Romanov attacks ‘parasites’

VLADIMIR Romanov, the owner of Hearts, claimed yesterday that there was "systematic resistance" from the Scottish football establishment to his plans to make Hearts the best club in Scotland and pledged to rid Tynecastle of "the parasites which had been feeding off it".

After his side's Scottish Cup win over Gretna on Saturday, the Lithuanian multi-millionaire yesterday took the opportunity to round on everybody from the Scottish football authorities and players' agents, to the media and referees.

"There are parasites in football who just know one word – money," he said. "My goal next season is to make sure the parasites don't feed from this club. But I am ready. I will sew up my pockets so nobody can take any money from me and I can concentrate on spending it on the team."

Asked who the "parasites" he was referring to were, Romanov replied: "They have two legs and two arms, an empty head and just reflexes."

Romanov dislikes football agents and has criticised Andy Webster's representative, Charlie Duddy, for the way he handled negotiations over a new contract for the defender. Hearts have also had a number of run-ins with the SFA in recent seasons over refereeing decisions.

Webster, who was left out of the team which beat Gretna at Hampden, was the notable absentee as the rest of the first-team squad paraded the trophy around the streets of Edinburgh yesterday on an open-top bus in front of more than 80,000 fans.

Romanov said he had no idea why the Scotland internationalist had not turned up to the Scottish Cup celebrations. "I think you should ask him," he said. "Agents make decisions for players – when to play, when not to play. You have good contacts with him, you ask him. I don't know where he is.

"It was big news for me that he did not play against Rangers in the last league game of the season. We did not have a central defender but with some little injury he was out of shape for two weeks.

"My medical staff, including 'Pyjama Man' – who washes his hands after he goes to the restroom and wears his medical clothes – gave a different opinion of the Andy Webster injury."

"Pyjama Man" is a Lithuanian alternative therapist hired by Romanov to work with the Hearts players. He earned the nickname because of his dress sense.

Romanov said he will invest heavily in players during the summer and that Hearts can win the league – provided he is allowed to run the club without interference from outside bodies.

He said that "even in his worst nightmares" he did not foresee such a season in terms of obstacles being put in his way to success.

"This team was built to win the championship but we did not expect the systematic resistance of the whole surroundings," he said. "We did not expect it. We did not expect to get hit from the back by dif- ferent persons and organisations – and below the belt.

"I am ready for next year and I will seal my package so nobody can take anything from it. I am concentrating on strengthening the team."

The Hearts owner admitted that Rudi Skacel, who has been linked with Southampton, had played his last game for Hearts but claimed he would only let him go to a big club.

"If he wants to go to a club he likes and it is a good club we will make an opportunity for him to go," said Romanov. "If he is being twisted out to some mediocre club by his agent we will not let it happen."

Romanov said "only time will tell" if Valdas Ivanauskas, the interim manager, would be given the job on a full-time basis. It is believed that Romanov has been considering other candidates, with reports from down south suggesting Billy Davies, the current manager of Preston North End, was high on his list.

In summing up his thoughts, Romanov said no institution in Scotland would criticise referees when they made mistakes, agents manipulated players and the Scottish media was too sensationalist and the average football fan knew more about the game than them.

Steven Pressley, the Hearts captain, said he would be sorry to see Skacel and Webster leave the club and believed more investment from Romanov in the summer would help the club challenge the Old Firm next season.

"Rudi is one we will really miss if he goes," said Pressley. "As for Andy, I believe he is the best young central defender that this country has had for a long time and I would be sad to see him leave the club."

Pressley has been the most inspirational player at Hearts this season but having a cup-winning father didn't cut any ice with his four-your-old son, Aaron. The youngster was at Hampden to see his dad lift the Scottish Cup but did not want to go to Tynecastle yesterday to join him on the pitch for the celebrations.

"He wanted to go to my nephew's birthday party instead," said Pressley with a laugh. "I ended up taking my sister's daughter, Morgan, on to the pitch."

Taken from the Herald