Tell Paulo Sergio he is wanted at Hearts, urges Leslie Deans

By ALAN PATTULLO
Published on Monday 21 May 2012 22:33

FORMER Hearts chairman Leslie Deans has urged Vladimir Romanov and Paulo Sergio to sit down and resolve the impasse that could see the Scottish Cup winning manager’s spell at Tynecastle end after only eight months.

David Southern, the Hearts chief executive, earlier tonight expressed his hope that Sergio would stay on, and suggested there had been a breakdown in communication between the club and the Portuguese manager on the subject of a new contract.

“The club want to keep Paulo Sergio,” he said. “We hope he chooses to stay as the Heart of Midlothian manager, and we’ll find out in hopefully not too long a period.”

Deans, meanwhile, spoke to both Romanov and Sergio on Saturday, and despite the fact Romanov left Hampden ten minutes into the second half of the 5-1 victory over Hibernian, he detected a renewed enthusiasm for the club in the owner. Romanov missed the fifth goal, scored by Rudi Skacel, as he rushed to catch a flight to London, before heading on to Moscow for a business meeting.

Sergio, meanwhile, conveyed his frustration to reporters at the cup parade on Sunday at Tynecastle, where he explained that he had been given no indication as to whether or not the club wanted to retain his services ahead of next season.

“All he [Sergio] wants is an opportunity to sit down and secure his own future, and be allowed to plan for next season,” said Deans.

“When you have a diamond as we have in Paulo, you should be doing what you can to sort out his future.

“I spoke to Vladimir on Saturday and I also spoke to the manager on Saturday evening, and while I would not go into the detail of what were private conversations in both cases, I will say that Vladimir Romanov was as animated by Hearts’ success as I have ever seen him,” continued Deans.

“While it might be stretching a point to say his enthusiasm has been completely rekindled, he certainly had it reinforced to him [that there is] huge passion and interest in Hearts.

“He left approximately ten minutes into the second half. By that time he had seen Hearts go 4-1 ahead, and I think, like most of us, he knew the cup was won. He beamed at more than one of us as he left, gave the thumbs up, and then he was off.”

Now Deans wants Romanov to give Sergio the signal that he is wanted at Tynecastle, or, if that is not the case, then allow him to leave with his dignity intact.

As is stands, Sergio remains in the dark as to Romanov’s intentions. According to Deans, who was chairman when Hearts lifted the Scottish Cup in 1998, it is no way to treat a cup-winning hero.

“He [Romanov] is absolutely right to insist that Hearts operate financially in a manner that can be sustained, after all we have seen what is happening at Ibrox,” said Deans. “Equally, the manager has accepted it without complaint when he has seen people like Marian Kello, Ryan Stevenson and Eggert Jonsson disappear. He has accepted the fact that two heroes from Saturday, Ian Black and Rudi Skacel, have played their last game for Hearts. He has accepted it on an uncomplaining basis. He is not one of these managers who just wants a chairman to throw his cheque book at him all the time. The conversation between Vladimir and Paulo and perhaps an advisor needs to happen, and I believe can happen. Like all other Hearts fans, I would remain hopeful of a positive outcome.”

Taken from the Scotsman