| Report Index--> 2006-07--> All for 20060823 | ||||
| <-Page | <-Team | Wed 23 Aug 2006 AEK Athens 3 Hearts 0 | Team-> | Page-> |
| <-Srce | <-Type | Herald ------ Report | Type-> | Srce-> |
| Valdas Ivanauskas | <-auth | Rob Robertson | auth-> | Iouri Baskakov |
| Brellier Julien | McCann Neil | [J Souza pen 79] ;[N Liberopoulos 82] ;[J Souza 85] | ||
| 11 | of 059 | ----- | E | A |
Hearts coach faces crucial test in AthensROB ROBERTSON in Athens August 23 2006 VALDAS Ivanauskas said yesterday he was "ready for anything" as club owner Vladimir Romanov insisted the Hearts coach's job was safe. The Lithuanian multi-millionaire had made it clear one of his main objectives this season was to take the team he bankrolled into the Champions League. That is looking extremely unlikely after a 2-1 home defeat to AEK Athens in their first-leg Champions League qualifying match. To make matters worse, striker Roman Bednar did not make the trip to Greece for the second leg yesterday because of injury and influential midfielder Paul Hartley has yet to play a full game this season, although he will start tonight in what Ivanauskas said was the "the biggest game in Hearts history". Romanov, in an attempt to counteract the inevitable questions about the future of Ivanauskas if Hearts lose, issued a statement before the game giving the coach the dreaded vote of confidence. Romanov also donned a pair of shorts and joined the Hearts training session last night to show solidarity with his coach and players. Ivanauskas clearly had not heard about the club owner's support when he met the press to discuss the match which, regardless of Romanov's comments, could go a long way to deciding whether the coach remains in a job or not. Asked whether he felt pressure to ensure Hearts made the Champions League group stage, Ivanauskas said: "That was the target and for every team and every manager there is pressure. I have not spoken to Mr Romanov but I know security as a manager is impossible. I am ready for anything." He denied Romanov had put too much pressure on the management team and the players by making clear his wish that he wanted Hearts to make the Champions League group stages. Ivanauskas also made it clear that he felt his future as Hearts coach was not an issue and all the speculation did not bother him. He admitted, however, that his side faced an uphill task to overturn the first leg deficit. He said of the AEK players: "I hope they become complacent but they are an experienced team with a lot of international players who know what is at stake and they are unlikely to relax too much." With Bednar out and injury doubts over strikers Edgaras Jankauskas and Michal Pospisil, he may also have to start young Calum Elliot. The irony of the possibility of Elliot starting such an important game will not be lost on Hearts fans as the striker is likely to be put out on loan to Motherwell, Falkirk or Dunfermline if the Tynecastle outfit goes out of the Champions League. "We must go into the game feeling optimistic," said Ivanauskas. "Calum has a big chance to play as the other strikers are not 100% He is a young boy and he can go up or down in his career at this stage. He has a good heart and we will have discussions about whether he plays or not."  Taken from the Herald |
||||
| <-Page | <-Team | Wed 23 Aug 2006 AEK Athens 3 Hearts 0 | Team-> | Page-> |
| 