Romanov starts purge

Vladimir Romanov has accused Steven Pressley of betrayal as he prepares to sacrifice the remaining members of the Riccarton Three.

Pressley's contract was terminated after he publicly criticised the Russian-born owner's interference in team affairs and revealed "significant unrest" within the dressing room. With only three days of the transfer window left, Paul Hartley and Craig Gordon are almost certain to leave after the club actively promoted their sales.

West Ham United have emerged as the favourites to sign Gordon and are prepared to meet Romanov's £4m valuation but face competition from Fulham, Bayern Munich and Arsenal.

Rangers are expected to conclude the £1.25m transfer of Hartley today, with Thomas Buffel likely to depart after opening talks over a possible move to Hannover in Germany.

The Bundesliga club have offered e2m (£1.31m) and, while the Belgian is reluctant to leave Scotland, he has been told by Walter Smith that he is not in his first-team plans. Rangers are also believed to have upped their interest in Hibs' Scott Brown.

Astonishingly, the Hearts head coach, Valdas Ivanauskas, issued a statement on the club's website on Friday night, ahead of an important league match against Rangers, confirming interest in Hartley, Gordon, Robbie Neilson, Michal Pospisil and Julien Brellier. It proved a precursor to the pawning off of the club's biggest assets. Ivanauskas again finds himself compromised and attributed the absence of Gordon and Hartley from Saturday's 0-0 draw at Ibrox to "football politics and football business".

In a well-timed broadside in a Belorussian sports magazine, "Pressball", Romanov accused Pressley of deliberately engineering a move to Celtic by speaking out against him and felt the former captain would have "destroyed" Hearts had he remained.

"There was no conflict whatsoever, there was a banal betrayal," he said of Pressley. "That's the thing with players. Once they have achieved their goals, you need to sell them. If you let someone like that stay with the team, he will destroy it and take players with him.

"Players sold themselves for the striped shirts they were promised but there were issues that were impossible to resolve. It was harming Valdas Ivanauskas' health."

Romanov once again blamed outside forces for the latest upheaval at Tynecastle and, bizarrely, also hinted that Gordon and Hartley were dropped at the weekend for not giving their best against the Old Firm.

"It was impossible to resolve the situation unless we removed players who did not want to face Celtic, Rangers or other teams," he said.

"In Scotland, we are having to fight not in the sporting sense, but against constant intrigues. Hearts are ahead of schedule in their development plan but non-football issues need put right. They are created by our rivals, who, together with the press, systematically accuse us of all kinds of non-existent sins."

David Weir made his home debut for Rangers against his former team on Saturday and expressed sadness at the break-up of a Hearts side that had threatened the Old Firm duopoly. The 36-year-old offered a glowing tribute of his international colleagues, Gordon and Hartley, and believes Hearts weakened themselves by leaving both out of Saturday's squad.

"I feel sorry for the Hearts fans and the Hearts players, because they want to see the best players on the pitch, and Paul and Craig are probably the two best at the club, yet they didn't play," said the defender.

"The fans pay good money to be entertained and see the best players on show, and they don't play. It's strange.

"It is not for me to be judge and jury but from a player's standpoint it's difficult seeing players leaving and not getting on the pitch. I am sure he knows what will be right for him."

Their uncertain club futures could impact on Scotland's qualification for Euro 2008 unless the situation is resolved in this window. Regardless of where they will play their football, Weir is confident that Alex McLeish will be supportive of the situation. From past experience at Everton, he also believes international football can overcome domestic disappointment.

"Sometimes Scotland can help you in that situation," he said. "It did for me when I was out of the Everton team at the start of the season. I am sure Craig and Paul will still be in the side and the team when we play, and if things aren't going well at club level, Scotland can be a silver lining."

With Hartley almost certain to join him at Ibrox, Weir spoke highly of a playmaker at the peak of his power: "Paul is top notch and has the lot. There is nothing to stop him being ready for things to come. He is at that standard where he can play at any level he wants to."

By DARRYL BROADFOOT, Chief Football Writer

Taken from the Herald