Frail blames Hearts' petulance on a lack of leadership

By Alan Pattullo
ADMITTING that the club is "rife" with indiscipline, Stephen Frail, the Hearts caretaker manager, believes the team's performance in Wednesday's 4-1 defeat by Dundee United proves what happens when a code of conduct is allowed to slip.

Hearts had three players ordered off at Tannadice as they fell to a sixth straight defeat – the club's worst run in almost 30 years. Vivid evidence of a deep malaise could be seen in the behaviour of the Hearts players. Michael Stewart was the most glaring example. After bust-ups with team-mate Robbie Neilson and Christophe Berra, the midfielder was finally sent-off after swearing at a Hearts supporter.

Frail did not duck the issue yesterday. While the club is considering an appeal with regard to the Marius Zaliukas red card – he was sent-off for throwing an arm at Lee Wilkie – he claimed the root of the problem lay at the core of the club.

"With not having one person in charge who can come down on it, indiscipline has been rife," he said. "It is something we need to make sure we fix – it's just not good enough. It has to go right through the club."

While Frail backed his players to the extent that he denied their antics have been thuggish, he also stressed the need for petulance to be eradicated. He admitted that discipline at the club has broken down. Judging from his comments after the match against United, and again yesterday at Riccarton, Frail cites the absence of a figure-head at the club as a reason why poor behaviour has been allowed to creep in.

Reflecting on the recent years of turmoil at Hearts, where a series of managers have come and gone during Vladimir Romanov's turbulent reign, the caretaker manager appeared to dare suggest that the code of conduct at Tynecastle has been flouted. Un-named players have been allowed to get away with things, something which has established a culture of anarchy.

Going back as far as the club's Champions League qualifying ties in 2006, Frail lamented the petty incidents which have de-railed Hearts. He mentioned Julien Brellier's booking for wearing an earring against AEK Athens – he was subsequently sent-off – and also Ruben Palazuelos, booked for leaving the pitch when celebrating his goal against Falkirk last weekend. Frail argued that his players were often more misguided than vicious, and had suffered from a lack of leadership.

"We have a code of conduct which, when you look at it now, probably was not followed" admitted Frail. "There are not loopholes in it but, when one guy does not follow it because he can go and speak to someone and then get away with it, the whole thing falls down. Then the next guy says he is not going to bother doing it. It will need to be set-down and everyone will need to follow it.

"You don't want to be school teacherish about it," he continued. "But there needs to be certain laws, even within the academy, about what we do. That should transfer over to the training pitch as well. I am going to try and get it sorted. Whether or not I have the same authority as any manager to do it – well, I am hopeful I am."

Frail revealed that he will seek to sit down "Mr Romanov's colleagues" and establish whether he has the power to fine players for indiscipline. His comment that they are "sure to have ideas about who to bring in" suggested he will not be permitted to pursue his own choice of targets during the current transfer window.

Perhaps more revealing will be his sit-down with Stewart this morning. The fiery midfielder was an on-field agitator throughout the 90 minutes against United, and was fortunate to survive as long as the final seconds. Frail admitted he might have substituted the player long before this point.

"He is like that as
a character," said Frail. "In hindsight you might have taken him off, but then you lose the other side to it – like his link-up play with the strikers. Some of the passing we were producing was good. He had that little thing with Robbie in the first half and then obviously in the second half with him and Christophe. The red mist seemed to come down."

Frail reported that "emotions are still high", something which has persuaded him to delay a planned meeting with the player by 24 hours. "It's important that when we do sit down it's calm and in the right manner," he said. While Stewart had spoken with the players about the incidents on Wednesday, there was nothing to suggest an apology had been offered, and whether the player even thought one was necessary. "He said his bit in the dressing-room," said Frail. "He feels it, he is a passionate guy. Sometimes it boils over in the wrong way."

Taken from the Scotsman