Lithuanian VIPs go through hoops to hail Hearts heroes

THE Hearts players are probably applying the factor ten right now on various far-flung beaches across the globe, but the reverberations of their end-of-season climax are still causing a shudder across in Lithuania.

The sporting and political communities of the former Soviet state have rallied to acclaim the achievements of their Edinburgh-based compatriots since the Scottish Cup returned to Tynecastle to supplement a place in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League.

Last week's civic reception at the Radisson SAS Astorija Hotel in Vilnius was attended by over 100 guests, including politicians, sporting figures and journalists. All were intent on commemorating the recent successes at Hearts with Vladimir Romanov, Valdas Ivanauskas, Edgaras Jankauskas, Saulius Mikoliunas and Deividas Cesnauskis as their honoured guests.

In a country which has basketball as its most popular national sport, perhaps the most astute observation of the evening was delivered by the Mayor of Kaunas, Arvydas Garbaravicius.

During his congratulatory speech, Mr Garbaravicius commented on the significance of so many Lithuanian dignitaries gathering to honour a football team from Scotland whilst a major basketball match was taking place in their own country.

As he spoke, Lietuvos Rytas of Vilnius were defeating Zalgiris from Kaunas to take a winning lead in the seven-series play-off to determine the national basketball champions of Lithuania. The match was being screened live across the nation, but the movement that has afforded Hearts prime billing in eastern Europe is rapidly gaining in number.

"The mayor felt this was very symbolic, that everyone at the event had chosen to forego the basketball in favour of Hearts," said a representative of Romanov. "He wanted to be there to say a few words on how delighted he was to see the success of the Lithuanian element in Scotland.

"He feels that is vitally important in terms of the country's development and ambitions of raising its profile in western Europe.

"The mayor was saying that what these guys have achieved with a major football club in Scotland's Capital is being taken really seriously in their country. In the past there had been a passing interest, but the momentum has grown throughout last season.

"Next season, when Hearts are participating in the Champions League, he expects football in Scotland and the Lithuanian influence over it to start challenging basketball for the attention of young sports fans in Lithuania.

"Putting that into context, it's like saying hockey is going to take over from football as the main interest of young sports fans in Scotland."

Quite a feat, then, were it to come to fruition. Mikoliunas and Cesnauskis, aficionados of basketball and tennis themselves, are likely to be better qualified to assess the potential for the mayor's predictions to evolve into reality. However, there is little disputing the ripple effect that is making its way from the Firth of Forth across the North and Baltic seas at present.

Romanov and his band of Lithuanians were presented with gifts and flowers at the reception for helping to facilitate the recent accomplishments and for creating a wave of Lithuanian popularity in Scotland.

Also present were representatives of Ukio Bank and other areas of the Romanov business empire, as well as some of the football coaches who worked tirelessly with Mikoliunas, Cesnauskis and Jankauskas during their teenage years in the hope of honing their talents.

"It was a chance for them to say how proud they were that these guys had gone on to achieve significant success in another country," continued the spokesperson. "There were a few speeches made by people, but the most poignant was by the Kaunas mayor. The basketball match was a major occasion on the same evening. It was broadcast on terrestrial TV because basketball is the main sport and, as such, makes it on to the national networks, whereas football and other sports are screened by satellite broadcasters like Tango TV.

"Yet the authorities were happy to miss it and recognise the achievements made by Mr Romanov and their countrymen at Hearts."

After such an exhausting season, the Craig Gordons and the Steven Pressleys are perfectly entitled to stretch out on the sand in blissful ignorance of what was taking place in the Baltic State. But for Lithuania, the colour maroon is becoming ever more distinctive.

Taken from the Scotsman