IF I'M SOLD I'D PREFER TO GO TO KILLIE ... IT'S CLOSER TO MY HOUSE

GORGIE rebel Paul Hartley admits he fears for his future at Hearts under Vladimir Romanov.

But the Scotland midfielder has no regrets about standing with Steven Pressley and Craig Gordon against their controversial club owner.

The Lithuanian tycoon, who returned home yesterday morning, threatened to sell his whole team to Dunfermline or Kilmarnock if they failed to defeat the Pars on Saturday.

His ultimatum on Friday morning was followed by a statement from the players, written well in advance, which called for an end to Romanov's interference in team affairs.

Hartley insists Romanov was not joking when he told his players to win against Dunfermline or else.

He said: "It's very serious if he is going to make these statements. There's not a lot we can do. He got his point across and he will stick by it.

"I'd like to stay here but at the end of the day it might not be up to me.

"He said these points and it's up to him how he feels. Obviously, we are under pressure to win week in, week out anyway. If he feels that wasn't good enough for him, then fair enough.

"What he said raised a few eyebrows. Certain players are not happy with it but he has the right to say what he did.

"I'm not sure what will happen now and if the team will stay together. I hope it does but it won't be our decision. If I'm sold I'd prefer to go to Kilmarnock as it's closer to my house."

Hartley has turned to gallows humour to cope with the demands of working for Romanov, who returned home without meeting any of his top-team stars for showdown talks.

Hearts hope for breathing space this week ahead of next week's visit to Celtic as Hartley insists the players were right to speak out against the way the club is being run. He said: "We didn't know Mr Romanov was coming to meet the players on Friday morning - the statement was always going out. It wasn't something we wrote in five minutes.

"Over the last couple of days we have discussed certain things and felt we had to get our point across about certain things we were unhappy about. It had to be done.

"We discussed it a lot of thought went into it. We knew the circumstances. We adopted our position and we'll stick by it. I think we got our point across in the statement.

"I don't know about other players but I've felt a certain frustration for a long time.

"We want stability at the club and it's not a good thing changing managers all the time. You also need a group of players who are pulling in the same direction.

"We're here to win games. We want to win silverware and if we have our best team week in and week out we will do that, or have a good chance. We've proved we are a team that can go places. We have good players and we can do something. Hopefully we can get back to trying to win football matches, which is the most important thing for the club."

Incredibly, in a lively interview after the Pars game, acting head coach Eduard Malofeev insisted Romanov has no say in team affairs.

Malofeev, already the most animated coach in the SPL, said: "I talk to Vladimir but I'm the coach and I make the decisions. I speak to the assistant coaches but the last word on team selection is mine.

"Honestly, I'm surprised to hear such kinds of questions.

"I respect Vladimir Romanov as the owner of the club and the man who pays the salaries but that's it, end of story.

"It's a good player who worries about himself and his team-mates and only natural when he states his opinions.

"We all have different tastes and sometimes it just takes a longer time for everyone to get to know each other."

Taken from the Daily Record