Romanov all set to name Valdas as head coach

VLADIMIR ROMANOV is ready to place Hearts' Champions League aspirations in the hands of Valdas Ivanauskas by naming him as the club's new head coach.

Despite his initial insistence that Ivanauskas was insufficiently experienced to be considered for the job in the long term, Romanov has been persuaded by Ivanauskas' impressive record of six wins from his eight matches in interim charge since Graham Rix was sacked in March.

On the back of leading Hearts into the Champions League on Wednesday night, Ivanauskas, 39, is now the leading candidate to be installed as permanent head coach in time to lead the side in July's qualifying rounds.

Romanov, the club's owner, is now focusing his attentions on recruiting an experienced consultant-type figure to operate in a director of football role above Ivanauskas.

"Valdas has a big chance now, I will say that," said Romanov. "At the moment, he is bringing us a lot of luck and is doing very well. I am very pleased with him. For the Champions League, perhaps I would like to see someone here with more experience but we are going to see how we go with Valdas.

"He is gathering his experience and has improved his knowledge."

The appointment of Ivanauskas would be guaranteed to find favour with the Hearts support, who have taken to the Lithuanian's methods and results after previously being excited by their club's courting of managerial luminaries like Claudio Ranieri and Nevio Scala.

Chairman Roman Romanov is at pains to insist that he and his father have no desire to appoint celebrated football figures simply to attract attention.

"We are not interested in big names," said Romanov junior. "That is not what it's about, we just want the right man for Hearts and that's why Valdas will stay here."

Ivanauskas can expect to have a wily campaigner as his superior for next season as Hearts seek a wise head to fill the director of football position vacated by the departure of Jim Duffy.

"We are thinking of how to get more experience into the management of the team because we are now going to a different level," noted Romanov senior, who, with a touch of satire, reiterated his desire to bring Sir Bobby Robson to Tynecastle.

"Maybe we will get Bobby Robson as a consultant," smiled Romanov. "He is not too old. He has wonderful knowledge, so perhaps the combination of an old and a young man will work well for us. That is the strategy we want."

Ivanauskas is preparing to rest a large number of first-team regulars for Sunday's visit to Ibrox.

Goalkeeper Craig Gordon, Steven Pressley and Paul Hartley will all be absent as the club seek to protect key players ahead of their Scottish Cup final meeting with Gretna in eight days' time.

HEARTS will screen Sunday's match live in Tynecastle's Gorgie Suite. The lounge will open at 12.30pm on Sunday with tickets priced at £5. A driving licence or passport must be produced upon entry as proof of age.

Taken from the Scotsman