Romanov agrees to crunch talks with players

HEARTS owner Vladimir Romanov will have a meeting with senior players tomorrow following the row over team selection. The club said yesterday that Romanov was "happy to meet with club captain Steven Pressley to discuss a number of footballing matters", but one footballing matter in particular - who picks the team - will dominate the meeting.

Pressley is expected to be joined by four team-mates - his fellow Scotland internationals Paul Hartley and Neil McCann, Hearts' leading goalscorer Rudi Skacel and the left-back Takis Fyssas. "We are seeking talks with Mr Romanov to try and resolve the situation," was all the captain would say after training at Riccarton yesterday.

The crisis was precipitated on Tuesday when Graham Rix, the first-team coach, announced the side to play Dundee United, then referred any questions about the selection to Romanov.

There were six changes for the match at Tannadice from the side which had beaten Aberdeen three days earlier, the most notable being the omission for the first time this season of Andy Webster. Discussions between Romanov and the centre-back's agent were broken off acrimoniously and this is believed to have triggered the Lithuanian's decision to make a direct intervention in team selection.

Romanov flew out of Edinburgh yesterday, leaving behind a bemused squad of players who did not then know when he would return or if he would meet them. Despite being the effective controller of all that happens at Hearts, he has no official post at the club, and as such is under no obligation to anyone. However, he apparently decided without having to think too much about it that meeting the players would be the best way of defusing the situation.

"The meeting follows an earlier discussion amongst the players at which it was agreed unanimously that a meeting with Mr Romanov was the best course of action to debate the circumstances surrounding Tuesday's 1-1 draw with Dundee United at Tannadice," the statement from Hearts read. "Mr Romanov is currently out of the country on business and is expected to return to Edinburgh in time for this Saturday's SPL match against Aberdeen."

Pressley's decision to seek a meeting on behalf of the dressing-room may not have helped his standing with Romanov, but it has reaffirmed his position as the pivotal figure at the club. The 32-year-old was also instrumental in keeping the players focused on on-field matters during the previous fight to keep the club at Tynecastle, and he is universally accepted by supporters as a man with the club's best interests at heart. Other than the board of directors, the only possible opposition Pressley might face would be from some of the new players signed by Romanov during the transfer window - and even then, their opposition would be no more than tacit.

As a recent appointee who was out of the game for some time, Rix is in a weaker position than any of the players. He needs to stay in his post in order to keep building up his reputation, and it was therefore no surprise yesterday when he said he would not resign.

"No chance," Rix said. "I am not a quitter. I have worked really hard since coming up [from England] and the performances we've had show what a together group we are.

"It is a great job and a great club and I have had worse moments in my life. I have been happy with the support big time. I have got to say a massive thank you to the 4,000 that were there [at Tannadice]. The support they gave me and the team was fantastic and it has been like that since I got up here.

"We have a big game on Saturday, so we have got to focus on that."

Rix said he too would have a meeting with Romanov, but would not answer directly when asked who picked the team.

"I don't want to do that," he said. "I can't comment on that. I'll have a meeting with Mr Romanov sometime this week and we'll discuss things."

Taken from the Scotsman