Banks revelation reveals desire, but Hearts rotting in Romanov's absence

So far so good. The attitude shown by Banks and his colleagues is commendable, and shows that at least a few of the players share the supporters' hunger for success.

But how much, if anything, can those players do? Can they achieve anything positive, or will their actions backfire on them?

Take a look back to the last time something similar happened at Hearts. Steven Pressley, Craig Gordon and Paul Hartley, dubbed 'The Riccarton Three', issued a public statement at the club's training quarters bemoaning certain practices at the club, foremost among them being a failure to select the team on merit. The trio's professionalism and desire for success was not in doubt. But instead of taking heed, Hearts' majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov decided to punish all three for disloyalty.

The punishment in itself was barely significant. The disciplinary hearing with Romanov's placeman Pedro Lopez must have been as scary as receiving a stern talking-to from a dead halibut, and the subsequent one-match omission or suspension was soon over and done with.

Of far greater importance, though, was the principal on which Romanov acted: his word was law. Even when it went against footballing sense. Even, that is, when it could be damaging his own economic interests – for teams generate more or less income according to how they are faring on the park.

Has anything changed at Hearts since then to suggest that Romanov has become more rational? Does he display a shrewder grasp of football than he did then?

Hardly. If anything, to the extent that it is possible to read anything into his erratic behaviour, Romanov now seems less willing or able to set Hearts back on the right track.

This, remember, is the man who said goodbye to George Burley when the team were top of the table, and jettisoned Graham Rix when second place was in doubt. That's how concerned he was then.

Now, far from aiming for that elusive Champions League spot, or a UEFA Cup place, or even for a respectable finish in the top six, Hearts have a far humbler target in their sights – safety from relegation. Is Romanov jumping up and down?

Well, yes, he is, for the benefit of the TV cameras on Lithuania's version of Strictly Come Dancing. If he is concerned about what's going on at Tynecastle, though, he's doing a good job of disguising it.

So when Banks and Berra and other good, honest pros have a go in the dressing-room at the slackers and shirkers, how much leverage can they possibly have? After all, the team is only selected with the say-so of Romanov. It's him who allows the under-performers to keep their places in the team, so can you really see any of them saying "You know, Steve, you're right. I'm ashamed of my lack of effort and I'm going to tell the coaches not to pick me for the team any more"?

And Stephen Frail, who shares coaching duties with Anatoly Korobochka and Angel Cerenkov, is in a similar position. He knows which players deserve to be picked; he knows what is for the good of the club; but he is frequently over-ruled.

We should, of course, get the scale of this latest crisis into perspective. With 20 points in the bag, Hearts only need to scrape together a few more decent results to free themselves from the spectre of relegation. There have been worse times, and worse teams, in the club's history.

But that is at best of scant consolation to supporters. Hearts have never been so well resourced as they are now, yet rarely, if ever, can they have been controlled by a group of men who care so little for the club.

The results may make a modest improvement over the next few weeks. But with Romanov in charge, the rot will remain.

TYNECASTLE SIDE 4-1 TO BE RELEGATED

HEARTS have been installed at odds of just 4-1 to be relegated from the SPL after the abject Boxing Day home loss to St Mirren. Assistant head coach Stevie Frail warned the club's under-performing stars they could be playing in the First Division next season after the dismal 1-0 defeat – and the bookmakers have agreed.

Hearts, a lowly tenth in the table after a run of one win in their past ten league matches, are trading as third favourites for the drop by online betting exchange Betfair. Only bottom-placed Gretna – odds-on for relegation – and Kilmarnock are a shorter price. The Tynecastle side, who were last relegated from the top flight under Bobby Moncur in 1981, were as short as 25-1 third favourites to lift the SPL crown prior to the start of the season. But now Hearts find themselves just a point ahead of St Mirren and ten clear of Gretna.

Taken from the Scotsman