VALDAS JOB IS ON LINE

HEARTS head coach Valdas Ivanauskas is on the brink of being sacked - despite steering the club to the biggest game in their history.

Ivanauskas and Tynecastle owner Vladimir Romanov were involved in a furious bust-up in Bosnia after Hearts had won through to the Champions League third-qualifying round by beating Siroki Brijeg 3-0 on aggregate.

Hard-to-please Romanov was left seething by his side's showing in the second leg 0-0 draw and blasted their preparations for the game.

Now Ivanauskas knows he could be out of a job unless the Jambos produce the goods against Celtic on Sunday and AEK Athens on Wednesday in the European tie that stands between them and a £6million European jackpot.

Last season ruthless Romanov sacked George Burley when Hearts were top of the league. Since then he's also dumped Graham Rix and appointed Ivanauskas.

But criticising the team's preparation and saying the side isn't ready for this season was a pre-planned slight on the coach's methods and an early warning to Ivanauskas he's living on borrowed time despite having won the Scottish Cup last season.

A club insider last night said:"Mr Romanov turned a positive, the aggregate win over Siroki, into a negative with his remarks.

"How can he criticise the preparation for this season when it was Romanov who had the players on a yacht in the south of France for three days for a bonding session?

"He could have said the result in Bosnia was better than the performance and left it at that but he put Valdas in his place instead."

Ivanauskas was a forlorn figure as the squad arrived in Edinburgh yesterday and it's believed he thinks he could be out of a job sooner rather than later. Hearts refused to comment last night.

Taken from the Daily Record