Hold out the olive branch, Vlad - Foulkes

FORMER Hearts chairman George Foulkes insisted today Vladimir Romanov could still achieve his grand plans for the club - but only if he offers an olive branch to his disgruntled players.

Club captain Steven Pressley and fellow Scotland internationalists Paul Hartley and Craig Gordon yesterday issued a statement to the press revealing that it has become an "impossible task" to maintain a winning side due to the turmoil the club regularly finds itself in.

The announcement is understood to have been in response to Romanov's threat to sell the players to "Kilmarnock or whatever club will take them" unless they defeat Dunfermline this afternoon.

Pressley, flanked by his two team-mates, admitted there was now "significant unrest within the dressing room" due to the constant managerial upheaval over the past year and the increasingly erratic team selections that have seen the Jambos make an incredible 59 changes in just 11 matches.

But while Foulkes conceded that yesterday's events had been "astonishing" he believes the club can still prosper. "Now is the time to be conciliatory and to work together," said Foulkes, who was due to fly to Edinburgh from London for today's match.

"With Romanov's leadership, the team that we've got and the fans that are turning up in their droves to every game we can do well.

"I've seen Mr Romanov be very positive and that side of him needs to come out again. The onus is on him to offer an olive branch and get this sorted out. It's crazy to be doing anything that threatens the club like this."

And Foulkes revealed that Pressley and his colleagues must have been at near breaking point to take such a drastic course of action.

"I know Steven Pressley very well and I used to speak to him every week when I was chairman and he won't have taken this action lightly," stressed Foulkes.

"These guys, led by Pressley and John McGlynn and Steven Frail as well, have kept the club going through traumatic times when Robertson, Burley and Rix were all sacked.

"I think all fans will be saying to Vladimir 'think again'. He's put a lot of money into Hearts which people are thankful for and respect but that shouldn't allow you to ride rough shod over the players and the fans."

Taken from the Scotsman