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| <-Page | <-Team | Sat 02 Dec 2006 St Mirren 2 Hearts 2 | Team-> | Page-> |
| <-Srce | <-Type | Herald ------ Players | Type-> | Srce-> |
| Valdas Ivanauskas | <-auth | DARRYL BROADFOOT | auth-> | Charlie Richmond |
| 57 | of 062 | Saulius Mikoliunas 1 ;Marius Zaliukas 51 Stewart Kean 19 ;Stewart Kean 21 | L SPL | A |
If Pressley goes, 'more will follow'DARRYL BROADFOOT December 05 2006 Gary Mackay has warned the uncertainty surrounding Steven Pressley's future could have serious implications for the other members of the Riccarton Three – Craig Gordon and Paul Hartley. Yesterday, the man who made a record 640 appearances for the club issued a now familiar plea on behalf of the disgruntled Tynecastle following. The expected statement that Valdas Ivanauskas, the head coach, assured would explain the reasons for Pressley's omission from the 2-2 draw against St Mirren failed to materialise last night and it was left to Mackay to reiterate his call for transparency from Vladimir Romanov, the Hearts owner, as the club's media office fell silent. Pressley's case is now in the hands of the Scottish Professional Footballers' Association and the GMB union. The 33-year-old was omitted from the squad to face St Mirren after a clear-the-air meeting with Pedro Lopez, the director of infrastructure, ended in acrimony. He had only just returned to the starting line-up for the 0-0 draw against Inverness Caledonian Thistle after his public criticism of Romanov's management style, where he was flanked by Gordon and Hartley at a press conference at the club's training ground. Mackay now fears the situation with Pressley is beyond repair and expressed his concern that others may opt to escape the pantomime if Pressley, who has been linked with a move to Dundee United, were to leave. "I think the way things are going now, the implications for the playing side are not just for one person," said Mackay. "The instability will affect a number of senior players and, again, we find ourselves in a really fragile situation. "There has to be a better working relationship between football people and non-football people at the club. If somebody were to ask Valdas if he would rather have Steven available or not the answer would be 'yes'. If you asked 100 people, 99 would say the same." Mackay was hopeful the return of Ivanauskas after a stress-related sabbatical would have restored a semblance of stability to a club riven by internal politics but even the Lithuanian's promise of unity has proven shallow less than a week since his return. "I did not think the situation was beyond repair a week ago and then a week later the concern is there again. The question is: can it turn round as quickly again?" he said. "From a personal point of view, what baffled me was that after Inverness we seemed to be restoring a sense of normality, then Steven goes into a discussion with Pedro Lopez and things go pear-shaped again. "People have to realise how deep-rooted the supporters affections are and that includes Vladimir Romanov. If he doesn't already, he will have to real soon."  Taken from the Herald |
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