Hard to make sense of latest Gorgie sacking

IN the matter of downsizing at Tynecastle, the Romanovs appear to have a rather alarming predilection for eschewing notice of dismissal in favour of summary execution.

Like the removal of George Burley last October, the wasting of Graham Rix yesterday could not have been more abruptly effected had he been stood in front of a firing squad.

Would it be too fanciful to suggest that this apparent bloodlust may be some form of latter-day retribution for the gory fate that, in 1918, befell those distant family members, Nicholas and Alexandra of that name, Czar and Czarina of all the Russias?

Whatever the motivation, the timing of Rix's termination, like that of Burley, seems to make no sense. Backroom stability appears not to be among the most pressing priorities of the Hearts hierarchy, but at least a hint of it is probably desirable as this potentially very productive season rushes towards its climactic stages.

Still six points ahead of Rangers in the chase for a much-coveted place in next season's Champions League and scheduled to meet Hibernian in the Tennent's Scottish Cup semi-final in ten days' time, the Hearts players involved in an extremely meaningful run-in could do without a repeat of the bewilderment to which they have already been subjected on a number of occasions in the past few months.

Perplexity will be very much to the fore, too, as the captain, Steven Pressley, is burdened once again with the task of maintaining morale and solidarity in a group of players who, in one unedifying season, have probably experienced more upheaval than any other in the history of the Scottish game.

Like the vast majority of onlookers, Pressley and his team-mates will be puzzled by the reasons for Rix's sacking. These were outlined yesterday by the club chairman, Roman Romanov. Unlike the rest of us, the players will also be entitled to feel they have been insulted.

The first point of Romanov's short bulletin claimed that "we have been disappointed with the performance of the team. Results were not what they should have been." This is certainly a wild variation on Burley's case, the former manager having taken the team to the top of the Premierleague with eight victories and two draws in their first ten matches.

Such judgments, of course, have to be made in terms of expectations. Clearly, Vladimir Romanov, owner and chief string-puller at Hearts, saw the championship itself as the objective. In that respect, it is unarguable that results have been a disappointment.

Having won back-to-back league matches only once since October is not the form of title contenders. The capacity crowds at Tynecastle, however, suggest that the team's overall performance has at least reignited the active allegiance of the club's followers. Hearts' present situation in league and cup hardly amounts to a sackable offence.

Romanov also stated the board's dissatisfaction with events in February, when, on the day they were due to face Dundee United at Tannadice, it was learned that Rix was no longer in charge of picking the team.

"The way in which some information reached the public domain was disappointing to us," said the chairman. No company directors are likely to tolerate breaches of confidentiality, but, in this instance, it is known that the story was leaked by a player's agent after Rix, understandably, had told the dressing-room.

Any coach would be entitled to inform his squad of such a development, if only to head off the possibility of dropped players bringing their complaints to his door.

But the other point in Romanov's list seems the most ludicrous of all. It is that "we also felt that some of the signings made in January were not appropriate for Hearts". Of the 11 players acquired during the opening of the transfer window, four were from eastern Europe and almost certainly recruited under the auspices of the Lithuanians themselves. Indeed, given the track record of the Romanov regime, it is reasonable to infer that most of the large intake were the choices of the directors, rather than the manager.

The imports include Mirsad Beslija, the Bosnian midfielder signed for a club record £850,000 from Racing Genk in Belgium. Like the others, Beslija has failed to command a regular place in the side. Since Rix was apparently relieved of selection duties at the beginning of February, this can hardly be said to be his fault.

Having bought the shares, of course, Vladimir can do as he pleases, as long as no laws are broken. But his seemingly cavalier attitude to employees may have a distinctly cooling effect on the previous warmth of many Hearts supporters.

Taken from the Scotsman