EXCLUSIVE: VALDAS WAS CRAZY ON THE PITCH ..

JORG ALBERTZ used to look into the eyes of Valdas Ivanauskas and see a madman with an obsession for winning.

The former Rangers star reckons if he can translate the same passion he showed as a player with Hamburg into his new job at Hearts, then Vladimir Romanov can call off his search for a new boss now.

Albertz was a kid on the verge of breaking through to the Bundesliga when Ivanauskas arrived at the Volksparkstadion 13 years ago.

Three years, 100 appearances and 17 goals later the Lithuanian striker left a trail of destruction and a clutch of German defenders on the brink of a breakdown.

He is still remembered fondly by Hamburg fans and even though he was a Lithuanian lion with a manic glint on the park he was a pussycat off it.

Hearts fans will be hoping he displays the same courage as a coach he showed as a player after he was handed the post as interim manager until the end of the season following the shock dismissal of Graham Rix and Jim Duffy.

Albertz said: "Valdas and I had a brilliant time together at Hamburg and he was a really friendly guy off the pitch.

"He had a great sense of humour and we enjoyed many laughs and a few beers together over the years.

"However, on the pitch he was mental. He wanted to win so badly that when you looked in his eyes you saw a man on the verge of insanity.

"Honestly, he always had a look that suggested he was capable of killing someone.

"He always went to the very edges of what was legal during matches and was a nightmare for opposition defenders to play against.

"He also argued with team-mates and referees, which cost him a few red cards, but we loved having him as part of our team.

"Valdas may have been hard to his opponents but he was always toughest on himself.

"He would fight and run for 90 minutes every game and was a terrific team player.

"If he shows the same character as a coach he showed during our time together, Hearts have a big winner on their hands.

"I want him to be a great success at Tynecastle, just as long as his team stays behind Rangers.

"I know it isn't possible this season but if Valdas gets the job full-time in the summer I hope the following years Rangers finish champions of the SPL and Hearts runners-up."

As Albertz revealed, Ivanauskas never shirked a challenge as a player emerging from the thaw of the Soviet Cold War era.

The Lithuanian himself also insists he won't buckle under the challenge of leading Hearts into their most crucial period since they were chasing the title 20 years ago.

For one thing, he has already experienced the ruthlessness of Jambos owner Vladimir Romanov after he was forced to resign as coach of FBK Kaunas 11 months ago.

For another, he appreciates the dreams of thousands of fans are wrapped up in the welfare of a team that is within touching distance of a place in next season's Champions League and Scottish Cup final glory.

Then, of course, he knows his phone will be ringing red hot from Albertz if he fails to hold off Rangers and grab second spot in the SPL.

Ivanauskas took training in glorious sunshine at Riccarton yesterday after emerging from the shadows he has been happy to occupy since joining the club's backroom staff in the summer.

He looks a reluctant hero but scratch the surface of a cautious and guarded individual and a streak of steel fashioned in the old-style Soviet Union is quickly revealed.

Ivanauskas joined former Soviet strike partner Oleg Blokhin in becoming among the first players from the former Eastern Bloc to be permitted to play in the West, in 1990 when he moved from Lokomotiv Moscow to Austria Vienna before ending up in the Bundesliga.

He said: "I will approach the coach's position at Hearts in the same way I used to approach games as a player.

"I was a hard worker as a player and I will be a hard worker as coach.

"I was known as a forceful player. In a match, you need to fight for 90 minutes. You can never give up because if you have no emotions, you have no game.

"I know football fans, generally speaking, love hard-working performers and it's certainly the case with the supporters at Hearts.

"Jorg was my team-mate at Hamburg, a top quality player, and we still keep in touch.

"He said he had a good career during his time at Rangers and the supporters there were just amazing.

"I have also been blown away by the fans at Hearts, especially when I see how many we take to away games and hopefully we can deliver success for them this season.

"Our key objective is to reach the Champions League by finishing second in the SPL and winning the Scottish Cup."

Conspiracy theorists among us have not had to dive too far into the murky waters of paranoia in assessing the reasons behind the extended stay of Ivanauskas on these shores.

He resigned under pressure from FBK Kaunas in April after less than seven months in charge of Romanov's hometown interest.

He paid the price for a start to the season that yielded only two wins from the opening five matches but, significantly, he retained the trust of the Hearts majority shareholder.

But he refused to discuss the George Burley and Rix eras, while echoing the sentiments of chairman Roman Romanov that too many recent games have been draws.

He said: "We are only looking forward and won't dwell on the past.

"We've played a lot of games recently that have ended as draws but in every game you can still find positives. However, we now appreciate each game has to become a win, rather than a draw."

Hearts hope at least to retain their six-point lead over third-placed Rangers tomorrow when they take on Falkirk, before next weekend's Scottish Cup clash with Hibs.

Ivanauskas added: "It is business I as usual and preparations for the Falkirk game are going well.

"My message to the players at training was a full explanation of where we are now and what expect during training.

"The most important thing is discipline on the pitch and off the pitch as well."

Taken from the Daily Record