FOULKES: HEARTS MUST MEND

By Ian Rodgers, PA Sport

Former Hearts chairman George Foulkes has urged majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov to show a "degree of compromise" to prevent the club from imploding.

Tynecastle captain Steven Pressley publicly declared the dissatisfaction of a number of players in a statement ahead of the Bank of Scotland Premier League visit of Dunfermline on Saturday.

Russian banker Romanov is alleged to have told the players they would be leaving the club if they did not defeat the Pars at Tynecastle, prompting Pressley's statement.

But Foulkes, who quit his position almost a year ago in the wake of the sacking of chief executive Phil Anderton, is confident the situation can be retrieved with a "degree of co-operation" from all parties.

Foulkes said: "I have a great respect for Steven Pressley.

"He is a highly intelligent and responsible person and he would not have made the statement he did lightly.

"The time is now for the people in charge at the club to realise the only way forward is a co-operative way with the owner, the management, the players and the fans working together and recognising that it involves some degree of compromise.

"And, just because you own the majority of shares in the club, it does not mean you can ride roughshod over the players and the fans."

Romanov was lauded as hero when he succeeded ex-chief executive Chris Robinson at the start of last year.

The Edinburgh club had a debt of around £20million and were on the verge of selling Tynecastle to become tenants of the Scottish Rugby Union at Murrayfield.

But Foulkes insists compromise is now the key to realigning the club.

Foulkes added: "Everyone at the club is really grateful to Romanov for the money he has put in, the commitment and the energy he has shown.

"But, equally, he should respect the commitment of the fans who now pack the stadium every week and the players, particularly the Scottish players, who work their guts out for the club.

"It is only if the atmosphere at the club is restored to some degree of peace and stability that we will achieve the ambitious targets he has has rightly set for the club."

Taken from sportinglife.com