No fears for Hearts winger Arvydas Novikovas over absent Vladimir Romanov

KAUNUS-based business tycoon has increasingly become an absentee owner and trips to watch the Jambos in the SPL are now few and far between.

LITHUANIAN winger Arvydas Novikovas insists Vladimir Romanov is still happy at Hearts.

The Kaunus-based business tycoon has increasingly become an absentee owner and trips to watch the Jambos in the SPL are now few and far between.

Fears over Romanov’s commitment to the club increased again this week when six of the top earning players and two members of the coaching staff, including boss John McGlynn, experienced delays in the payment of their wages.

Hearts blamed it on a wait for broadcasting revenues from the SPL and their recent Europa League clash against Liverpool, with the salaries being settled on Thursday.

Novikovas says the atmosphere around the club’s training ground at Riccarton is good and maintains Romanov is still content with his Gorgie project, especially with his move into politics and basketball going so well.

He said: “Mr Romanov owns his big basketball club, who are winning titles, and that’s good for him – and us – as it means he’s happy.

“He watched the game against Liverpool and talked to the players and he was very happy with all of us – and I think he was happy before the Liverpool game as well.

“He doesn’t come to Scotland so often these days and maybe it’s because of his involvement with his big basketball club and also politics, but the last time I saw him at Liverpool he was very happy with the way we played.

“I was paid this week and the atmosphere has been the same as always around the club, we don’t speak so much about wages. It was only a delay of a few days. If the players had gone a month without wages it would be a problem, but it was only a few days.”

Novikovas is finally threatening to become a first-team regular at Hearts, three years after joining the club and after a loan spell at St Johnstone – but he knows he must prove his worth in his last year of his contract.

He has also become a mainstay in his national team, now coached by former Jambos boss Csaba Laszlo, and featured in the recent World Cup qualifiers against Slovakia and Greece.

He added: “I’m quite happy. The gaffer has given me a chance to play and
I’ve taken it. I want to become a regular player this year but I must assist in creating chances for my team-mates.

“Of course, this season is especially important as it’s my last year of contract. I definitely won’t return to Lithuania as the standard of domestic football there is very bad. Maybe I’ll get a new contract here or leave and go somewhere else.”

His immediate aim is to help Hearts to their first win at Tannadice in three years this afternoon and stop their recent slide in results.

The Jambos have won only once this season, against St Johnstone on the opening day of the season, and have found the back of the net only once in their last five matches.

Novikovas knows the rut won’t be tolerated by fans for much longer and said: “We will do our best to change our recent record against Dundee United.

“We haven’t won there in three years and we must do our best because we need to start scoring goals and taking some points.

“It is also important for me to start scoring goals and creating chances for my team-mates.”

Taken from the Daily Record