VALDAS IN HEART TO HEART

HEARTS head coach Valdas Ivanauskas was locked in crisis talks after his side slumped to a 2-0 defeat by Kilmarnock.

The under-fire Lithuanian failed to show for the post-match press conference and instead stayed in his office to pour over video footage of the Tynecastle horror show.

A club spokesman confirmed the Jambos gaffer had attended "an important meeting to discuss what happened on the pitch".

The spokesman added: "Valdas is mightily disappointed. He went to his office after the meeting to watch a re-run of the match, something he usually leaves until the next day.

"He has told the players how disappointed he is but there is nothing more to read into it."

The chaos comes exactly a year after George Burley was sacked as the first manager under Vladimir Romanov's new regime.

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The Hearts owner was not at yesterday's game so it is not thought Ivanauskas's position is under immediate threat.

But the Jambo fans are frustrated and protested at Julien Brellier's omission from the side by chanting his name during the match.

And they were astonished by the team rotation system that resulted in Andrius Velicka being dropped despite scoring twice against Hibs.

Midfielder Paul Hartley said: "People make a big deal out of the team line-up but sides in Europe rotate their squads each week.

"That's the way it's going to go here and there's not a lot you can do.

"The team on the park should be good enough to win but it's up to the manager who will play.

"Our fans are edgy and they've every right to voice their opinion. It was a disappointing second half and you could see the fans' reaction."

Taken from the Sunday Mail