Rudi Skacel and John Sutton to leave Hearts

By BARRY ANDERSON
Published on Friday 6 January 2012 12:00

HEARTS have advised striker John Sutton to leave Tynecastle on loan before the end of the month, with Rudi Skacel also on his way out of the Edinburgh club.

Although Sutton is keen to fight for a first-team place, he has reluctantly accepted that a loan move would guarantee regular football since he is out of favour with manager Paulo Sergio.

Preston North End are one of several English clubs interested in the 28-year-old alongside Kilmarnock, St Mirren and Dunfermline in the SPL. Aberdeen are also monitoring the situation.

Sutton was told during training at Riccarton yesterday that Hearts are keen for him to move on loan after receiving interest from a number of clubs. The Englishman signed a three-year contract upon his arrival at Hearts last summer but has been unable to establish himself since Sergio replaced Jim Jefferies as manager in August.

Skacel is due to discuss his future with club officials as his contract nears expiry, however the Evening News has learned he will not be offered an extension on his existing terms.

Crawley Town are keen to sign the Czech Republic internationalist but he is reluctant to play in League Two in England and is likely to reject any offer from the West Sussex club.

Both Sutton and Skacel contributed heavily to the New Year Edinburgh derby victory over Hibs on Monday, with Sutton setting up two goals and Skacel scoring one in the 3-1 win at Easter Road. However, both players now seem to have their days at Tynecastle numbered.

Meanwhile, Hearts defender Ryan McGowan has been offered a two-game suspension by the Scottish Football Association for violent conduct during the encounter with Hibs.

The Australian is to be punished for pushing his head into Ivan Sproule after being fouled by the Hibs winger. He has the right to appeal before 3pm today.

Vladimir Romanov, Hearts’ majority shareholder, yesterday posted another blistering attack on the media on the club website. He claimed he had not cheated anyone over delayed wages and again hinted at media conspiracy.

“I thought I had expressed myself clearly - I am selling the club and I am not going to give any more money away,” said Romanov. “It is pointless to support show business, not football. Hearts is now living out of its own budget.

“Everyone knew, including players, media and SPL that the wages are going to be paid as soon as the money was received for Eggert Jonsson, who was sold last year. But media still tried to create conspiracy plots about the team and managed to get a prompt and unwise decision from the SPL meeting, which the club asked it to postpone until next week in order to get opportunity to pay the wages.

“As such I have not cheated anyone. The monkeys tricked the SPL, fans and themselves and showed who is in charge of the football mafia. They will continue to cheat as this is their job.

“I am used to their lies. I remember when the fight started between two people at the end of one of our AGMs and all the cameras were there as they were expecting it. Later that episode was covered by all major stations as backdrop of the AGM, trying to portray the club as a mess.

“I feel sorry for the poor monkeys. Mowgli is asking to work for the publicity of the Old Firm, that’s why they have to lie and tell tall stories. But there is no future for Scottish football while these media monkeys are in charge. Not just for football, but for the whole country.

“When people tried to protest in the streets, media turned it into chaos, demonstrating masked instigators and hired gangsters in front of the cameras. I have nothing to prove. Seven years ago I proved that there was no football, but only show business.”

Taken from the Scotsman