Romanov demands nothing less than victory

VLADIMIR Romanov has told the Hearts players that he expects them to bring back the Scottish Cup to Edinburgh - but also warned them that Gretna deserve to be in the final, and that the favourites will have to perform at their best to win.

"I hope all our fans have a wonderful day out at Hampden and that we can do them proud by bringing the cup back to Edinburgh," he said.

The Lithuanian tycoon arrived in Scotland yesterday hoping to collect his first silverware in this country.

"I was really surprised that such a small club as Gretna managed to get to the final when Celtic and Rangers couldn't make it," he said. "It is a credit to Brooks Mileson, who has done an amazing job at Gretna as have their players and coaches, and it is also great for Scottish football. I have huge respect for Mr Mileson and I look forward to seeing him at Hampden."

Romanov added: "I think Gretna will give us a real game. Both Hearts and Gretna have undergone big transformations and the two clubs are new to this stage of the cup, anyway for us in recent years.

"So neither of us has an advantage as we go into this battle and we must perform to our very best on the pitch if we are to win. Hearts' task is clear in the final - to bring the cup back to Scotland's capital city."

If Hearts do bring the cup back to Edinburgh, it is expected that the team will parade the trophy on Sunday, as happened eight years ago.

Meanwhile, George Foulkes, the former Hearts chairman, says that if the Tynecastle side lift the cup this afternoon it will turn a tumultuous season into the best he has ever seen.

The politician was forced to use all his diplomatic skills during his 18-month reign in Gorgie as he helped ease the transition from Chris Robinson to Romanov.

However, he was then turned on in October at the climax of a dramatic nine days in which manager George Burley and chief executive Phil Anderton were sacked and Foulkes himself was surprisingly removed from his position by the Romanov regime. In the wake of the boardroom reshuffle, Foulkes accused Romanov of "acting like a megalomaniac" and claimed he "regretted" bringing the Lithuanian banker to the club.

Yet his ire has since cooled and, following the club's qualification for the Champions League last week, he paid Romanov a back-handed compliment when he admitted that "ruthlessness can breed success".

He said: "To get into the Champions League this season is absolutely remarkable and, given the tumultuous events, it makes it even more remarkable. Credit must go to the players and in particular Steven Pressley.

"Now, if we win this game, and it's a very big 'if' because we must not assume, then it will be the most successful season Hearts have had in all the years I have followed them."

WILL STEWART

Taken from the Scotsman