| Report Index--> 2005-06--> All for 20060513 | ||||
| <-Page | <-Team | Sat 13 May 2006 Hearts 1 Gretna 1 | Team-> | Page-> |
| <-Srce | <-Type | Herald ------ Report | Type-> | Srce-> |
| Valdas Ivanauskas | <-auth | Darryl Broadfoot | auth-> | Douglas McDonald |
| Hartley Paul | [R McGuffie 76] | |||
| 419 | of 429 | Rudi Skacel 39 | SC | N |
Valdas insists he will be the one in chargeDARRYL BROADFOOT July 03 2006 VALDAS Ivanauskas was introduced as the permanent head coach of Hearts with the unnecessary crutch of a translator. His message to a support who had expected the unveiling of Alexei Mikhailichenko was sufficiently candid to eliminate the need for interpretation. During an impressive sermon, the Lithuanian refused to side-step the many issues that have occupied the thoughts of fans and curious observers alike since the Tennent's Scottish Cup final triumph over Gretna. Rudi Skacel and Andy Websters, players whose contracts remain at the club but their hearts seemingly elsewhere, are expected to report to Edinburgh Airport this morning to join their team-mates for a pre-season programme in Austria. Failure to attend will, Ivanauskas emphasised forcibly, confirm their departures from Tynecastle. With George Burley and Graham Rix having fallen short of Vladimir Romanov's eccentric expectations – and lacked the receptiveness to enforced change, an apparent prerequisite for employment – Ivanauskas offered a weary guarantee that he will have the final say on team affairs, or at least happily convey that impression publicly. While the Old Firm rearmament programme continues apace, the Hearts head coach also conceded the uncertainty surrounding the management positions has given their rivals a head start on the transfer front. None the less, he expects at least three new arrivals in the coming weeks, with the South Korean World Cup striker, Ahn Jung-hwan, the primary target. First, though, the fates of Webster and Skacel – two players coveted by their old manager, Burley, to spearhead Southampton's quest to return to the Premiership next season – must be decided. Skacel was bewildered by the club's hurried announcement of a two-year deal being agreed towards the end of last season, active upon the expiry of his loan arrangement with Marseille. Rangers are also believed to still have an interest in Webster despite Paul Le Guen's purchase of Swedish defender Karl Svensson. But Ivanauskas was adamant key players will be sold at a premium. "With regard to Andy and Rudi, I expect to see both of them tomorrow morning before we go to Austria," he said. "If they do not turn up, I do not think it will be the end of their careers but at Hearts it presumably will be. "It has not been decided whether they will go or not. They were an integral part of last season and, of course, if they wish to go then we will have to find good compensation." With Romanov having laid down an unforgiving set of objectives; an improved challenge in the domestic championship and qualification for the Champions League group stages, the lack of progress made on the transfer front has not gone unnoticed. Celtic have strengthened with the acquisition of Kenny Miller, Derek Riordan, Evander Sno, Jiri Jarosik and Gary Caldwell and are expected to succeed in their protracted pursuit of Michal Kadlec and remain on the trail of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. Le Guen, meanwhile, has signed Lionel Letizi, Svensson and Libor Sionko and is currently assessing the merits of three trialists. Ivanauskas, who possesses a poker face and more than a passing resemblance to the chilling Christopher Walken, did not wear the look of a worried man. "We are running short of time but hopefully in the next few weeks we will see new faces," he said. "It is not just Rangers and Celtic who have strengthened but Aberdeen and Dundee United also and they should not be forgotten about. "I have only just returned from Moscow so I do not know everything that has been mentioned. Ahn is a player we are interested in. He is a good player but there are three or four others. It's not just about the quality but their ability to adapt to Scottish football and fit into our squad but, yes, Ahn is a candidate." Whether the Korean is his own recommendation, or a marketing opportunity conceived by Romanov, is unclear. Ivanauskas, though, insisted Ahn's – or anyone else's – suitability to the Hearts' cause will ultimately be decided by himself. Intriguingly, while promoting selection autonomy, he admitted that while final negotiations were concluded with Romanov yesterday, something had been signed … but not necessarily a standard contract of a stipulated length. "I am comfortable with the situation," he assured, having been joined by the former manager of Belarus, Eduard Malofeev, the new sporting director. "Mr Romanov trusts me to take up this position. There has been speculation about other candidates but it does not bother me, genuinely. "There is a contract and the final details were discussed yesterday. Something was signed. If Vladimir shows trust in giving me the job, he trusts me to decide on the team." As he said himself on three separate occasions yesterday, the future will tell.  Taken from the Herald |
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