VLAD VOWS TO SPEND BIG

HEARTS supremo Vladimir Romanov last night vowed he WILL bring in the World Cup stars he promised before the transfer window shuts on Thursday night.

The Lithuanian insists the Champions League exit - which he claims cost the club £6million - hasn't damaged boss Valdas Ivanauskas' player budget.

The Jambos have signed four players this summer - Mauricio Pinilla, Tiago Costa, Marius Zaliukas and Hristos Karipidis.

But none of them made the impact needed to push the Scottish Cup winners past AEK Athens in midweek and Vlad insists there's more quality to come.

Asked if the defeat had hampered his plans financially he said: "I never divide up the bear skin before the bear is shot.

"So, yes, I will make signings before the deadline. Will they be the two World Cup stars? Why only two? Why not all of them? But seriously, we are negotiating it."

Romanov is still furious with ref Yuri Baskakov and implied the Russian whistler was only brought back from suspension to send the Jambos crashing out of Europe.

Baskakov - slammed for booking Julien Brellier against the Greeks for wearing ear-rings - served a month-long ban last season, allegedly for two dubious decisions.

But he has officiated eight domestic games this season and will even attend UEFA's elite refs' seminar in Nyon tomorrow.

Sarcastic Romanov sniped: "I can't miss this chance to say a huge thanks to the ref from Russia who did such a brilliant job.

"It was interesting to find out his licence was suspended and that he had no right to work in Russia until he was reinstated not long before the game with Hearts. What a nice coincidence.

"So I didn't see the game as our defeat. I remember how the Greek fans were booing their team because they couldn't score even though we were down to nine men."

Meanwhile, Romanov confirmed the club's UEFA Cup games will be played at Murrayf ield - even though he admits it's not ideal for the team.

However, he'll be satisfied if they get past Sparta Prague and into the group stages.

He said: "At Murrayfield there have been uncomfortable aspects which need to be reviewed. We'll take it into account for Tynecastle reconstruction.

"How far away is that? I wish I could tell the fans but we are still in negotiations."

Romanov also insisted Hearts are still holding out for cash from Wigan for Andy Webster and claim FIFA should side with them against their former player.

The Scotland stopper is still in limbo at the JJB Stadium while FIFA, under Rule 17 of their regulations, investigate him quitting Tynecastle with a year of his deal left.

Vlad said: "We have a contract and we are relying on it. If we're not relying on contracts how can you build the club? I hope that for FIFA the contract is not just an empty phrase."

Taken from the Sunday Mail