Hearts players' pay: First team hailed as 'true professionals'

By Alan Pattullo
Published on Friday 16 December 2011 02:32

HEARTS players have been praised for their professionalism by the club's hierarchy after the latest late payment of wages issue was resolved yesterday.

However, director Sergejus Fedotovas' statement included an ominous sting in its tail when he warned that "no senior players that have value to this club will leave the club for free". In what can be interpreted as a further warning to the first-team squad, Fedotovas also assured the Hearts fans that "no player walkout will happen". This was in response to reports that the players might invoke Article 14 in Fifa's laws, which allows players to walk free from contracts "with due cause".

Late payment of wages falls into this category but the accepted time frame from test cases is 90 days. Hearts' latest non-payment of wages stretched to 29 days until November's salaries were paid into the players' accounts yesterday. October's wages were also heavily delayed.

Fedotovas acknowledged the trying times at the club but pointed to the financial issues currently engulfing Europe. "A very big part of Europe is in trouble now," he said. "Very many clubs do not pay their players' salaries for months. It is not an excuse; it is a consequence of economic reality."

He could offer no guarantee that December's wages, which are due to be paid into the players' accounts today, will arrive on time. Fedotovas could only say that the risk had been "minimised" after some funds had been raised to pay last month's tax and wage bill. But he praised the patience of the players, despite confirmation yesterday that PFA Scotland had been given written authority to act on their behalf.

A letter of complaint will be issued to the Scottish Premier League today if wages for December are not received by "the end of play". Fedotovas appeared to have the players' union in his sights when he applauded, possibly prematurely, those players who had resisted the lure of "outside influencers pretending they care about the players and the club and those who have little understanding of the economic reality of running a football business in the current climate".

He further praised the players by saluting their professionalism and suggesting they will be rewarded for their forbearance. "We are very appreciative of the players who made the overall well-being of the club a priority ahead of their own personal situations in what has been a pressurised period for everyone involved," said Fedotovas. "In fact this is the cleverest strategy to achieve a positive change of their careers – they are true professionals – it will not pass unnoticed and they have a great future."

He did, however, appear to caution the players against rocking the boat further following reports of legal action and planned walkouts. "I can assure the fans that we have the plan to normalise the business at the club and we also know the rules and regulations – no player walkout will happen," said Fedotovas. "This is pure sensationalist stories to grab your attention."

In a typically uncompromising and lengthy statement, one which carried more than a hint of input from majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov, Fedotovas railed against media hype and club hangers-on, although also included in the usual list of targets were solicitors, union representatives and notable figures with connections to Hearts.

Perceived enemies of the club were accused of harbouring a prejudice against Romanov, and were blamed for chasing him away. Hearts playing legend Gary Mackay, former chief executive Phil Anderton, former chairman George Foulkes and former managers Graham Rix and George Burley were among those charged with rabble-rousing by Fedotovas.

"Mr Romanov has been at Hearts for quite a while and apart from helping to sell Scottish papers, he has invested around £70 million in the club, kept the club at Tynecastle and prolonged its history for at least seven years," the director said. PFA Scotland and Hearts were at least singing from the same hymn sheet on one subject. Fraser Wishart, the PFA Scotland chief executive, yesterday criticised legal experts for commenting on the Hearts players' situation without any knowledge of their contractual position. Fedotovas, too, registered his distaste for solicitors who seek to "grab the limelight".

Paul McBride, the high-profile QC, has recently volunteered his services to help the Hearts players. "Many legal experts have been seen to give opinions on what the players should do and what the legal position is," said Wishart. "I think that the legal fraternity should be careful when offering such opinion from a distance and with little knowledge of the players' contractual position."

Taken from the Scotsman