Business before pleasure, as Romanov demonstrates some method to his madness

HEARTS supporters must have long since begun to feel like John Cleese in the film Clockwise. As his attempts to extricate himself from a series of increasingly desperate scenarios were dashed in ever more soul-destroying fashion, Cleese's character despaired that it was not the failure he couldn't stand, but the hope.

The omission of Craig Gordon and Paul Hartley from the line-up for the visit to Ibrox yesterday saw the Tynecastle club revert to type. As has all too often been the case since Vladimir Romanov's great Gorgie dictator routine kicked in 17 months ago, the absence of key personnel for a crucial confrontation served to remind of the Lithuanian's capacity for decisions that entirely disregard on-field concerns.

Yesterday may have been a little different. Head coach Valdas Ivanauskas said after his side's creditable 0-0 draw that the two Scotland internationalists were missing for "football business" reasons that "I can't speak a lot of words about". What he could have said is that the club are intent on selling the pair before the transfer window closes on Wednesday evening. Pressed on the matter, an increasingly agitated Ivanauskas mumbled "yes" to the question as to whether he wanted to play Gordon and Hartley, who only two weeks ago he was describing as pivotal players. "That was two weeks ago. Now it is two weeks later. The most important thing is the team," he said.

There was a certain irony in the fact that, without Gordon and Hartley, the supposed backbone the club want to remove for fiscal reasons, Hearts avoided defeat at Ibrox for the first time in almost three years. There was nothing particularly edifying or engaging about how they did so, but those who predicted they would simply capitulate did a disservice to the resolute nature of new captain Christophe Berra. He was Steven Pressley-like in his marshalling of the visitors' defence. Gordon replacement Steve Banks, meanwhile, had a couple of assured interventions and a couple of uncertain moments.

The real pity about Romanov's latest meddling in, and muddying of, team selection was what had gone before. Events in the early part of the week seemed to offer the Tynecastle faithful hope their club might just be in the mood to cast aside their ability to create a media frenzy through decisions made at senior management level. Of course, there was the column-centimetre munching controversy over Andrius Velicka's outrageous play-acting against Falkirk, but even Romanov's most one-eyed critics couldn't lay the blame for that on him. Some tried, mind you.

The only headlines the Lithuanian attracted until the Hearts squad prepared to drive along the M8 yesterday were - shock horror - favourable. These centred around an agreement being reach with Edinburgh City Council for the £6m land purchase necessary to redevelop Tynecastle and the on-loan signings of Ghanian Laryea Kingston and Georgian Gogita Gogua.

And the absence of Gordon and Hartley for an encounter against the team Hearts must topple if they are to earn the right to play in the Champions League qualifiers may not have been unrelated to the above developments. The figures have never added up where Hearts' income and expenditure have been concerned. That is truer now than ever, with the total cost of increasing the Tynecastle capacity to 26,000 with the construction of a new main stand quoted at anywhere between £10m and £15m.

To finance this project, Hearts must become a selling club. The decision to hold Gordon and Hartley in reserve yesterday may then have been taken so as not to put their prime assets at risk of value-reducing injury. There might also have been consideration given to the fact that the next destination for the Scotland midfielder may well be Ibrox. Hearts are understood to be ready to sell Hartley if a £1.25m bid is received.

The situation regarding Gordon could be more clear cut. It was reported yesterday that Fulham had tabled a £4m offer for the Scotland keeper, with Hearts believed to be willing to part with their most precious asset if the ante is upped to £5m.

The sale of Gordon and Hartley would not only remove Hearts' highest earners from the wage bill, but also wheedle out the remaining members of the 'Riccarton Three', the pair having gone public with the long-gone Steven Pressley over the "major unrest" caused by Romanov's autocratic ways. If any future Hearts players are of a mind to seek a swift escape from the club, they now have the template to follow.

Taken from the Scotsman