Graham Rix sacked from Hearts: Your views

FOR SACKING RIX

• Surprised at timing, but not disappointed. Thought he was an inept manager, and how I hated "the boys did this, the boys did that". I expect a true manager to be a level above that. Imagine Alex Ferguson talking like that, never. The job was too much for him. I do wish him all the best in the future. - Graham Hockaday

• A positive move by the Board. Rix did not have the support of the fans through his negativity and sometimes naive approach to games. In addition the manner in which he disclosed the team selection for the Dundee United game displayed a petulance not worthy of an educated adult. - A Lovatt

• We should never have appointed him in the first place. - Guy Travis

• Rix was not the manager for Hearts. He may have been a good coach but his tactical nous or lack of it has been all too obvious. I just wish they had waited until the season was over as the timing is very poor and it appeared that the players liked him. Roll on the end of the season and peace and quiet for a few months. - Tom Evans

• More than happy he has gone. I couldn't believe it when he got the job - his track record was second rate. We can only improve; his record of six wins in sixteen games was simply not good enough. Romanov was correct to act now with the semi-final coming up. - Gordon Watson, Orkney

• Rix was not good enough. Full stop. He was never good enough for a club of the stature of Heart of Midlothian. Results and the players brought in who haven't performed yet, or haven't been fit enough to perform yet, have contributed to his downfall. The Romanovs have made the correct decision to axe Rix now. The performances were shambolic under Rix. Here's to Valdas bringing the season to a close. I for one give him my full support. - Gary Milne, Balgreen

• I think it's the funniest thing ever - who is gonna be next with their head on the block? - Allister Gordon

• I am a Hearts fan and never believed Rix was the man for the job, and it has to be said some of the recent performances have been poor and lacked ideas. We are now in a worse position with regards to the league than we were when Burley went so I am not disappointed he has gone. We are turning out to be a laughing stock but only hope we take time to get the right man for the job - whoever he is and however much he costs! (just as long as we do not go and approach Mr Souness...) - Kevin Munro, Chorley, Lancs

• I find it amazing that so many so-called Hearts supporters would rather plod along with a third rate manager rather than hurt his feelings by sacking him. Do these fans want Hearts to be a success i.e. win some trophies, or are they happy just beating Edinburgh's second team a couple of times a season? - Donald Gray, Linlithgow
AGAINST SACKING RIX

• What the ****? 10 days before the semi-final against Hibs? You've got to be out of your mind!! - John Yorkston

• Am I still supporting a football club, or watching a circus? How will Hearts expect to recruit any sensible coach after this latest assasination? Mr Romanov talks about his ambition for the Champions' League, but seems hell bent on doing everything possible to stop the team realisng their potential. - Robin Jarvis

• I have no doubt that a few Hearts supporters will enjoy the departure of Rix and Duffy, but this another sad episode in what is fast becoming a music hall farce. I have watched Hearts since 1958 and cannot remember such adverse publicity surrounding the club. On the human side, one has to feel sorry for Rix and Duffy. - J McDougall

• How can the players continue under such circumstances? Whoever brought the Romanovs to Scotland should hang their heads in shame. - Jim Moon

• Who are these people (the Romanovs) if they had set out to disenchant the fans, make fools of themselves and the proud traditions of a great club they could not have done any better. Suffice to say that had they not been around Hearts may have gone down the tubes by now but is this price worth paying? If they have true ambitions of Champions League football and Scottish Cup wins why take away the one constant (Rix) whom the players obviously looked up to at such a crucial stage of the season? Maybe I am missing something but it does not seem to make a lot of sense at this time. - David Doyle, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

• Just what is this man and his son doing now? The team are settled with Graham Rix, enjoying his coaching, preparing for semi-final, and are now faced with another internal crisis, which puts Steven Pressley under more pressure as captain to ensure the players continue to focus on their fitness, physically and mentally. This is serious situation which could continue to get out of hand with this dictator, he has now too much hold over Hearts, perhaps the SFA should be encouraged to become involved and question what is happening. Mr Romanov should be made aware that Scottish Football will not be dictated to like this. - Moira Ward

• Once more in the run up to a crucial game the board make an extraordinary decision. Only time will tell if it is the correct decision. If Hearts fail to win the semi-final and/or 2nd place the fans will put the blame squarely on the shoulders of the Romanovs. From now until the end of the season Vladimir and Roman must remain totally quiet about what their intentions are, as theirs is the only major unsettling influence on the team. They are just showing that all their decisions so far this season have been wrong. They have appointed all the head coaches! The next full time Head Coach must be given time to mould a succesful team without fear of all this short term fixing! - Ken McLaren

• I think it is a disgrace and will not help the morale of the players. - Hayna Gunn

• It all will end in tears. Hearts are the laughing stock of Scottish football if not UK football with this latest escapade. The so-called saviour of the club has made them nothing but a little plaything for him and his son and everyone else can just sit back and laugh at the inevitability of a major crash that is just around the corner.

If Romanov decides to call it quits, what happens to Hearts with their still huge debts? - A football fan

• It is difficult to believe that the board at Heart of Midlothian know what they are doing. The appointment of Graham Rix may have recommended itself as a low-cost option but it was high-risk at the best of times and at a crucial part of the season with everything to play for in league and cup it is incomprehensible for the board now to remove the management team thereby causing social, psychological and functional disruption to the playing staff. All-in-all if I were a supporter of the club at present I would be asking questions of the board as to what the strategy was/is from now on particularly as regards the management. - Peter Beaton

• No surprise. As a long term Hearts supporter I have got used to furtively peeking at the back pages to see the latest embarrassing instalment from Romanov and Son. 10 days before a cup semi against Hibs and with Rangers threatening to snatch 2nd place, you have to wonder at the timing! - Brian Paton

• I was never convinced there was any reasoning behind his appointment in the first place, but to treat Rix in this manner is despicable. Add to this (what was) a still very real prospect of Champions League football next season and the impending semi-final and the timing of this beggars belief. What calibre of replacement can the Romanovs expect to attract with their now well-publicised track record? - Gary Neil

• If Hearts had beaten Rangers on Sunday, I have no doubt Rix would still be in a job until, at least, the end of the season. I don't particularly mourn the loss of Rix but I most certainly question the mentality of a man whose tantrums have made this great club nothing more than a laughing stock. Robertson, Burley, Anderton, Foulkes, Duffy and Rix....all mere toys to be thrown out of the pram. The most depressing thing is that there is no prospect of anyone telling him to grow up. - Richard Sinclair

• Is this yet another way of deflecting the media from the Romanovs or do they feel publicity was starting to slip? Every time we come to a crucial period for the club, something happens. I have been wary of the Romanovs from day one and although the club has had great successes the jury is still out. Where is the shop in town we were promised? - Andy Catchpole, Burdiehouse

• I am a Hibs supporter and I think that the sacking of Graham Rix is an outrage as was what happened to George Burley. Hearts have had more success recently than they have had for a long, long time but Romanov sees it as failure. What will he think when we dump them out of the Cup! - Jim Paterson

• I genuinely feel sorry for Rix - no man should be put through this sort of treatment. The Hearts board are a total laughing stock. Even the 'Carry on Films' couldn't come up with this latest twist. What next 'Coco the Clown' as Manager? - R. Ross, Moscow

• What would Wallace Mercer think of the whole thing? - Derek Cuthbert Pittsburgh Pa

• I am appalled at this latest move by Romanov,he is playing God. I am a Celtic season book holder and this is digusting, really disgusting, I feel for Graham Rix and Jim Duffy. - Terence T. Dolan

Taken from the Scotsman