PRESSLEY THANKS FANS

By Gavin McCafferty, PA Sport

Hearts skipper Steven Pressley admits he and his team-mates were boosted by a warm reception from the Tynecastle fans after the off-field turmoil which preceded the 1-1 draw with Dunfermline.

Pressley was given a special welcome before the Bank of Scotland Premier League clash at Tynecastle after revealing "significant unrest" within the dressing room over the running of the club.

Pressley said: "It was fantastic, not just for myself. I thought the supporters were terrific.

"Unfortunately we couldn't get the right result. We had the pressure to win the game.

"No disrespect to Dunfermline but we should be winning this sort of game.

"But I have to give Dunfermline credit, they have had a difficult week too."

The Hearts skipper was reluctant to go further into the details of his statement on behalf of certain players, refusing to say whether there is a split in the dressing room.

"I have made the statement and hopefully in the weeks ahead things will progress," he said.

Acting head coach Eduard Malofeev gave an impassioned defence of majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov.

Romanov has admitted having some input in team selection with former director of football Jim Duffy claiming Romanov enforced changes by fax from his Lithuanian home.

Malofeev, officially stepping in while Valdas Ivanauskas takes two weeks' sick leave, said through an interpreter: "I want to honestly tell you that Vladimir was never interfering in any football matters.

"I don't know where this idea comes from.

"I'm the manager, I make the decisions.

"I can take advice from people but my word is the last word.

"People who spread such gossip are showing their weakness."

Malofeev, who made just two changes but switched to a 3-4-3 formation, was content with his side's effort.

"If we take the result of course it's not the one we were expecting," he said.

"But as an experienced manager I was never worried about losing the game.

"The only thing I am afraid of is if there are passive players on the field.

"But they were all active today, playing for the team and the supporters."

Dunfermline caretaker boss Craig Robertson was disappointed his side could not claim all three points.

He said: "I'm not pleased, we came here to win.

"All right, Hearts had pressure but we had pressure too."

But Robertson, who stepped in after Jim Leishman reverted to his director of football role this week, was happy with his players' performance.

He said: "I asked the boys to give a performance of passion, work rate and football and they did.

"The guys showed great spirit to come back.

"We told them, whoever comes in, that is the standard they must reach every week."

The former Dunfermline player dismissed suggestions that comments from Romanov may have spurred his side on.

The Hearts chief reportedly told his players they would be sold if they did not beat the Pars.

"Nobody needed to wind them up today," Robertson said.

Taken from sportinglife.com