ANOTHER GOOD DAY AT THE OFFICE

THEY were burning effigies in Edinburgh on Saturday night but the only heat gathering around Vladimir Romanov was the warm glow of victory.

Fireworks went off early in Gorgie on November 5 as Hearts returned to the top of the table with a glittering display as dazzling as any they achieved under George Burley.

Equally as significant on Guy Fawkes' night was the very public show of support for the club's majority shareholder,whose name was chanted around the ground by a group of fans who have been strapped to a Catherine Wheel of emotion in the last fortnight.

If Romanov's son Roman has the misfortune of bearing an uncanny resemblance to Gareth from The Office, his old man has lately been displaying the management diplomacy skills of David Brent His decision to axe manager Burley and chief executive Phil Anderton is an example of the ruthlessness that allowed Romanov to amass a business fortune of £260million.

But if he felt Burley and Anderton were not delivering to his satisfaction after a combined total of only 12 months in the job, it also suggests bad business judgment appointing them in the first place - and that's before pay-offs of over £500,000 are even taken into account.

Nevertheless, Romanov has lit the fuse that has sparked so much colour in the club this season and fans are following the lead of shrewd figures such as Leslie Deans, who has been convinced after talks on Friday night that the Lithuanian is no damp squib and agreed to sell him the18per cent of shares he owns with his family and associate Robert McGrail.

Romanov is set to name his new boss this week and he could do worse than announce Deans chairman at the same time in a move that would certainly appease fans who have watched recent events with concern.

Mind you, if Hearts played like this every week the punters would let the uncertainty drag on until the last day of the season when they would be crowned SPL champions.

Skipper Steven Pressley ditched Girls Aloud for Al Pacino in the dressing room before kick-off and the actor's passionate Hollywood oratory from NFL flick Any Given Sunday, already a big hit with Hibs this season, worked a treat when it was blasted out on the CD.

Paul Hartley slotted the opener in three minutes after a super run from Saulius Mikoliunas, a curling Rudi Skacel free-kick deceived everyone in 25 minutes and Michal Pospisil fired home the third early in the second after more great work from the Scotland midfielder.This Hearts squad are quite remarkable for their ability to cope with so much political in-fighting that if they ever did quit Tynecastle the lawns of Westminster would make an ideal home.

The result and performance were also a triumph for stand-in boss John McGlynn, a good man whose professionalism and diplomacy, not to mention his work on the training field,must surely be recognised by the new coaching regime.

Greek defender Takis Fyssas has seen it and done it all before with clubs such as Benfica and Panathinaikos so he has not been fazed by all the goings-on at his new club.

He said: "This is normal, my career has been full of these incidents.

"There were often problems in Greece and Portugal between the head coach and club president so I've learned only to focus on bringing success for the team.

"It's not our business to discuss anything that happens off the field and we only concentrate on giving everything to the game.

"For me,nothing changes. I'll give as much respect to the new coach who comes in as I do to Mr McGlynn and as I did to Mr Burley before him.

"I'm happy for the players and also the coach, who has done so well for the team.

"I cannot say a bad word against him - he is nice and kindly and is a good coach who knows everything about football. He gives his heart to Hearts and although it is not my decision to make, I think he deserves to stay here.

"It was important we won today as well as putting on a good show and now we will have a two-week rest before we return with even more power.

"I know people were disappointed when we lost to Hibs but all week I've been telling the guys it was only one loss, life continues.

"If you told us at the start of the season we'd only lose one match of our first 13 we would have taken it."

Hearts played with pace, invention and aggression that lacklustre Dundee United failed to match and Barry Robson's second-half penalty miss, which brought out a wonder double stop from Craig Gordon, summed up their day.

Gordon Chisholm's tie was being pulled looser and looser as the game progressed and if players don't start delivering, his club neckwear could be replaced by a managerial noose.

The only other figure to sweat as much was poor Andy Walker, stood against the wall at the back of the press box like a condemned man facing a firing squad of 16,000.

Scottish football fans have apparently turned their back on Scotsport SPL but someone forgot to tell Hearts supporters who must tune in every week judging by the number who turned on the former Celtic striker for stating opinions with which they clearly don't agree.

Walker's punditry is at least perceptive and provocative and he should take heart from the old adage that they don't shoot sparrows, only eagles.

However, no one can deny Hearts are the real deal and former defender Paul Ritchie admits they look capable of bringing the first silverware to the club since he played in the Scottish Cup winning side of 1998.

He said: "Tickets can't be bought for love or money at Tynecastle these days and I fancy them to keep challenging if they can stay where they are until January and Mr Romanov releases money to strengthen the squad further.

"They need to buy another two or three players and if they do there's no reason why they can't challenge Celtic.

"It will be difficult but they have self-belief and players who know what they're doing, especially the four Scottish internationals in the team who are inspirational.

"It would be great for Scottish football if they can keep this run going."

United need to get a run going as well - back up the table towards the top six before the SPL table fans out still further.

Chisholm said: "Losing a goal as early as we did put us on the back foot and gave the crowd a helluva lift. I'm disappointed with the standards shown today."

McGlynn added: "If this is my last game in charge, at least I went out on the high I wanted. I could ask no more of the team, who were absolutely different class in every department

MAN OF THE MATCH: Paul Hartley (Hearts

MATCH STATS

HEARTS

MAN BY MAN

Craig Gordon: Brilliant double save from penalty and all round super show

8

Robbie Nielson: Another solid display from the Jambos' Mr Consistency

6

Steven Pressley: Marshalled defence

well to help clinch another clean sheet. 7 Andy Webster: For once, an uncomfortable day for the Scotland star. 6 Takis Fyssas: Bombed up and down the left to good effect all afternoon

7

Rudi Skacel: High energy midfield show capped with 10th goal of season

7 Paul Hartley: Running free again after injury and was at centre of everything.

9 Saulius Mikoliunas: Showed best of his game with penetrating runs and crosses. 8 Julien Brellier: No-fuss display gave midfield the foundation to push forward. 6 Michal Pospisil: Led line well with an unselfish display. Rewarded with goal.

8

Calum Elliot: A promising 90 minutes from the youngster with a big future

7 Subs: Lee Wallace - Helped keep Hearts ticking, 3. Jamie McAllister 3 - On for Skacel, added power on left, 3. Stephen Simmons - Lively cameo as Pospisil replacement, 3

DUNDEE UTD MAN BY MAN

Derek Stillie: Uncomfortable afternoon

highlighted by second goal error5

David McCracken: Never looked

convincing against Pospisil and Elliot. 5 Paul Ritchie: Tried in vain to plug gaps. 6 Alan Archibald: Given tough time on the left against Mikoliunas.

5

Collin Samuel: Flattered to deceive and unable to penetrate from right

5Mark Kerr: Overshadowed in middle of the park by Hartley's excellence

5 Grant Brebner: Lasted 30 minutes before injury cost him. Replaced by McInnes.

4 Barry Robson: Despite penalty miss still looked most likely United man to deliver. 7 Peter Canero: First-half booking for diving summed up his miserable afternoon

5 David Fernandez: A peripheral figure starved of any decent service up front.

5 Lee Miller: Unhappy return to Tynecastle but at least Scotland striker never hid.

6 Subs: Derek McInnes - Barely allowed off the back foot, 5. Mark Wilson - On for Fernandez but game was long gone, 3

MOMENT THAT CHANGED THE GAME

Hartley's opener banished fears players would be affected by off-the-field turmoil

Taken from the Daily Record