ups then he must by the same token get some form of praise for the youth set up.

[Coburg Hearts]

My biggest concern is why we still do not have a statue of Mr Romanov outside the main stand?

 

This!!!

[Mike Hunt]

Is anyone on this thread suggesting or indeed just thinks that HMFC cannot and will not win the SPL ever?

 

Is anyone suggesting that HMFC should not strive to do just that year after year?

 

If so i suggest you go follow Hibs! You'd fit right in.

 

OP, yes questions id suspect most Jambos would love to know the answers too. I agree i do not think HMFC has progressed in footballing terms an awful lot under Vlad and given what he said was going to happen it feels like we have the right to ask what happened and why! Vlad does not care much for supporters rights however just like most chairmen id suspect and it is very unlikely that any sort of sense will come out his mouth in way of answering our concerns!

 

For me, i will just continue to support and dream about the day HMFC are top of the table come the end of the season!

 

I lost interest in what Vladimir Romanov says about anything a long time ago, he owns HMFC but he doesn't own us!

[The Comedian]

If the u19s are included in this or maybe you mean the scouting of younger players? then I would disagree.

I am not the expert that footballfirst and JIG are on these issue but have watched the 19s on a few occasions this season and there are several that I would say have the potential. These have all been nurtured or scouted into our system in the Vlad era I would assume.

 

I was told the other day that Celtic spent 800k assembling there u19 squad and after watching us beat Rancers recently there is nobody in that squad that I would covet, The likes of Holt, McHattie,Mullen, Morton have real potential and there are more depending on the way they develop.

 

John Murray has been there a long time even rejecting a chance to move to Celtic and if reports are to be believed Vlad was instrumental in Darren Murrays appointment or so I have heard. They come under the youth banner and have progressed under his stewardship of our club so in the interests of balance if we are going to criticise him for his obvious fek ups then he must by the same token get some form of praise for the youth set up.

 

Fair enough mate, I'm not saying it's bad, it's just thats it's always been okay and is still just okay IMO. Those lads are still in the maybe pile though, many haven't made their senior debut. Templeton is one success, 50k from Stenny.

 

Still, we've blooded good players before such as Allan Johnstone or Gary Naysmith. I just don't see much if any improvement since those days. We certainly aren't a conveyor belt of talent right now.

[Eckauskas]

Fair enough mate, I'm not saying it's bad, it's just thats it's always been okay and is still just okay IMO. Those lads are still in the maybe pile though, many haven't made their senior debut. Templeton is one success, 50k from Stenny.

 

Still, we've blooded good players before such as Allan Johnstone or Gary Naysmith. I just don't see much if any improvement since those days. We certainly aren't a conveyor belt of talent right now.

 

As is Craig Thomson.

[Heartbeat]

Fair enough mate, I'm not saying it's bad, it's just thats it's always been okay and is still just okay IMO. Those lads are still in the maybe pile though, many haven't made their senior debut. Templeton is one success, 50k from Stenny.

 

Still, we've blooded good players before such as Allan Johnstone or Gary Naysmith. I just don't see much if any improvement since those days. We certainly aren't a conveyor belt of talent right now.

 

 

From reports i have heard JJ believes the first team squad is too large. a no brainer really. I think with the emphisis on youth we can get by with an eighteen man first team squad with Youngsters having to come in and prove themselves if called upon. Lets be honest teams like Motherwell throw them in en mass and seem to do ok.

 

Best example I can think of is Rob Ogilby up front, with all the short comings of the front line due to injuries I cant see why a laddie such as him who is big an strong (if we are playing in the KK mould) jumps well and makes good runs does not get his chance as opposed to playing all sorts of first team squad players up front who are not getting a game in there own position.

 

He may or may not be the answer but surely the boys coming through the 19s have to be tried at some point prior to ruling them out?

JJ seems on occasion to have a problem throwing youngsters in though. Scott Robinson looks full of energy and willingness having come on and influenced games but JJ has repeatedly left him out even when toiling, I dont get that! but with a smaller squad he may have to give youth its chance

[Tommy Wiseau]

Blimey.

 

Memo to Mr Romanov - must be more like Schalke. :blink:

[jambonian]

Fair enough mate, I'm not saying it's bad, it's just thats it's always been okay and is still just okay IMO. Those lads are still in the maybe pile though, many haven't made their senior debut. Templeton is one success, 50k from Stenny.

 

Still, we've blooded good players before such as Allan Johnstone or Gary Naysmith. I just don't see much if any improvement since those days. We certainly aren't a conveyor belt of talent right now.

Under Robinson, our youth policy was better than most and in the mid-nineties we had more Scottish Internationals whether bought in or brought through the ranks than we have now. It wasn't so long ago that we had the likes of Johnston, Ritchie, McCann, Naysmith, Webster, Gordon, Pressley among others regularly picked for the National team. These players were either brought through the ranks (well before Riccarton) or being recommended to Hearts by our scouts at the time, far better scouting than nowadays. I believe our scouting system is pathetic and should be radically changed, i also believe that our coaching is pathetic and that Riccarton is/has been a waste of time what with constant injuries to all players throughout the seasons at some point, we never had anywhere near the amount we get nowadays so something is wrong, is the coaching garbage? Are the physios not upto the job? Or are players these days just lazy namby-pamby fekers who don't give a hoot about anything but themselves? In McDonald's days, we had a team mainly made up of players in their 30's, they were almost always fit at the start of a season and pretty much continued right through.

I personally don't see any improvement in the team or quality of player than that of 10-15 years ago and we certainly have gone backwards since 2006, of that there is no doubt.

[shaun.lawson]

Blimey.

 

Memo to Mr Romanov - must be more like Schalke. :blink:

 

Who, as an aside, are one of the biggest under-achievers in the whole of European football! Possibly the biggest.

[Tommy Wiseau]

Who, as an aside, are one of the biggest under-achievers in the whole of European football! Possibly the biggest.

 

 

And who also tucked us away nae probs when we played them, before all this progress they have made to pull away from us.

[shaun.lawson]

And who also tucked us away nae probs when we played them, before all this progress they have made to pull away from us.

 

Yup. An average Schalke >>>>>> an over-achieving Hearts. So naturally, a decent Schalke >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hearts achieving pretty much what we should be.

 

But IT'S NOT GOOD ENUFF! JEFF JIMMERIES can't beat the HONKING OLD FIRM with their clearly pathetic NINETY-PLUS POINTS EACH. This is clearly because he has NO AMBISHUN, and SHITES IT every time we play them.

 

And MAD VALD promised us two World Cup stars, the SPL title and the Champions League. But has it happened? Eh? Eh? He has NO AMBISHUN either.

 

JEFF JIMMERIES and MAD VALD out. WINNIN' MENTALITEH in!

 

:vrface:

[Pete Seeger]

Yup. An average Schalke >>>>>> an over-achieving Hearts. So naturally, a decent Schalke >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hearts achieving pretty much what we should be.

 

But IT'S NOT GOOD ENUFF! JEFF JIMMERIES can't beat the HONKING OLD FIRM with their clearly pathetic NINETY-PLUS POINTS EACH. This is clearly because he has NO AMBISHUN, and SHITES IT every time we play them.

 

And MAD VALD promised us two World Cup stars, the SPL title and the Champions League. But has it happened? Eh? Eh? He has NO AMBISHUN either.

 

JEFF JIMMERIES and MAD VALD out. WINNIN' MENTALITEH in!

 

:vrface:

 

Lawson knows the score these days.

 

Comparing ourselves to Schalke is bordering on insanity. Just ridiculous.

 

Mr Romanov has saved Heart of Midlothian Football Club whether some of us like it or not.

[wright1989]

Lawson knows the score these days.

 

Comparing ourselves to Schalke is bordering on insanity. Just ridiculous.

 

Mr Romanov has saved Heart of Midlothian Football Club whether some of us like it or not.

 

THIS.

[Tommy Wiseau]

Yup. An average Schalke >>>>>> an over-achieving Hearts. So naturally, a decent Schalke >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hearts achieving pretty much what we should be.

 

But IT'S NOT GOOD ENUFF! JEFF JIMMERIES can't beat the HONKING OLD FIRM with their clearly pathetic NINETY-PLUS POINTS EACH. This is clearly because he has NO AMBISHUN, and SHITES IT every time we play them.

 

And MAD VALD promised us two World Cup stars, the SPL title and the Champions League. But has it happened? Eh? Eh? He has NO AMBISHUN either.

 

JEFF JIMMERIES and MAD VALD out. WINNIN' MENTALITEH in!

 

:vrface:

 

 

Behave yoursel', Lawson. I know for a fact that Raul was HOOCHING for a game in maroon and Vald once again stuck his interfering beak in and forced us to sign Stephen Elliott instead.

 

It's frankly a ****ing disgrace that we are not on the same level or better than Schalke - and all because the madfud © can't just spend shitloads of money and keep his beak out.

[shaun.lawson]

Behave yoursel', Lawson. I know for a fact that Raul was HOOCHING for a game in maroon and Vald once again stuck his interfering beak in and forced us to sign Stephen Elliott instead.

 

It's frankly a ****ing disgrace that we are not on the same level or better than Schalke - and all because the madfud © can't just spend shitloads of money and keep his beak out.

 

Well, we did almost sign Nuno Gomes.

 

But to be a serious for a moment. I swear some posters on this site think HMFC can just go down to Tesco one day and say:

 

"Excuse me - can we have some winning mentality please?"

 

It's like they think a club becomes big and wealthy enough to win the league in the same way you or I might buy a Mars bar.

[Tommy Wiseau]

Don't remind me of the Nuno Gomes episode please Lawson.

 

 

I know where we could get some winning mentaliteh tbf... Mickey's been by the phone waiting on the call for months now. Not a peep.

[Heartbeat]

Well, we did almost sign Nuno Gomes.

 

But to be a serious for a moment. I swear some posters on this site think HMFC can just go down to Tesco one day and say:

 

"Excuse me - can we have some winning mentality please?"

It's like they think a club becomes big and wealthy enough to win the league in the same way you or I might buy a Mars bar.

 

You dont half talk some sheeit at times!

 

Everybody knows that "winning mentality" is a German brand and Tesco are not a supplier, as such you have to go to either Aldi or Lidl to buy some, everyone knows that or so I thought

[wright1989]

Winning mentality...

 

It only exists because people believe it does.

 

There's no such thing. FACT.

[scott_jambo]

Remember when Mickey bumped the thread that said we were going to win the league because we were second for half an hour in Oct/Nov??

 

[shaun.lawson]

 

You dont half talk some sheeit at times!

 

Everybody knows that "winning mentality" is a German brand and Tesco are not a supplier, as such you have to go to either Aldi or Lidl to buy some, everyone knows that or so I thought

 

[Mid Calder Jambo]

Lawson knows the score these days.

 

Comparing ourselves to Schalke is bordering on insanity. Just ridiculous.

 

Mr Romanov has saved Heart of Midlothian Football Club whether some of us like it or not.

 

Ukol, I think you have been sniffing paint. To say "Mr Romanov has saved Heart of Midlothian Football Club whether some of us like it or not." is akin to saying we were not an attractive proposition to anyone else. We were and still could be an attractive proposition if we start challenging for the league and getting in to Europe, on a REGULAR BASIS, not just now and then.

 

I appreciate that we don't have the fan base or the marketability of the Old Firm but start challenging them and start having regular income from Europe and before you know it Old Uncle Vlad will be touting us around footballclubsforsale.com

[Mid Calder Jambo]

Is anyone on this thread suggesting or indeed just thinks that HMFC cannot and will not win the SPL ever?

 

Is anyone suggesting that HMFC should not strive to do just that year after year?

 

If so i suggest you go follow Hibs! You'd fit right in.

 

OP, yes questions id suspect most Jambos would love to know the answers too. I agree i do not think HMFC has progressed in footballing terms an awful lot under Vlad and given what he said was going to happen it feels like we have the right to ask what happened and why! Vlad does not care much for supporters rights however just like most chairmen id suspect and it is very unlikely that any sort of sense will come out his mouth in way of answering our concerns!

 

For me, i will just continue to support and dream about the day HMFC are top of the table come the end of the season!

 

I lost interest in what Vladimir Romanov says about anything a long time ago, he owns HMFC but he doesn't own us!

 

And that is exactly the reason that we should be asking some hard questions about the on field performance of the club. Remember it was Vlad who said what we were going to do in 5 years when he took over not us and under any measure he has failed.

 

I would like to think that we have the manager in place to help us win the league but I take a reserved view on that one. Whether we have the partnership between manager and owner well I think that question is well up for debate as it would be for any combination involving Vlad.

[Pete Seeger]

Ukol, I think you have been sniffing paint. To say "Mr Romanov has saved Heart of Midlothian Football Club whether some of us like it or not." is akin to saying we were not an attractive proposition to anyone else. We were and still could be an attractive proposition if we start challenging for the league and getting in to Europe, on a REGULAR BASIS, not just now and then.

 

I appreciate that we don't have the fan base or the marketability of the Old Firm but start challenging them and start having regular income from Europe and before you know it Old Uncle Vlad will be touting us around footballclubsforsale.com

 

I've not been sniffing paint.

 

Vlad was our best option at the time and as far as I'm concerned he's delivered far more than any other option's we had at the time could have. So much so that before he came I genuinely feared for this football club's future. I'm not saying he's perfect because he isn't. But he did save us from a very slippery slope. If your not willing to accept that then you should think about staying off the meths for a few days.

 

Oh, and I don't know if you've ever been to Gelsinkirchen to take in a match but if not you should really think about it. It's a whole new ball game out there. :thumbsup: