Anderton vows to pay top dollar for best manager

Michael Grant reports from Tynecastle as Sir Bobby Robson emerges as clear favourite for director of football role

HEARTS chief executive Phil Anderton last night insisted the club would pay the going rate for a big-name manager as Sir Bobby Robson emerged as the clear front runner to be installed as director of football.

Hearts could finally surrender their place at the top of the SPL to Celtic this afternoon after losing 2-0 in a pulsating derby against Hibs at Easter Road. Celtic will replace them as leaders if they beat Dundee United today. Vladimir Romanov watched his team lose their unbeaten league record under caretaker manager John McGlynn as he begins a second week of searching for a new management team.

Romanov’s insistence on appointing both a director of football and a head coach has seen Robson emerge as the clear favourite for the senior role. With Hearts prepared to make the two appointments several weeks apart, Robson could even act as caretaker manager until a head coach is identified. A new candidate for the latter role emerged late last night when legendary Italian defender Giuseppe Bergomi, now a consultant with Inter Milan, expressed his interest to Romanov’s representatives.

Anderton defended the club against any suggestion that they may not be offering a salary package to match their ambitions, after it was reported yesterday that they had offered a basic £400,000 salary to Claudio Ranieri, who had wanted £1.8 million. Ranieri is no longer in contention, while Ottmar Hitzfeld – “obviously an interesting name”, said Anderton – is thought to be waiting for a potential vacancy in the German international manager’s job after next summer’s World Cup. Nevio Scala will not be interviewed unless the interest in Robson falls through, because Hearts feel their knowledge of him is up to date having spoken to him before George Burley was appointed.

“We will pay the correct amount of money for the correct candidate,” said Anderton. “When you are discussing these kind of things – and I don’t mean Claudio Ranieri or any specific individual here – then you are going to get into negotiations. It’s not a case of trying to do anything on the cheap. There are funds to do it. Nor will we overpay. But the kind of figures which have been reported are simply not correct. There are plenty of other managers who would tick the boxes in terms of ability and experience who wouldn’t be household names. It’s not about a popularity contest and going for a name. It’s not about a showtime appointment.”

Bergomi last night became the latest name linked to the Tynecastle vacancy. Bergomi, 41, illustrated the growing international awareness of the Hearts situation by making contact with the club.

The 1982 World Cup winner, who spent 22 years on Inter Milan’s books as a formidably tough full-back and central defender, retired in 1999 after a distinguished one-club playing career. Since then he has worked as a consultant for Inter while also acting as an analyst on Italian television football coverage. Bergomi’s lack of managerial experience might discourage Hearts although his youth and availability could make him a candidate to take the daily training ground responsibilities under the guidance of a director of football.

Yesterday emphatically belonged to Hibs. Second-half goals from Guillaume Beuzelin and Garry O’Connor sealed the victory after Hearts’ Edgaras Jankauskas was sent off in the 61st minute. The win moved Hibs only four points behind the league leaders, and six ahead of Rangers. Hibs manager Tony Mowbray was asked if he was still downplaying his own team’s title prospects: “Absolutely. We are only 13 games in. History shows that injuries and suspensions play a part. It’s too big a gap to bridge for us.”

McGlynn urged Hearts to react positively to their first league setback rather than regard the defeat as a potential watershed. “It was always going to be the case after our first defeat of the season. Everyone has to stay strong. It’s a kick in the teeth, a blip. It’s about 38 games,” he said.

30 October 2005

Taken from the Sunday Herald