Romanov admits he has say in Hearts team selection

CONFIRMATION that Vladimir Romanov influences team selection at Tynecastle arrived in Kaunas this week when the Hearts owner addressed invited pressmen who were on duty for Scotland's Euro 2008 qualifier.

In a wide-ranging discussion the colourful Russian also floated the notion that he would willingly sell the entire Hearts first team, claimed that Celtic and Rangers were trying to kill the Edinburgh side ("but they are too late") and that one club, believed to be Palermo of Italy, tried to "steal" the Scotland goalkeeper, Craig Gordon.

On the often-asked, and invariably stonewalled, question of whether he has picked the team, thereby aggravating the differences between himself and former (ultimately sacked) managers George Burley and Graham Rix, Romanov replied: "I did and I will.

"How can I explain? Please try to understand what I mean. To be able to pick the team, you should be at the training ground twice a day. As you can see, I am not. But, sometimes there are times when I ask the coach some searching questions about the make-up of the team.

"For example, I may ask Valdas [Ivanauskas] why a particular player has been selected. Let's say why Takis Fyssas rather than Lee Wallace at left-back. The coach will say, 'At training, Fyssas was stronger and better'. Then I will ask, 'But did he have a proper medical test before the game?'

"If the coach is in any doubt about his answer, it tells me there is doubt about whether it should be Fyssas or Wallace in the team. Then I will ask the club doctor about the two players and if they had fitness tests. That is the level of my involvement - I want to know how much the coach knows about each and every player."

It is an undeniable truth that Romanov's medical team at Hearts has aroused much interest, with the tabloid press taking particular delight in the alternative methods of the pair they christened Rima and Pyjama Man. Tales of golden rods to help aid the recovery of injuries and a machine in which a finger is inserted to determine when a player should leave the field have now passed into football lore.

There is no denying the seriousness of Romanov's intention to improve standards at Tynecastle and he was in engaging form on "home soil". Those fortunate enough to be in his company on these occasions are rewarded with laughter and wonderment over his unique thought processes, but, inevitably, can be left with a lingering sensation of contradiction.

It was, for example, soon after Romanov had assured us that his prime objective is to build Hearts into a great club that he revealed his simultaneous readiness to sell any or all of the present first team.

"From the moment I took over Hearts," he said, "the target has been to become Scottish champions. We are still working towards that goal. But being champions would not be enough. I don't want title after title if it means we neglect building up the club itself. I want to build a club that is at the highest level of football, a great club."

Romanov, in this moment, appeared to overlook the possibility that creating teams that would capture a string of championships would, in all likelihood, be a core component in the construction of a great club.

Nor did he seem aware of the apparent contradiction in his insistence that he would never stand in the way of a player for whom Hearts received an acceptable offer from a bigger club that would advance the player's career. This assertion was made when he was responding to questions about the inquiries and/or offers made about Gordon before the big goalkeeper signed an extension to his present contract.

"I would never stop a player moving to the right club if he has the right offer, a chance to really improve his life and his career. I would say 'Good luck' and let the man go. I would sell the whole team, because I know I have 11 more players waiting to come in and take their places.

"There was interest in Craig Gordon. We had a chat and we agreed that it would be better for both parties if he remained at Hearts. That is why he was happy to sign his new contract. He needs to play more games for his club and for Scotland to gain more experience.

"But there was definite interest and offers and one club tried to steal him away from Tynecastle. So we had to have a long chat explaining to Craig what we want to do for Hearts and for him. He wanted to stay and keep playing first-team football. Now I hope he stays for another five years."

Romanov has often and forcefully expressed his conviction that Hearts have been the victims of discrimination by many people in Scottish football, from the SFA and referees through the Old Firm to a hostile press. Does he believe the "establishment" is still putting obstacles in the way of his club?

"When I came here I had no particular desire to beat Celtic and Rangers - I just wanted to build up Hearts. We are not yet at the stage where we beat them all the time, but that will come. The Old Firm want to kill Hearts, but they are too late now.

"We will continue to grow and I want to do that by getting more Scottish players in the team. We have young players like Wallace, Christophe Berra, Andrew Driver, Jamie Mole and Calum Elliot coming through. It was a risk for us to allow Elliot to go on loan to Motherwell, but we want him to have more first-team experience.

"But we have hired more coaches in order to do more work with the young players and help them progress quicker. We want the team to have a Scottish accent. There will be other, foreign players in there to help, but I think we can risk developing the youngsters this season because Celtic and Rangers are not that strong.

"They may be stronger again a year from now, when I might lose the chance to play the young players. So this is the time for building that. I want all the others to fear the strength of Hearts."

Taken from the Scotsman