Pressley ready to rock as Hearts go for glory after a season of turmoil

Ewan Murray
Saturday May 13, 2006
The Guardian

At times, Steven Pressley would have been forgiven for walking away from what looked to have become Scottish football's one-ring circus. But at the end of one of the most turbulent seasons in the 132-year history of Heart of Midlothian - the sackings of two managers, constant suggestions of interference in team selection by the majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov and boardroom turmoil - the club's captain decided to stay.

Pressley feels leading the team out for the Scottish Cup final this afternoon for which they are the overwhelming favourites to defeat Second Division champions Gretna, will represent ample justification of his decision.

"This season has been rather stressful, but this club means a lot to me and it's important to me that Hearts can be successful," explains the man born in Elgin who began his career with Rangers before moving to Coventry City.

"I'm very fortunate to have a wife, mother and many close friends that I can turn to. I think there have been a number of difficult times, but none of them stand out, they all run into each other actually. We have all had to cope with a lot this season, but if we can cap it off by winning the cup then all of that will be overlooked."

When prompted as to whether the sacking of a manager gave him serious cause for concern, Pressley quips: "Which time?" Yet the implication is clear; many of the Hearts players, who have Champions League football to look forward to next season, have simply become accustomed to dramatic events under the Romanov regime.

For Pressley particularly, who was the captain under Hearts' much-vilified previous owner, Chris Robinson, when the threat of administration was palpable, the opportunity to lift a trophy appears to matter more than internal politics.

"I have learned a lot about myself, and a lot about adapting to things," he said. "In terms of my own progress, not just as a player but as a captain, I have tried to learn from this experience. I think it's important year on year to improve as a captain, and this season will certainly help me. Make no mistake, there have been some fantastic individual performances this season, but everybody has contributed; it has been a real team effort.

"We have been very fortunate because the players who haven't been playing regularly have caused no problems in the dressing room. Everybody has remained extremely positive, there has been no unrest."

There should be no threat of disorder, either, from up to 40,000 Hearts supporters who will head west to Hampden; the biggest following Hearts have taken to a match for two decades. Pressley, though, points to last month's semi-final victory over Hibernian, when 25,000 maroon-clad followers descended on Glasgow, as a defining moment. "I think that was a very significant day in Mr Romanov's reign, because I think he realised that day the true potential of this club," he explained. "I'll be honest, I never thought there would be this demand for tickets for the final. When I was first asked about tickets, I thought there would be plenty available but the demand has been phenomenal."

Pressley's only previous appearance in the final was 13 years ago - as an 88th-minute substitute in Rangers' 2-1 win over Aberdeen. "I thought the cup final would be a regular event back then because when you are at Rangers, you believe winning trophies is the norm. When you leave there, you realise it's very difficult to win trophies and we've had to work extremely hard for this opportunity. I just played a small part in the Rangers' success at that time, and it would give me far more satisfaction to win a trophy with Hearts."

Few would begrudge the man dubbed "Mr Hearts" the chance to add to his medal collection. If that happens, even Pressley could allow himself a well-earned release from the Tynecastle turmoil.

Gretna's manager Rowan Alexander insists the level of expectation at Hearts means his players are in a relaxed frame of mind for today's final.

Alexander, who has taken Gretna from non-league to the First Division in four years, knows Hearts will have to be well below par to allow arguably the biggest shock in Scottish Cup history but said: "I'm quite surprised at how relaxed I am, and the players. The pressure is not on us, it is on Hearts to go and win the cup."

Gretna will play in next season's Uefa Cup, whatever today's result, and have received messages of support from "around the globe". There was even praise from Hearts' majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov, when he said: "I was very surprised that such a small club managed to get to the final when Rangers and Celtic couldn't make it. This is a real credit to [owner] Brooks Mileson and the Gretna players and coaching staff."

Taken from the Guardian/Observer