Sacked Rix blamed for poor quality of Hearts players he didn't even sign

HEARTS are seeking their fifth head coach in two seasons following the sacking yesterday of Graham Rix after just 135 days in charge.

Described by club owner Vladimir Romanov as "a hero" less than four months ago, the former England midfielder has been sent packing 11 days before Hearts' Scottish Cup semi-final against Hibernian. Jim Duffy, named as director of football five weeks ago, has also been sacked.

Valdas Ivanauskas, a Lithuanian member of the backroom staff, has been appointed interim first-team coach until the end of the season and will be assisted by John McGlynn.

Roman Romanov, the Hearts chairman, said the reasons for sacking Rix were threefold: poor results, "inappropriate" January signings and disappointment at the leaking of allegations that Vladimir picked the team.

"Vladimir felt and the board felt that we couldn't wait any longer because it is a crucial part of the season," Romanov jnr said.

Steven Pressley, the Hearts captain, said the players were "bitterly disappointed" about Rix's sacking and pleaded with the board to bring some stability to a club which has endured a season of seemingly never-ending turbulence.

"He became a very popular manager," said Pressley. "Roman Romanov spoke to the squad this morning and explained that Mr [Vladimir] Romanov had not been entirely happy with results and he felt that change was required.

"I am bitterly disappointed for the manager because we formed a good relationship with him and we hope between now and end of the season that we can achieve Champions League football. We believe we can also achieve Scottish Cup success and we really wanted to deliver that for Graham."

Pressley added: "Mr Romanov has brought many positives to the club but one thing we do need is stability and I do hope, whoever is given the job in the future, that he has a period where he can gain that stability."

The news of their dismissal came as a complete surprise to Rix and Duffy who were both contracted until the end of the season. As recently as last Friday, Roman Romanov had stated publicly that their position would be reviewed in the summer. However, Rix was summoned to see the chairman yesterday at the training academy at Riccarton and told he was sacked with immediate effect.

"It was just before training, and we were already changed and ready to go," explained Duffy. "Graham had gone upstairs to see Roman and just thought they'd be going over one or two little things. I got a call to come up the stairs. I found out Graham was leaving, and then shortly after that I found I was leaving as well."

The pair said their farewells then Rix travelled to Tynecastle to collect his belongings and leave. His reign lasted just 19 matches. Of the 16 league games he took charge of, six were won, four lost and six drawn. It's a modest record and was cited by the chairman as the chief reason for his dismissal.

"It was a decision we felt we had to make after the Rangers game [a 1-1 draw on Saturday]," Roman Romanov told Hearts World. "The results lately have not been at the level we expect them to be. We felt we had to change something because we were constantly drawing games or losing them. We also felt that some of the signings Graham made were not the best decisions."

While Romanov junior thanked Rix for his efforts he claimed he was only appointed because the club could find nobody else.

"We didn't have anybody available and Graham came in," said the chairman. "I'd have to say he did a decent job, just not the job we expected. He tried hard but it just didn't happen."

While it is valid to highlight Rix's average record in terms of results, the claim that the coach is to blame for the January signings is disingenuous to say the least. Of the 11 players who arrived at the club during the window, only two - Lee Johnson and Chris Hackett - were genuine Rix signings. The other nine were identified via Romanov senior's scouting network and have made little impact, the most disappointing being Mirsad Beslija, a Bosnian international signed for a club record £850,000 but who has appeared only sporadically and to little effect. Others such as Ludek Straceny, Nerius Barasa and Juha Mikela have simply not troubled the first team.

Rix's appointment on a six-month contract in November 2005 was met with surprise and, in some quarters, hostility. He arrived with baggage, his 1999 conviction for under-age sex prompting some Hearts fans to protest at the appointment.

However, Rix received the full backing of the Romanovs, with Vladimir making an outspoken attack on the girl at the centre of the case, claiming she tricked the coach. "I cannot understand when a girl comes and tricks a hero such as this coach and says she's older than she is and then sells the story for hundreds of thousands," said Vladimir.

Rix's defence lawyers argued that the girl had lied about her age but the prosecution said the then Chelsea coach knew she was below the age of consent.

The conviction and Hearts' failure to note it properly on the official return document submitted to the SFA led to an inquiry by the governing body which has dragged on since November. Sources at Tynecastle said Rix's conviction and the SFA's inquiry had nothing to do with the decision to sack him. An official statement from Hearts, attributed to Romanov jnr, said: "We have been disappointed with the performance of the team. Results were not what they should have been.

"We also felt that some of the signings made in January were not appropriate for Hearts. In addition, the events which occurred in February when Hearts played Dundee United, including the way in which some information reached the public domain, were disappointing to us."

It was claimed Vladimir Romanov interfered in team selection for the match against United at Tannadice, prompting Pressley to seek a meeting with the owner.

Romanov jnr said yesterday that Rix should have suppressed the story. "It was the manager's job to keep something like that out of the public [domain]."

Hearts' fate this season now lies in the hands of Ivanauskas, a long-time lieutenant of the Romanov family. "We trust Valdas," said Romanov junior. "He has been in our football organisation for some time. And after talking to the players they've indicated they'll support him."

The chairman refused to rule out the possibility of Ivanauskas becoming the new director of football and hinted that this position could be filled before the season ends. It is unlikely a new coach will be appointed before the summer, however.

Ivanauskas urged the players to make the most of the remainder of the season. "We should not lose sight of the fact that we could have a great season, one of the best in Hearts' history," he said.

Taken from the Scotsman