Sombre mood at Riccarton again as Elvis is out in cold

THE mood at Hearts' Riccarton training ground returned to sombre today as Steven Pressley's suspension continues, with striker Edgaras Jankauskas conceding that the players are powerless to influence the decisions of Vladimir Romanov.

Dressing-room sources have confirmed the players' devastation at Pressley's enforced absence, after the club placed their captain on an indefinite suspension on Friday which may subsequently have legal ramifications.

The Scotland defender is not expected to return to Riccarton any time soon as he pays the price for speaking out against club management.

Jankauskas attempted to portray a show of solidarity in support of his captain, who was omitted from the Hearts team which drew 2-2 at St Mirren on Saturday, but the Lithuanian admitted that he and his colleagues hold no sway with majority shareholder Romanov.

"I don't think any player can call the president and say 'let's get this thing resolved'. Nobody can do that at any club," said Jankauskas. "We are all players so we do our job. I don't think we even have the right or the force to do that.

"We are pleased to see Valdas back. There is not any plot like has been reported and none of the Lithuanians are against any of the Scottish players. We have a good relationship with Steven. Of course, when you are together every day on the training ground and in the dressing room you can have different opinions on some things.

"That can be in games or in training, but I think I can consider Steven my friend. I don't know which of the players wants to leave or who wants to stay, but it's logical that all players want stability."

The Scottish Professional Footballers' Association secretary, Fraser Wishart, has offered full support to Pressley and anyone else at Tynecastle who is in conflict with club practices.

In a statement, Wishart said: "The SPFA condemns in the strongest of terms what it regards as the wholly unjustified treatment of Heart of Midlothian FC towards our member, Steven Pressley.

"The SPFA and its parent body, the GMB union, have long been concerned about the unorthodox managerial and employment practices of the club and the effects this has had on the personal and professional welfare of our members at the club.

"Steven Pressley has had and will continue to enjoy the full support and backing of the SPFA. We, along with our legal team, will offer Steven every assistance to enable him to seek redress via internal football procedures or other means."

Head coach Valdas Ivanauskas was out of the country over the weekend and had yet to return by this morning. It is thought he was in Germany. Ivanauskas held a telephone conversation with Romanov on Saturday evening following the result in Paisley.

The Lithuanian pair of Saulius Mikoliunas and Marius Zaliukas scored Hearts' goals as they salvaged a point having been 2-1 behind at half-time, and Romanov was briefed on his team's performance.

Taken from the Scotsman