Pressley says selection concerns still to be resolved

MATTERS at Hearts may not exactly have been resolved this past week, but they have at least calmed down since the extraordinary events of eight days ago, when Steven Pressley issued a statement implicitly criticising some of the actions of the club's majority shareholder, Vladimir Romanov.

The absence of Romanov on business may have helped but, more positively, the club captain has also been encouraged by the attitude of Eduard Malofeev, who has been acting as head coach since Valdas Ivanauskas headed home on sick leave. Yesterday, Pressley said that, while he still hoped to have a face-to-face discussion with Romanov about the issues raised by him and other senior players, Malofeev had specifically helped to tighten up the discipline at the club.

"Things have been very positive this week," Pressley said. "I think there has been a definite good spirit about the place this week.

"Eduardo [sic] has spoken very well this week. He's very thorough in his preparation, he's very much into discipline and good professionalism, and I don't think he'll stand for anything else. I've been very encouraged by that."

Although they have steadfastly refused to name names, Pressley and his colleagues have taken issue with, among other matters, the selection of the first team. The rotation of the first-team squad has baffled most Hearts supporters, with the only easily understood aspects of selection being the dislike that Romanov and possibly some of the coaches have for Julien Brellier, and their equally inexplicable desire to play the out-of-form Saulius Mikoliunas every week.

The arrival of Malofeev may not change that but, as he looked ahead to this afternoon's match at Celtic Park, Pressley added that the greater discipline imposed by the senior coach had had a beneficial effect. "That is key, because I think I made clear in the statement that there is only so much myself and a number of colleagues and coaching staff can do.

"It has to come from above, and it's very pleasing in that respect that it has. So I'm very hopeful.

"If there aren't proper values in place, then there is a feeling within the dressing-room...let me try and word this correctly...that you lose an element of fairness in terms of team selection and in terms of all of these aspects of it and that can demotivate players and make players feel that things are not for the correct reasons.

"The one thing that sorts all the problems out within our club is that proper values and principles are put in place. And make no mistake they're extremely important.

"What needs to be made clear as well is [that] we want to resolve the issue hand in hand with Mr Romanov and move the club forward. Because I don't feel we're a million miles away from being a successful club. I just think there's a number of issues that need to be resolved, and if they are sorted out - which I'm sure they will be - then he will turn this club into the success that he wants."

Taken from the Scotsman