Frustrations leave Laszlo unusually lost for words

Stuart Bathgate
CSABA Laszlo, the man they could not gag, came close to silencing himself yesterday after seeing his team lose 2-1 at home to Rangers in the SPL. Normally one of the most talkative of men, the Hearts manager verged on the taciturn when interviewed on television after the game, uncharacteristically declining to offer an opinion on several topics.
It had been a tough seven days for the Hungarian, beginning last Monday with defeat in the league opener at Tannadice, continuing with a 4-0 loss to Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League, and culminating in yesterday's result. On Friday he had made an impassioned plea in public for Hearts to give him the funds to buy a new striker, and admitted he would consider his future at Tynecastle if he did not get one.

Laszlo has seen many defeats before, of course, and lots which were less honourable than this one was for Hearts. But his normal reaction to them has been frustration – either at his own players' shortcomings or at perceived mistakes by the match officials. Yesterday this normally passionate man looked resigned, drained of energy by the trying situation in which he finds himself.

He was somewhat more forthcoming in the media conference which followed his TV appearance, but he still gave the impression of a man who does not have his troubles to seek. Convinced he did well by taking Hearts to third in the league in his first season in charge, he feels his hopes of building on that achievement are so far being jeopardised by the club's unwillingness or inability to sign an experienced striker.

"Everybody saw our problem," Laszlo said. "I think I must not talk all the time about what we need if the club have a target to move forward.

"Last season we reached a good position. This season we will definitely not be down playing against relegation, but our target is to keep the position that we have and at the moment if we like to do this, we must do something...

"It is possible to take a little bit of confidence back from the Zagreb game, but this is painful. This is painful for me. I like always to protect my team, but now something must happen. This was our third game in a week and for a young team that's not easy to handle."

The manager then went on to suggest that he might yet become reconciled to working with the squad he has, and that clarity from the club was essential.

"If we don't bring a striker, for example, we must look maybe to play football and build a new team," he added. "That is a nice thing to build a completely new team, but this must be a new definition also for me and the club. Between ambition and reality there is a big club."

Laszlo's problems have been worsened by the suspensions of Michael Stewart and Marius Zaliukas, and injuries to Laryea Kingston, Andy Driver and Calum Elliot. The last-named player was back in action for all of seven minutes yesterday before hurting a leg again, and it has yet to be determined how long he will be out of action this time.

Elliot was one of four strikers used by Laszlo in the match, with Christian Nade and David Witteveen starting. Gary Glen came on for Nade in the first half, much to the Frenchman's disgust, but Laszlo argued that Nade had not taken the opportunity he had been offered to redeem himself after a woeful performance in Zagreb.

"I gave Christian Nade the chance to show his better face. He was in danger of getting a second yellow card (Nade had been cautioned for a nudge in the air on David Weir] and my decision was to protect the player."

One of the subjects which Laszlo dealt with only briefly was the Kris Boyd penalty which won the match for Rangers. "I do not know – they gave it. If they give it, what can I do?

"You saw this and you must decide for yourselves," he said. "I don't talk about the referee's performance. If we talk negative about the situation it doesn't change anything."

Opinion largely divided on whether Ismael Bouzid had fouled Steven Naismith inside the penalty box or out. Laszlo is understood to believe that it was not a foul at all. Just before he left, he was asked if he believed he would get one or more players in before the window shuts. "I believe I will go home now and drink a glass of red wine," he replied. "Of the rest I don't talk."

Hearts play the second leg of their Europa League match against Dinamo Zagreb on Thursday night, and the Croatians were also in domestic league action yesterday. Dinamo, leaders of the top flight after a free-scoring and impressive start to the campaign, were held 0-0 at Zadar ahead of their trip to Tynecastle.

Taken from the Scotsman