Hearts owner ‘said match was fixed’

GEORGE FOULKES, the former Hearts chairman, has claimed Vladimir Romanov was suspicious that a match against Celtic was fixed.

Foulkes says in a BBC television documentary that Romanov, the club owner, was furious about the outcome of the 1-1 draw against Celtic at Parkhead on October 15 last year and felt it was "contrived".

It was George Burley's last match as manager at the club. He left seven days later when Foulkes cited "irreconcilable differences" between the manager and the board of directors. Burley's representative, Athole Still, last night said any implication of match-fixing was "ludicrous".

Romanov: King of Hearts, which will be shown on BBC 2 Scotland at 9pm tonight, follows the Lithuanian banker over the latter part of last season as the club sack Graham Rix, qualify for the Champions League and win the Tennent's Scottish Cup.

However, it is Foulkes' version of the build-up to Burley's departure that adds another layer of controversy to a turbulent campaign.

"I think probably the genesis of the concern Romanov had was the 1-1 draw with Celtic at Parkhead, when we were apparently set for a win and it ended up as a draw," Foulkes tells the programme.

"Romanov was convinced somehow that could be contrived and he was suspicious about that. I think that was the way his suspicions started.

"But it was just so fantastic and unbelievable."

Asked if Romanov spoke to him directly about his feelings, Foulkes replies: "Oh yes. He was fuming about it because he believed that the match had been fixed."

The programme states that Romanov refused to be drawn on details surrounding match-fixing allegation. Last night, his spokesman said he was not party to the discussion between Romanov and Foulkes but emphasised that any such allegation had "never been repeated."

Hearts have yet to reach an agreement with Burley, now employed at Southampton, over a financial settlement for his departure.

Foulkes resigned from the Hearts board on October 31 after Phil Anderton, then chief executive of the club, was sacked. Roman Romanov, Vladimir's son, has effectively filled both positions since then.

It is difficult to see quite what basis there would be for any suspicion of the match against Celtic being fixed.

Gordon Strachan's side took the lead with a goal from Craig Beattie before a mix-up between Paul Telfer and Artur Boruc allowed Rudi Skacel to equalise. The result meant Hearts were unbeaten in their first 10 SPL matches and kept them clear of Celtic at the summit of the league.

Romanov, meanwhile, last night refused to be drawn on suggestions that he is poised to appoint Alexei Mikhailichenko, the Ukraine under-21 coach, as director of football at Tynecastle. The former Rangers midfielder has distanced himself from the job, although The Herald understands that is only because Romanov has not yet officially approached him. "I won't comment on this story," said Romanov, who has refused in recent weeks to speak about speculation on new players or coaching appointments.

Mikhailichenko denied he was in the running for the job of director of football. "I don't know what you are talking about, as I have just returned from the European Under-21s final," he said.

Hearts sources were last night insisting that the former Rangers, Dynamo Kiev and Sampdoria player was just one of many candidates being discussed as the new figurehead at the Edinburgh club, who face a Champions League qualifying tie next month.

Mikhailichenko's stock has risen over the past week after he took the Ukrainian team to the final of the European under-21 championships in Portugal, where they lost 3-0 to Holland.

He is expected to join the Ukraine coaching team at the World Cup and his contract with their football association runs out in September.

Romanov, who is on holiday in Lithuania, is evaluating his plans for the managerial set-up at the club. Hearts sources have confirmed that caretaker manager Valdas Ivanauskas and John McGlynn, who are in temporary charge at Tynecastle, would remain at the club regardless of who took over.

One senior Hearts source said: "Vladimir has big plans for Hearts and is looking for someone with European-wide experience. Alexei has managed Dynamo Kiev and did really well with the Ukraine Under-21 team so maybe he does fit the bill but nothing has been decided yet.

"However, he is just one of several names which have been linked with the job and, as far as we are concerned, no announcement about a new man has been scheduled for this week. Having said that, Vladimir wants his coaching team and a few new players in place long before the Champions League qualifying match next month."

Taken from the Herald