‘My driver in Kaunas could have done a better job’

Romanov, who describes Hearts as being "like a circus" when he first arrived at the club, also told The Herald that Andy Webster will probably leave Tynecastle because of the "manipulations, machinations and cheap tricks" which he says are being played by Charlie Duddy, Webster's agent.

In an extraordinary display of frankness, Romanov yesterday cast diplomatic caution to the wind, selectively laying into a succession of Hearts coaches whom he came to regard as either incompetent or "lacking in rationale". Casting a jaundiced eye at Rix and Duffy, Romanov said: "I felt at times that my driver back in Kaunas could have done a better job."

While still celebrating Hearts' Champions League spot, Romanov chose to come clean about meddling in the team's starting XI, an allegation that has simmered around Tynecastle from the moment the Lithuanian first took control at the club. Romanov says he has despaired at the lack of original thinking and tactical variety in Scottish football.

"Too often there has been a very limited approach by the coach, in terms of how you deploy your resources and why you change players," said Romanov. "Why is it like this? Why do the coaches not use players to maximum effect, depending on the type of match or the type of opponent? Also, it always seems to be 4-4-2, with little scope for variety.

"I've given my coaches full control of the team, full rights, and then the games have been lost. The only question I'm asking of my coaches all the time is: 'Show me the analysis. Show me the rationale'. But never once have I received an answer to those questions. It seemed to me that my driver back in Kaunas could have done a better job than Rix and Duffy."

Warming to his theme, and both implicitly and explicitly admitting to meddling in team selections, Romanov said he had torn his hair out over months when the players he had brought to Hearts had not, in his opinion, been used properly by George Burley, Rix, Duffy, and even Valdas Ivanauskas.

"For example, take Julien Brellier," said Romanov. "He will play until he picks up an injury, or receives too many bookings and is suspended, and only then will another player come into the team. But we should rotate players like Brellier, Bruno Aguiar and Sammy Camazzola for maximum effect.

"The question I commonly ask the coaches is, 'have you forgotten that this is a game of 90 minutes?' The answer they always give is 'no'. So I say, 'well, why is the team only playing for 45 minutes? Do you know why the team is playing like this?' When the answer comes back 'yes,' then I say, 'well, if you don't put it right for the next game, I'll remove you.'

"People must have seen how Paul Hartley, having been everywhere on the pitch, is sometimes clearly struggling, is clearly running out of energy in the second half? Put yourself in the coach's position: why is Hartley ending up in this situation? He's having to run back and do defensive duties, and he ends up being all over the pitch. Why is he not being substituted? Why are the players not being used properly?"

The frustrated football coach that he clearly is, Romanov even used the royal "we" when discussing which players should turn out for Hearts. Talking

of team selections, he said: "Brellier and Aguiar bring different qualities to the team. Do you want to bolster the attack or bolster your defence? That is the basis on which we decide whether Aguiar or Brellier plays in the team."

On the vexed subject of Webster's Hearts future, Romanov claims he will no longer deal with Duddy, the agent he has come to view with contempt. Webster's contract will expire in June 2007, and the player and Hearts have reached a stalemate over negotiating an extension.

Though he is now injured, the matter had clearly influenced Webster's place in the Hearts team recently, though Romanov claims personally to marvel at the player's ability.

"In terms of my regard for Andy Webster, I think he and Steven Pressley are the best defensive pairing in Scotland," said Romanov. "Andy is a fine player but there is just one problem: his agent. I don't think we will be extending Webster's contract while he is being represented by this person.

"Andy wants to play for Hearts, but he is also being influenced by his agent. There are manipulations, machinations and tricks that are being played. He [Duddy] is playing cheap tricks.

"Andy has a year left on his contract. If he wants to go on the transfer list, then that is what we will do. My philosophy is, as soon as a player says he wants to move on, then I try to accede to his wishes.

"The one exception to this is our captain, Paul Hartley, who I really wouldn't want to lose. But if we are faced with a situation where we might lose Webster, then we will bring in other players, like Ibrahim Tall, and give them a chance."

Taken from the Herald