Mercer's fears for Robertson

FORMER Hearts chairman Wallace Mercer today admitted he fears for the managerial future of axed boss John Robertson.

The Gorgie legend was dismissed by the club after he refused to accept demotion to the position of assistant head coach in a revised coaching set-up favoured by new owner Vladimir Romanov.

Speculation over Robertson’s future as boss was finally ended on Monday evening when the club announced a parting of the ways.

Robertson put a brave face on his removal when he faced the Press for the final time at Tynecastle yesterday, insisting he had no regrets over accepting the job and "respecting" the decision of the board at the end of his well-documented contractual review.

He has already been linked with a number of clubs including Dunfermline, the Pars having recently sacked Davie Hay.

Ross County are another outfit thought to be keen on handing Robertson the chance of a rapid return to the managerial merry-go-round.

He has already shown his qualities as a coach with Livingston, Inverness Caley Thistle and latterly Hearts. But former Tynecastle chief Mercer is concerned that events of the last few days will have a deeply detrimental effect on the career of Gorgie’s favourite son.

"I think John was brought in as a short-term fix by Hearts, as these things tend to be, and he has now been sacrificed by the club," he said.

"The move hasn’t been good for him and I think this will cause irreparable damage to his coaching career. He is a completely different character to Craig Levein and is someone who has always required a lot of encouragement.

"He shouldn’t have been given the job in the first place in my opinion and he could find it difficult to now work his way back to the top."

The club have promised to spend big to land the right man to front Romanov’s on-field revolution - as we revealed yesterday former Russia coach Anatoly Byshovets has ruled himself out of the running - but Mercer has cautioned them against going for a big name just for the sake of it.

Recalling the occasion when he fell into that trap while in charge of the Jambos, Mercer said: "They may be looking for a big name but we did that when we brought in Joe Jordan and that proved to be a mistake. It is a big decision for the directors to make now and they have to get it right for the sake of the club and the supporters.

"In an ideal world I think it would be important if the new man they bring in has a Hearts background. That is important for the fans but the board will no doubt have an idea who they want.

"Mr Romanov was left in a difficult situation when Craig Levein left to go to Leicester City and he is facing another difficult situation at the moment. Hopefully he gets the decisions right."

Mercer is currently in the south of France but has been keeping tabs on the drama unfolding at Tynecastle via the internet.

And he admits to being somewhat perplexed at the role former chief executive Chris Robinson appears to have played in hastening the departure of Robertson.

"I find it very odd that the man who took the club to the brink of bankruptcy was involved in the discussions which led to the removal of John Robertson," he said.

In yesterday’s second edition of the Evening News, chief executive Phil Anderton revealed that Robinson would sever all ties with the club this summer.

Taken from the Scotsman