Pressley's stand against the Hearts hierarchy: right or wrong tactics?

HEARTS yesterday maintained their silence on the subject of Steven Pressley's future at the club with the skipper again absent from training at Riccarton yesterday.

The defender was told that his suspension remains in place and he would not be welcome at the club. It emerged that the latest controversy flared after a meeting Pressley had on Thursday with Pedro Lopez, the club's director of infrastructure.

Pressley was later told he had been suspended indefinitely by the club and did not travel with the team to their hotel outside Glasgow on Friday, prior to Saturday's 2-2 draw with St Mirren. The Scottish Professional Footballers' Association again refused to comment on the situation yesterday but have been in contact with Pressley, who signed a two-year contract extension with the option of a further year in March 2005.

No Hearts player who arrived at Riccarton yesterday was prepared to comment on the on-going stand-off between player and club, but former Tynecastle players Eamonn Bannon and Gary Mackay offered their contrasting views, below. After another weekend of unrest goalkeeper Craig Gordon has stressed his refusal of the armband after stand-in skipper Paul Hartley's red card against St Mirren should not be interpreted as a show of support for Pressley nor a snub to the club.

Gordon had joined Hartley in backing his skipper when he went public with their dissatisfaction at events behind the scenes. But while some had suggested his unwillingness to take the armband was another significant gesture, Gordon claimed he simply thought Robbie Neilson was the more deserving candidate to lead the team during the closing minutes. "There is no way that I would refuse the captaincy," said Gordon. "It had not been decided before the game that I was to be vice-captain. In previous seasons if either the captain or vice-captain was not playing then Robbie got the armband.

"I felt it was about showing him respect and that is why I said to Paul to 'give it to him'. He has also played more games than me and with that I just felt he was owed respect in that situation. This is not to say I would not want the Hearts captaincy - it would be an honour. If I had known it would cause a reaction I would have taken it but I felt I should show some respect to Robbie, nothing else."
RIGHT

GARY MACKAY: Former Hearts player

"WE HAD a carrot dangled in front of us when he was brought back at Inverness and then he was left out on Saturday again. There is mixed messages. It is not consistent.

"Steven's been in a meeting with [director of infrastructure] Pedro Lopez, and while Pedro is a good lad he has to understand football is an emotional environment, and not just as far as fans are concerned but also some players. Steven is one of them.

"I can imagine myself having done the same thing [as Steven]. John Robertson and I spoke out against the late Wallace Mercer [former Hearts chairman] when he parted company with Alex MacDonald [former Hearts manager]. In hindsight it was probably the wrong way to do it but Wallace handled this mini-revolt in a particular manner.

"John and myself simply did not agree with the way Wallace had handled the sacking, but that was it. Once it was done and dusted we then got on with our careers at Hearts, and played for a few more years afterwards.

"And I thought we had got it all over and done with after the Inverness game, when Steven was recalled to the team. The people who are now in the dark about things are the supporters. I feel for Steven and to a certain extent I feel for Vladimir Romanov. The situation would have been better getting sorted that same weekend. But just when everything seemed like it was all rosy in the garden again - Valdas was back, Steven's back - all hell breaks loose again.

"When myself and John spoke out it was all very off the cuff and very emotional. It was a human reaction to Alex MacDonald losing his position. But what Steven did was different in that he thought long and hard about it. I would say you deserve greater respect for having thought long and hard about it and then still say the things he did."
WRONG

EAMONN BANNON: Former Hearts player

"IT WASN'T the long ago that if you signed a contract at 16 years old then you were there until the day you died if the club wanted. But what people don't realise is how oppressive contracts can be now.

"If the club wants to play hardball then it is quite easy for them to do so, especially after Steven Pressley's comments. It was unprecedented for a player to come out and criticise the way the club is being run. That will put you in bother with the club if the club wants you to be in bother.

"I don't know what he was trying to achieve - I would love to ask him. He was speaking out about an owner and how what he is doing is a total nonsense but I don't see how going public would change it one iota. He's only effectively making it plain to the punters that he's not happy. The bottom line is that it's not really his call. He's an employee, not the employer.

"If Romanov wanted he could tell Steven Pressley to train on the top of Arthur's Seat at 10pm or tell him to be in at 6am at Tynecastle tomorrow morning to run round the track on his own. Players' contracts are tightly worded in terms of criticism against the club. I wouldn't have advised him to go public no matter what was happening because I just don't see what he was trying to achieve.

"Football is notoriously cruel. Once you are out of the limelight you might as well be in Siberia. It's happened with better players than Steven Pressley. The club simply rolls on, and the crowd soon forgets you. No player is bigger than the club. Eventually the punters forget and cheer the team each Saturday.

"I am sure Steven has reasons for his disquiet and disgust but the reality is he's getting paid well by the club and he has to be very careful. We'll find out in January if things have reached the point of no return, and Hearts try and off-load him. Romanov is playing hardball. He is saying: 'I'm in charge. You're a player so shut up.' And he can do that if he wishes."

Taken from the Scotsman