Sir Bobby still happy to help out at Hearts

SIR BOBBY ROBSON may have rejected the chance of a shock return to football with Hearts - but he's still willing to play a part in Vladimir Romanov's Tynecastle revolution.

The Lithuanian millionaire came close to pulling off one of the most stunning signings in the history of Scottish football with his attempt to persuade the legendary coach to take up the reins in Gorgie.

The audacious bid to lure the former England manager out of retirement only failed after the 72-year-old opted to stay south of the Border for family reasons after "agonising" over the decision for days.

Speaking for the first time about his attempt to lure Robson to Gorgie, Jambos chief executive Phil Anderton admitted he was "extremely disappointed" to have missed out on the former Barcelona, Sporting Lisbon, PSV and Newcastle United boss.

However, he also revealed that the veteran coach had offered to help out whenever he could as the Capital club enters an exciting new era under Baltic banker Romanov.

"Sir Bobby gave us some useful insights about where we need to strengthen," he said. "I got on very well with him and he said he'd have liked to have worked with me and at Hearts.

"He also said that if we want to ask him for any help or tap into his extensive list of contacts, he'd be more than willing to assist."

Robson, out of work since leaving St James' Park last summer, is respected throughout the world for his coaching abilities. And any doubts the Hearts supporters may have had over the ambitions of the new Lithuanian regime to bring in a new manager of the highest quality will have been eased over the sensational swoop for the veteran Geordie.

"We are aiming high. Our attempt to bring Sir Bobby to Tynecastle is a statement of our intent" PHIL ANDERTON

Sights will now have to be trained elsewhere, with Anderton this week continuing his search for a successor to John Robertson, who was sacked last month. Money, it appears, will not be an object providing the pursuit unearths the right person.

"Make no mistake, we are aiming high," said Anderton.

"Our attempt to bring Sir Bobby to Tynecastle is a statement of our intent and Vladimir Romanov is prepared to provide the kind of investment we need to bring in someone of that quality."

George Burley has been linked with the vacant post having resigned from Derby County on Tuesday, while Italian Nevio Scala, Craig Brown, Billy Davies and Terry Butcher are all thought to also be in the frame.

For now, though, the Gorgie faithful will have to wonder what might have been, as Robson looks elsewhere for a stadium to join the likes of the Nou Camp on his CV.

Opening the lid on the club's ambitious bid to snare the Englishman, Anderton insisted he had remained hopeful of a positive response to the approach up until Robson made contact on Tuesday.

"Having taken a difficult decision with John Robertson, we started with a clean slate as to possible successors," he said.

"One of those names was Sir Bobby Robson. His history is phenomenal and while there may have been a question mark because of his age, I know having met him that he's as fit as a 50-year-old and mentally very alert.

"I got in touch with the appropriate people and met him in Newcastle a week ago. I had another extensive meeting with him at the end of last week and we went through all the opportunities.

"Bobby was genuinely excited about the possibility of getting back onto the training field and there was probably a sense of unfinished business if you like. He went away to think about it over the weekend."

While the Capital's rumour mill cranked into overdrive with former Scotland boss Berti Vogts and ex-Holland star Ruud Gullit apparently spotted in Gorgie and former Parma coach Nevio Scala throwing his hat into the ring, the Hearts board clung desperately to the hope they had succeeded in capturing Robson.

It was not to be, though.

"Sir Bobby came back to me on Tuesday," said Anderton, " and said it had been an agonising decision but that it wasn't for him.

"He has just bought a home in Newcastle and it was a family issue.

"He is not the kind of guy who would have done this job for the money or even in a part-time capacity. Obviously I am very disappointed as we were genuinely very close to getting him here."

Anderton echoed Romanov's insistence that the club would not be rushed into an appointment, although he conceded the process was once again in full swing.

Indicating that stand-in boss John McGlynn and skipper Steven Pressley would continue to assume responsibilities for the first team until such time as the hot seat is filled, the Tynecastle chief executive said: "We have missed out on Sir Bobby Robson but the search goes on. We have demonstrated the kind of quality we want to bring to the club.

"I have a few meetings lined up but I will not go into names."

Robertson was sacked last month after refusing a demotion as part of a restructured coaching set-up and the club has been working tirelessly in the intervening period to fill the void.

"My dream is to have a winning team and we are definitely trying to bring in the best coach," said Romanov, who was in Minsk last night to watch Scotland's World Cup qualifier against Belarus.

"We are collecting information about various people and, based on that information, will decide who to approach about the job."

Supporters' frustrations at an apparent lack of progress on the managerial front will have been matched by the club's directors, who came so close to pulling off their Robson coup.

But the fact that Romanov has now shown he is prepared to put his money where his mouth is should give the fans grounds for optimism for the future.

Taken from the Scotsman