Hearts avoid the issue in disagreement with Jordan

Ian Paul

6 Jan 1993

HEARTS yesterday responded quickly, if enigmatically, to speculation that their manager, Joe Jordan, might leave the club at the end of his current contract, which runs out in September, writes Ian Paul.

The statement issued by the board did not offer any clarification of their attitude towards Jordan's disquiet about the club's direction, other than to say that their recent offer of a new contract is a clear enough indication of their ambitions.

But the dispute between the club and the manager is about cash for players, not his own terms.

Jordan, who is believed to earn £100,000 a year under the current arrangement but so far has refused to sign the new deal presented to him in November, said: "The issue here is the future of Hearts and where they are heading."

The club statement said: "The offer of a new and improved contract quite clearly delineates the ambitions of the Hearts board and is a private matter between the directors and the manager."

The offer may be private but the implication of the board statement is that the very fact they have upped Jordan's ante should be enough to convince him of their ambitions.

Jordan, it seems, wants more substantial further proof.

Whether or not the manager would get the kind of backing he wants by leaving to join another club is a moot point, of course, but this is not the first dispute about policy between him and chairman Wallace Mercer.

Jordan is understood to believe strongly that some, if not all, of the cash earned from sales of players should be channeled towards buying new men.

The 41-year-old former Scottish World Cup player has not been slow to make his point since he joined Hearts from Bristol City two-and-a-half seasons ago, and has been prepared to quarrel with Mercer in public.

As far as the recent negotiations between the manager and the club are concerned, Jordan said: "In my discussions with the chairman he did not want me to have any illusions about the club's position.

My response to that was to ask him to provide me with a guideline of the direction in which he thinks Hearts are going.

"I am still waiting for that and it is important that I know.

When I came to the club, a major factor in my decision was the ambition the club appeared to have.

That's why I took the challenge."

Hearts are out of this season's title chase, 13 points behind after Rangers' win last night , and Mercer admitted a few months ago that the sale of David McPherson to Rangers for £1.2m last June was essential to keep the club solvent.

He also openly stated that there was little or no cash available for new players.

The refurbishing of Tynecastle, rather than the building of a new stadium, and the severe recession are factors which the chairman says make it impossible to spend a great deal on fresh talent in the meantime.

Mercer, who suffered from plenty of criticism when he sacked Alex MacDonald and then brought Jordan to Tynecastle, having to pay Bristol compensation for the privilege, may now have to face up to losing the man he thought would take the club a stage further.

When Hearts finished second to Rangers in the championship last season there were inevitable rumours about English interest in Jordan.

The latest news will engender similar speculation but the manager insists that he is happy living in Edinburgh.

But whether Hearts can match his ambition in the current climate is debatable.

Even as the internal argument continues, Hearts are in line to recover some cash which may be centre of the next dispute.

Leicester City are understood to be considering a £350,000 bid for striker Ian Baird.

City nanager Brian Little said: "We received a circular from Hearts saying that Baird was available at the right price.

I was interested so I contacted Joe and had a chat about the player and discussed his valuation.

"Nothing more has happened yet, but we are keeping a watch on the situation."

The 28-year-old, who asked for a move at the end of last season after having become the target of terracing jeers, said: "Until the manager accepts an offer for me, I'm a Hearts player who will give my all for the club."

Taken from the Herald