Laszlo rubbishes interference claims

Csaba Laszlo, the head coach of Hearts, yesterday attempted to play down rumours of disharmony in his squad after Steve Banks' apparent demotion to the role of youth team goalkeeping coach.

After beginning the season as the first team squad's No.1 and goalkeeping coach, the Englishman is thought to have been have been relieved of his playing duties and backroom role by Vladimir Romanov, reportedly following a meeting between the club's owner and its players.

Marian Kello, a Slovakian goalkeeper, has been brought in from FBK Kaunas and he could make his debut this afternoon. Jamie MacDonald is an understudy with another keeper, Hungarian Janos Balogh, thought to be arriving this week. Banks has also now been replaced as first-team goalkeeping coach by Arturas Ramoska, another arrival from Kaunas.
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News that Romanov has stepped in to sideline Banks, apparently likening him to "Riccarton Three" rebels Steven Pressley, Craig Gordon and Paul Hartley, would belie Laszlo's insistence that he was calling the shots.

Supporters now fear the worst, but Laszlo sought to put a brave face on the situation yesterday, although growing ever-heated as he did so, to make light of Romanov's apparent interference and the treatment of Banks.

"Steve is the goalkeeping coach for the youth teams.

It's a decision I'm happy with," asserted the Romanian-born Hungarian. "We must qualify this. We looked for a new goalkeeper. We have Kello and now Balogh coming in. Steve's career as a goalkeeper is ending, he begins to be a goalkeeping coach.

We have harmony. To be successful, you can't make only nice decisions.

"I'm happy with the decision, Steve seems to be happy with the decision. We've talked. I think he's happy, but ask him."

Meanwhile, Stephen O'Donnell insists St Mirren must play without fear when they travel to the capital.

Tynecastle generates one of the best atmospheres in the country and can be intimidating for opposition players. St Mirren, however, have won there in each of the last two seasons and the midfielder is confident they can secure another win and pick up their first three points of the new campaign.

"We've shown we can go to places such as Tynecastle, Parkhead or Ibrox and hold our own," he said. "We're not scared to go and play in arenas like that. We're all looking forward to it as it's a great place to go and play - the pitch is really close to the fans and it's always a great atmosphere.

We'll be looking to go there and take some points."

Taken from the Herald