PLAYERS BERRA RESPECT THE GAFFER

HEARTS star Christophe Berra last night defended boss Valdas Ivanauskas and insisted he has the mean streak Hearts need to take them to the top.

Ivanauskas is sure to come under scrutiny from hard-to-please owner Vladimir Romanov after their Champions League exit last Wednesday night.

But rookie stopper Berra reckons anyone else would struggle to match the spirit and respect the gaffer has built in their squad.

The 21-year-old said: "He's a great manager. All the boys are right behind him. He's a nice guy but you don't want to get on his bad side. He won't hold back. If guys aren't pulling their weight or doing things wrong he'll give them a right good kick up the backside.

"That's the sign of a good manager and that's why he has earned everyone's respect here.

"We have a fair number of nationalities but there's a great spirit amongst the players and a big part is down to Valdas."

Ivanauskas may be under Romanov's microscope right now but Berra was one of the players whose reputation grew with their first ever Champions League outing.

He's stepped in seamlessly to Andy Webster's boots alongside Steven Pressley and admitted: "Hopefully playing more games of this standard will help me in future.

"It's been a great experience because you're coming up against some quality strikers.

"But I handled myself well and know I can compete at that level."

Which is more than Berra reckons can be said about controversial Russian ref Iouri Baskakov.

Cristophe sighed: "It seems like everybody is against us. It's the first time I've played in a game where a ref has booked a player for wearing an ear-ring.

"What makes the decision worse is that in my opinion he should have spotted Julien was wearing the jewellery in the first place.

"But that's European football for you and we'll have to learn from the experience and move on.

"You've got to rise above such things and deal with them.

"We might be low at the moment but I know we have the strength of character as a team to cope with setbacks and come back a stronger side."

Taken from the Sunday Mail