Gorgie's last supper

MARTIN HANNAN

WHEN Vladimir Romanov and George Burley met for their last supper together on Friday night, it should have been an occasion for celebration as the Lithuanian banker had just achieved his ambition to take majority control of Hearts.

"It's great news," manager Burley had insisted to reporters only a few hours previously. "One of the reasons I came to Hearts was after going to Lithuania to speak to Mr Romanov. It is unbelievable how we have progressed in the last few months on and off the field. So, hopefully, we can keep progressing and keep developing and getting stronger and stronger."

But something happened during the course of Friday evening to change Burley's mind about the undoubted saviour of Hearts. Voices were raised at dinner. A screaming match ensued.

At first glance that hardly seems likely, given that Romanov has to speak through an interpreter - and how do you translate Lithuanian into basic Anglo-Saxon? But strong words have the same effect in English, Lithuanian or any language. Burley has stood up for himself all his life, and when he is not being a cuddly bear, Romanov can be Vlad the Impaler, at least of football managers, six of whom have now 'parted company' from him in Edinburgh and Lithuania.

We can speculate in an informed manner on what was said, if not the exact manner of speaking.

"You are trying to pick the team and have undermined me," might have been Burley's likely starting point. "I don't think you are any good, and your signings have not been as good as mine," could have been the reply.

"I don't like the way you do business and sign players behind my back," might have been Burley's rejoinder. "I have heard rumours about your personal 'business' and I don't like the way you treat the people I want to bring to this club," could have been Romanov's next point.

"You have made us a laughing stock with your crack about Hearts being European champions," would be a likely point of view on Burley's part. "That just shows the limits of your ambition," could have been the reply.

"Well are you going to bring in a director of football over me, say your pal Nevio Scala?" was surely a likely next question from Burley. "Don't tell me how to run my business," could have been the reply. "Oh, and after today, Hearts IS my business..."

In many ways this clash of two footballing egotists - the fierce pride of a Scottish winner versus the ruthless businessman used to getting his own way - was inevitable ever since Romanov became the largest shareholder in the club in February, buying out the woebegone former chief executive Chris Robinson for a sum close to £1m. Romanov already controls a club in Lithuania, FC Kaunas, and his move for Hearts was seen as a way of linking the two and promoting the Ukio bank in which he is the largest shareholder.

The former submariner in the Russian Navy has since played a blinder, talking a great game about Hearts, but also keeping his promises, principally to retain the club at Tynecastle and provide funds for new players, as well as transferring the club's £20m debt to his bank. He also won the admiration of the Gorgie diehards when Hearts officially kicked up a fuss about the conduct of assistant referee Andy Davis during a bad-tempered match against Rangers. Romanov saw nothing wrong in raising his concerns to get his own way, just as he was used to doing with Lithuania's Football Association. He installed marketing wizard Phil Anderton as chief executive and got rid of manager John Robertson, even though he was the fans' favourite and something of a living legend at Tynecastle. Romanov had wanted a director of football for Hearts, bringing in Anatoly Byshovets above Robertson, but the arrangement fell apart and it was Robertson who paid the price.

With just about every managerial name in Europe mentioned as a possible replacement, it took 12 weeks to recruit Burley, and the former Derby County and Ipswich Town manager at first seemed very happy to be at Tynecastle. He had been assured he had control over team affairs and there would be no more 'director of football' talk - a very important point for Burley, who had a massive public fall-out with Derby's football director Murdo McKay.

But within weeks, there were signs that all was not well between Burley and Romanov. Rumours began to circulate in Edinburgh that the banker and the manager were not seeing eye to eye over new signings and existing players, particularly those the Lithuanian had brought to Tynecastle.

It is not uncommon in football, where opinion is everything, for managers and directors to disagree on the merits of an individual player. But no owner in recent Scottish footballing history has ever made such a direct impact on a team. Last season, for instance, he had imported Saulius Mikoliunas from his homeland, and though the midfielder became a Tynecastle favourite, Burley was angry that he had gone off on honeymoon and missed some pre-season training. The manager reportedly wanted Mikoliunas shipped out, but Romanov apparently refused.

Burley was allowed to bring in such players as Rudi Skacel, Julien Brellier and Roman Bednar at the start of the season, while Romanov shelled out to keep Paul Hartley and Andy Webster out of the clutches of Celtic and Rangers respectively. Both are now fixtures in the Scotland team. But Romanov was not keen on Brellier in particular, and is reported to have asked Burley to provide reasons for him playing in writing. That such a report had credence was an example of the growing rift between the two men. Chief executive Phil Anderton was pig in the middle between the two, but ultimately he works for Romanov and could do little to deflect what was now shaping up to be a battle royal between two characters who had begun to actively dislike each other.

The manager then let it be known that he wanted more players and the funds for them had dried up - unlike the money for Romanov signings, for which funds seemed limitless and which brought Champions League medal holder Edgaras Jankauskas and European Championship winner Takis Fyssas to Tynecastle.

And when Brazilian midfielder Samuel Almeida Camazzola arrived at the club on August 31, Burley conceded he had no involvement in the move. He said at the time: "I haven't seen him play live or on video, it was Mr Romanov who brought him. It is not ideal for me, but that is the situation and, if Mr Romanov hadn't been involved with this club, you wouldn't have the side we have at the moment."

Even back then, the relationship between the two strong-willed men was clearly disintegrating. But all of the trouble brewing behind the scenes was forgotten as Hearts went on the rampage, scooting to the top of the Scottish Premierleague and playing the sort of intelligent football which Burley had made his trademark throughout his career.

Yet Romanov was signalling his intentions to exert even greater control over the playing staff, if not his manager. Two weeks ago he told this newspaper: "I strive to co-operate with everyone at the club and ensure there is understanding about what we are trying to achieve at all levels. The reality is that there must always be conflict of opinions in a successful venture. Anyone who says they know best is a fool; you must consult others."

The last straw appears to have been the Fredi Bobic affair. Romanov heard of the former German international striker's availability and flew him to Edinburgh last Sunday for a three-day trial.

The 'trial' lasted just two days as Burley did not rate the 33-year-old, who returned to Germany on Tuesday. Romanov was reported to be furious that Burley did not even grant Bobic the full three days and interestingly, the player himself posted on his website the following comment: "I collected interesting insights and was welcomed very positively by the team." Note: the team, not the manager.

The stage was now set for the final denouement in a two-handed drama. On Friday, beleaguered chairman George Foulkes - yesterday he tried again to play peacekeeper but it was beyond even his diplomatic skills - said it was "one of the greatest days ever" for the club. Romanov upped his 29.9% stake to approximately 55% and offered 35p per share to all of the club's shareholders, in a bid gain the 90% of the club's stock which he needs to make Hearts his private property rather than a rule-bound plc.

Romanov wants freedom to operate, to make Hearts truly his baby, and on Friday night he showed once and for all that he is the 'uber' boss, while Burley was merely a minion. The resentment and the tension all came to a head and it was too much for Burley.

The pity for Hearts is that two such talents as Romanov and Burley could not find a way to go forward together, but when a manager and owner fall out, there can only ever be one winner.

Another thing is certain. The effect of the Burley and Romanov revolution at Tynecastle was such that the people who will most take comfort from yesterday's astonishing events are the fans of Celtic, Rangers and - with six days to the local derby - Hibs. They were plenty worried before Gorgie's last supper, but will be a lot less pessimistic now.

Taken from the Scotsman