Axed for the fans

HEARTS are today looking for their third new manager of the season after Graham Rix was sensationally sacked. "We owed it to the fans," said chairman Roman Romanov in a statement this afternoon.

Rix had only been in charge of the Tynecastle club for four months, his appointment in November coming as a huge surprise.

The former Arsenal star and Chelsea coach has now suffered the same fate as previous manager George Burley who was also shown the door by the Romanovs despite Hearts enjoying their best start to a season in living memory.

With only eight league matches remaining and Hearts still in second spot, and on course for Champions League football next season, the club has been thrown once again into turmoil.

Valdas Ivanauskas has been appointed as interim first-team coach and is likely to continue in that position until the end of the season and he will be assisted by John McGlynn.

Rix's sacking comes just weeks after it was revealed that owner Vladimir Romanov had picked the team for the SPL match against Dundee United at Tannadice, a revelation which resulted in Scotland defender Andy Webster and Robbie Neilson being omitted from the side.

The Romanovs were furious that news of the bust-up with their manager over team selection had been leaked to the press and that is believed to have contributed to Rix's downfall.

Hearts chairman and acting chief executive Roman Romanov this afternoon confirmed: "We have been disappointed with the performance of the team. We also felt that some of the signings made in January were not appropriate for Hearts.

"In addition, the events which occurred in February when Hearts played Dundee United, including the way in which some information reached the public domain, were disappointing to us. I would like to thanks Graham Rix for all of his hard work at Hearts. He gave 100 per cent, but ultimately it did not work out. Vladimir Romanov and the club's management felt that something had to be done quickly. We owed it to the fans."

Today's news comes as yet another shock for Hearts fans who have seen Craig Levein, John Robertson, George Burley and now Rix vacate the Tynecastle hot seat since the Romanovs' interest in the Gorgie club first came to light. In addition supporters have also witnessed former chief executive Phil Anderton, a Romanov appointment, sacked and chairman George Foulkes follow him out of the door in protest at the decision. But Rix leaves just days before perhaps the club's biggest game of the season - the Tennent's Scottish Cup semi-final showdown with Hibs.

Former Kaunas coach Ivanauskas will be handed responsibility for that tie.
Your say

James Sweeney, Dumbiedykes, 46: "The club have become a laughing stock. What the hell is going on at the club and who is going to want to come in and take charge after all that has gone on this season and last?

"Hearts have blown a great chance to actually achieve something this season and I wouldn't be at all surprised if they ended up with nothing now."

Graeme Moore, Marchmont, 21: "Hearts seem to lurch from one disaster to another under Vladimir Romanov and you couldn't make it up.

"Romanov seems to have no idea what he is doing and just acts on a whim when it suits him.

"Rix may not have been a popular appointment but the fans had settled down and were giving him time and then the board go and sack him! The club have lost all credibility now."

James Johnstone, 30, Meadowbank: "The whole situation is now nothing short of a farce. I would seriously doubt that any self respecting manager will now want the job.

"It shouldn't really come as a surprise to people as Romanov has shown already that he does what he likes regardless of the consequences.

"The most worrying thing for the club is that there doesn't appear to be any forward planning to what is done."

Sean Murray, 25, Cowgate: "The job must now be a poisoned chalice. Who in their right mind would take it when they know that they will probably end up being sacked?

"When Romanov invested in Hearts he made all these promises yet he seems hell-bent on actually damaging the club with the way he is acting.

"We keep hearing that the way he runs Hearts is the way that clubs around Europe are run and if that is true they must be in one hell of a mess!"

Gareth Jenkins, 25, Glasgow: "It's incredible that Romanov can think this is an acceptable way to run a club.

"There is never any continuity or security for the players or the staff as they never know who is going to be out the door next.

"Rix may not have been a popular choice initially but to sack him just a week before a major semi-final, the club's most important game of the season, is crazy.

"If Hearts don't win something or challenge for the Champions League then fingers have to be pointed in Mr Romanov's direction."

Ross Malkin, 23, Buckstone: "A season that began so promisingly has quickly turned into one that may never be forgotten for all the wrong reasons.

"What must this be doing to the players who are trying to qualify for the Champions League and bring back the Scottish Cup to Gorgie.

"Romanov must be aware of the turmoil he is putting the club in and it's almost as though he actually wants the club to fail. Just as things look to be going well he throws a spanner in the works.

"Other clubs are laughing at us right now and who can blame them as I would be doing exactly the same if the shoe was on the other foot.

"I was confident going into the semi-final before all this happened but now I reckon there is no chance and that we will end up empty handed."

Peter Chalmers, Drylaw, season ticket holder.

"I didn't appreciate Rix as first team manager, but I didn't think he would get sacked so quickly, especially a week before the cup semi-final which could make or break our season.

The next DVD we bring out should be 'Hearts The Soap Opera 2005/6' and air it on Channel 5."

Taken from the Scotsman