PRESSLEY SHOOK UP BY HEARTS REGIME

Hearts majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov is facing a mutiny after captain Steven Pressley declared the players' dissatisfaction with the Tynecastle regime - a move now backed by Scottish Professional Footballers' Association.

A year has passed since the Russian businessman stunned Scottish football by parting company with manager George Burley before the match against Dunfermline.

The same opposition visit Tynecastle on Saturday on the back of skipper Pressley revealing "significant unrest" within the dressing room.

Flanked by goalkeeper Craig Gordon and midfielder Paul Hartley, the Scotland defender issued a terse statement outlining the deep rift between the players and the Tynecastle hierarchy.

Hearts head coach Valdas Ivanauskas stepped down for a fortnight earlier this week due to ill health.

But Pressley, 33, insists the temporary departure of the Lithuanian was "incidental" to the problems behind the scenes.

Football consultant Eduard Malofeev will take charge of the team for the visit of the Pars.

Pressley said: "This is a statement on behalf of a number of the players.

"This statement is no reflection on Eduard, who, from my initial impressions, seems a very honest and diligent man.

"I would like to wish Valdas a speedy recovery, but whether he returns or not is almost incidental in relation to the problems associated with this football club.

"I have tried along with the coaching staff and certain colleagues to implement the correct values and disciplines, but it has become an impossible task.

"There is only so much a coaching staff, a captain and certain colleagues can do without the full backing, direction and coherence of the manager and those running the football club.

"While, publicly, I have expressed the need for unity behind the scenes, I have made my concerns abundantly clear.

"The last two years have been very testing for the players.

"Together, we have faced a number of challenges and worked hard at retaining some degree of unity.

"However, due to the circumstances, morale, understandably, is not good and there is significant unrest within the dressing room."

Romanov refused to comment at the club's training academy, but his response will be required after the players effectively called a state of emergency at Tynecastle.

The Russian took a controlling interest at Hearts in February 2005 but, after offering then head coach John Robertson a 'lesser' role under a new head coach, the former Hearts striker quit.

Former Derby and Ipswich boss George Burley was appointed as manager on June 30 and, despite limited time to assemble his squad, guided the team to eight straight wins in the Bank of Scotland Premier League.

Ahead of the game against Dunfermline on October 22 last year, Burley parted company with Hearts, citing "irreconcilable differences" with the board as reports claimed Romanov was interfering with team selection.

Graham Rix was handed the role of head coach but, in February this year, Pressley led a delegation of players to meet with Romanov over claims the former Arsenal midfielder was not selecting the team.

The meeting passed off with all parties claiming unity, but the following month Rix was sacked despite leading the team to the Tennent's Scottish Cup semi-finals.

Ivanauskas took over in an interim capacity and claimed the Scottish Cup and a Champions League qualifying berth for the Jambos with a second-place finish in the SPL.

But, after exiting the Champions League and the UEFA Cup this season, the former FBK Kaunas boss stepped down for two weeks due to health reasons.

Malofeev has taken over in a caretaker capacity but now the players have publicly voiced their dissatisfaction with the Romanov regime.

And now SPFA secretary Fraser Wishart has praised the Hearts squad for maintaining their professionalism under the "difficult circumstances" - amid reports Romanov warned the players they would be sold if they did not defeat the Pars.

Wishart said: "Over the last couple of years the professionalism, conduct and commitment to Heart of Midlothian FC by the players has been exemplary.

"Under difficult circumstances, they have managed to continue to be successful on the field of play.

"As all those involved in football know, the relationship between the head coach and the players has always, and will continue to be, the most important at a football club.

"It is clear, however, following recent events the players feel that stability at the club and a clear strategy with regard to the way forward at the club is now necessary."

Taken from sportinglife.com