'I aim to keep Hearts at the top'

VLADIMIR Romanov, Hearts' majority shareholder, yesterday vowed to keep the Tynecastle club at the forefront of Scottish football when he spoke at an official civic reception given by Edinburgh city council in honour of the side which won the Scottish Cup earlier this year.

After enduring a torrid few days in which his club was fined £10,000 by the Scottish Football Association for comments he made about referees, and head coach Valdas Ivanauskas was granted two weeks' sick leave, Romanov told a packed function at Edinburgh's city chambers that every football club needed "good health and good luck" in order to be successful.

The comment carried added resonance since Ivanauskas, who was in charge of Hearts' seventh Scottish Cup success, wasn't present at the celebration because of an unspecified illness. The coach is thought to be recuperating at a spa in Lithuania.

Speaking through an interpreter, Romanov admitted that he felt more nervous about addressing Edinburgh's Lord Provost, Lesley Hinds, and a roomful of councillors and dignitaries than he had done about winning the cup final against Gretna at Hampden. Romanov said that when he first came to Scotland and became involved with Hearts he didn't fully appreciate the importance of football in the community.

With time and experience, however, it was a passion he now understood better. In an aside aimed at the media, Romanov glanced towards the photographers in the room when he quipped: "I aim to keep Hearts at the top - in spite of you."

If the comment seemed in jest rather than spiteful, there was also an earlier, unintended moment of humour at Romanov's expense. Having presented Steven Pressley, the captain, with a framed certificate to mark the team's achievement, the Lord Provost also wanted to honour all the backroom people associated with Hearts in a separate presentation. Before Romanov, who is renowned for his hands-on approach regarding team selection, came forward to accept his certificate, she asked one of the city officers: "This one also says 'team', is that right?"

While other dramas have been gripping Romanov's clubs this week - Kaunas wrapped up the league championship in Lithuania with four games to spare - it was an indication of Romanov's appreciation of the civic honour bestowed on Hearts that the banker flew into Scotland in order to attend the council reception personally.

There was a full turn out of players and club officials as well as representatives from various Hearts supporters' associations. Eduard Malofeev, the vastly experienced Russian coach who has been appointed Hearts' caretaker manager until Ivanauskas' recovers, was also there.

When asked to speak before he went into the reception, Romanov lifted his finger to his lips in a gesture which suggested, for the moment, that he would be keeping his own counsel on more controversial matters.

Hearts have until next week to decide whether they wish to appeal against the SFA's fine, which is one of the most severe imposed by the game's governing body for criticism of its match officials. An individual charge against Romanov was deferred by the SFA because he was unable to attend Monday's meeting.

Although not wanting to pick out any of the Hearts players in a footballing capacity, Ms Hinds did pay a special tribute to Pressley, whom she highlighted as "a fantastic role model for a lot of young people in Edinburgh and beyond". The Lord Provost described the Hearts captain as "a really nice guy" as well as a fine player and outstanding ambassador for the club.

She also paid tribute to the club's supporters and reminded the handsomely remunerated players that some of them wouldn't be in such well paid jobs if it wasn't for the backing of thousands of loyal fans.

Taken from the Scotsman