Robbo: no war with SFA chiefs

PAUL KIDDIE

HEARTS boss John Robertson today played down his relationship with Scottish football’s governing body, insisting: "I’m not at war with the SFA."

The Gorgie gaffer has found himself in more hot water with the Hampden beaks after claiming the Tynecastle club has been the victim of a "witchhunt".

The remarks attributed to Robbo were made in a Glasgow-based tabloid in the aftermath of last weekend’s Tennent’s Scottish Cup tie against Kilmarnock, the Hearts manager claiming two poor decisions from officials had cost his side both goals in the 2-2 draw. This came hard on the heels of the Hearts boss having been fined £500 for an earlier outburst against referee John Rowbotham after a league game against Motherwell.

Robertson claims that certain sections of the media are making too much of his after-match statements and said today: "If I am going to get slaughtered for being honest, then fine, that is the way I am. But I believe you should say things as you see them.

"I am certainly not at war with the SFA, nor am I at war with John Rowbotham. I was out of order when I called him a ‘cheat’ and was fined for that. But there was absolutely no problem at all last Saturday. He explained his decision over Kilmarnock’s first goal and I just thought it was bizarre. End of story. Me and John didn’t have a bad word to say about each other. last weekend and It’s strange this has been blown out of all proportion."

He added: "People made a big deal about the occasion when John came over to talk to me on the touchline on Saturday. They sensationalised it as some sort of bust-up when in fact he was apologising for incorrectly calling a hand ball decision against us."

Taken from the Scotsman