Foulkes: Time to listen

FORMER Hearts chairman George Foulkes today urged Vladimir Romanov to listen to the club's supporters or risk losing out on future business investments in the Capital.

Romanov hopes to expand his already burgeoning business empire by opening a branch of Ukio Bankas in Edinburgh.

However, Foulkes says that if Romanov, who was the subject of supporters' protests on Sunday, continues to meddle in team selection then his popularity will plummet.

And that could have a costly effect on the Lithuanian banker's plans. Foulkes said: "I think that he should take account of what happened after the game on Sunday. If he doesn't and he goes in his own direction and is ultimately successful, then he will be proved right.

"But I think there are so many voices now, not just one or two of us crying in the wilderness, who are saying to him that there is a positive way forward and one which involves bringing the fans along with him.

"If he wants to hear his name being sung from the stands again - which he appeared to enjoy - and for the club to do well, he needs to take account of the fans' views. Whether he will listen or not is the $64,000 question, he certainly hasn't shown any inclination until maybe recently. There have been some signs that he realises his popularity has plummeted and that if he wants to be successful with this club or other business ventures in and around Edinburgh, he needs to bring people with him.

"He has got a very high opinion of himself, but people close to him have been trying to get the message over to him in recent weeks that he needs to take notice of other people's views - the players, fans and other people around the club."

Fresh doubts have emerged over whether Lithuanian Eugenijus Riabovas will take over as the club's latest caretaker coach but despite the uncertainty Foulkes says he doesn't regret bringing Romanov, pictured below, to Tynecastle.

Speaking at the launch of Believe!, a book which blows the lid off the roller-coaster of events at Tynecastle under Romanov, he added: "There was no other option, it was Hobson's choice at the time and you have to give him credit because he put money into the club, brought in some new players and things were going well.

"Subsequently we have seen a deterioration in the situation and what we need to do now is get over to him that the only way forward is through co-operation.

"Some people say he won't listen but I think that for the sake of the club, those of us who want the club to succeed, need to get that message over that we need to work together if we are going to get anywhere near the top of the table and challenging for honours again."

Former Hearts midfielder Gary Mackay doesn't want to see a return to the days of Chris Robinson when fans were protesting en masse outside Tynecastle in a bid to get him to resign. However, he admits Romanov will have to open some channel of communication with the supporters if the current issues are to be resolved. He said: "I don't like the fact that people were protesting outside Tynecastle on Sunday, I don't like the fact that players like Mikoliunas are being booed when they come onto the pitch. I thought his treatment was very harsh but what is happening is that people are trying to get through to the top man through one of the players that he brought to the club. There is going to have to be some form of communication to get this situation resolved.

"People are often more respected in life if they can come out, put their hands up and say, well, there have been some mistakes made.

"Let's hope that over the next few days that's exactly what happens now."

With John McGlynn quitting the club yesterday to take over as manager of Raith Rovers, Mackay says it is even more important to have united team among the management and backroom staff: "There has to be some form of stability at the club. Now that John McGlynn has gone there will be no English-speaking people on the first-team coaching staff and for me that then becomes a farcical situation.

"There was some talk that they were considering taking Craig Gordon off on Saturday because they believed he was in some way culpable for the goal. Now if that is the mentality of the people on the touchline then we have got real problems.

"The match programme on Sunday had a feature with Julija Goncaruk in it, talking about the new fashion range. There was a line in it saying that Hearts supporters are special people so they deserve a special range of clothing. That should have been 'Hearts supporters are special people so let's have a special relationship with them'. That's what we need to see now."

Taken from the Scotsman