Hearts stand firm despite St Mirren plea for extra day

MIKE AITKEN
CSABA Laszlo, the manager of Hearts, has revealed the Tynecastle club's refusal to move back their SPL match against St Mirren next weekend by 24 hours was a decision taken for business reasons rather than one influenced by the football department.
Laszlo confirmed he'd spoken with Gus McPherson, the St Mirren manager, this week and told him he didn't have any problem with delaying the game.

However, the Hearts manager added that the decision wasn't his to make. Hearts rebuffed the approach because they chose not to inconvenience season ticket holders, corporate hospitality guests and sponsors at such short notice.

"This was not a decision from the technical team," said Laszlo. "It was a decision for the club and the board. From my side, I don't have any problem. I have a full understanding for (the view of] the St Mirren coach."

St Mirren put in a request for Hearts to switch dates from Saturday 21 February to Sunday 22 February after their Homecoming Scottish Cup replay against Motherwell was moved back to Thursday February 19 to accommodate satellite TV coverage.

Campbell Ogilvie, managing director of Hearts, said he had some sympathy for St Mirren's situation, but had to put the interests of his own customers first: "While we have taken a balanced view of this particular situation, it is not the first time such a scenario has occurred. However, after very careful consideration of all the related factors it was clear that it was not in the best interests of our supporters or our own club.

"While we are always keen to support fellow SPL member clubs, and we do have sympathy with St Mirren's situation, we do have to place our own season ticket holders and sponsors as our priority. We have also been selling match tickets for the game on the original Saturday date for a number of weeks now and we have sold a significant amount of hospitality for the Saturday game. There are also knock-on matchday operational costs that Hearts would have had to incur by moving the game to Sunday. We trust St Mirren will understand our position."

That seemed to be wishful thinking after St Mirren expressed their frustration at what they deemed a lack of co-operation from Hearts. Stewart Gilmour, the chairman of the Paisley club, said: "It's very disappointing that Hearts wouldn't agree to budge. However, I'm a great believer that every dog has its day. I hope someone will now go ahead and do to Hearts what they have done to us."

McPherson has called for a process which would take the uncertainty out of such scenarios in future. "Most clubs would do the decent thing in this situation, but if clubs aren't prepared to help each other then we need a rule change, if only to take the awkwardness out of it," he said.

"I'm sure Hearts will come out with the usual stuff about corporate hospitality and season ticket holders, but most clubs would have moved the game. It's not ideal for my players, but we have no option and just have to get on with it."

Laszlo, who celebrates his 45th birthday this week, has been quick to distance himself from speculation linking him with jobs at unnamed clubs in Greece and Turkey. While there can be few more conflicted positions in football management than the one at Tynecastle, the Hearts coach has executed the not inconsiderable trick this term of appeasing both the owner, Vladimir Romanov, and the Edinburgh club's supporters.

Making the point he has a track record of loyalty – he spent four years as a coach with Borussia Moenchengladbach as well as two-year spells with Ferencvaros, Hungary and Uganda – Laszlo shrugged off conjecture he was frustrated by Hearts' failure during the transfer window to strengthen a squad weakened by the sale of Christophe Berra to Wolves.

"I have a three-year contract, and, as I said before, I am very happy in the UK and especially at this club," he said. "If someone would like to take me out then they must talk to the board and owner. Besides, all interesting jobs were finished yesterday when (Guus] Hiddink signed the contract for Chelsea…

"I don't have any other interest to move. If Hearts are eighth or ninth in the league and we don't have scouts watching players like Berra then maybe people say: 'Who is this coach?' I concentrate only on the game against Aberdeen. I hope to stay for a long time to help this club. People say Csaba Laszlo likes to move a lot, but I don't."

Hearts are ready to give Eggert Jonsson a chance to establish himself alongside Christos Karipidis in a new partnership at centre-back during Marius Zaliukas' four match suspension, while Christian Nade will return from injury tomorrow at centre-forward against Aberdeen.

Taken from the Scotsman