We've seen the last of Christian Nade in a Hearts shirt, and while the Jambos are by and large glad to get rid, boy are we gonna miss him.
Nade spent three years in Scottish football, and was laughed at by fans and derided in the press for much of that time. But in so many ways, the big man sums up the current state of Scottish football in 2010.
His arrival from Sheffield United in summer 2007 was yet another example of the insanity of the Hearts regime. Vladimir Romanov sanctioned a transfee fee of £500,000 and a weekly wage of around £10k a week - and it quickly transpired that, yet again, another big-money signing had gone badly wrong.
(If you think only Hearts are prone to this kind of folly, just remember the £2m Celtic blew on Robbie Keane this season to achieve absolutely sweet fuck all.)
Frequently injured, when Nade did play he looked desperately unfit - he may be French, but he's the very embodiment of Scotland's attitude towards exercise.
According to Sky, his manager at the Blades, Neil Warnock, expressed an interest in taking him back to Crystal Palace in 2008 - but for whatever reason, that transfer didn't happen, and Nade stayed at Tynecastle for the duration of his contract.
Unsettled and unhappy (and rumoured to be seeking solace in online, er, chat), Nade entered this season a mess, but at a press conference in October claimed to be putting his problems behind him.
Note that even the BBC can't resist a pun about the man's weight. And note also that Nade comes across as a genuinely open and likeable guy.
There was even, despite his miserable lack of goals (he scored 10 in total for Hearts in three years), talk of a new contract.
Because here's the other thing about Christian Nade - out-of-shape and unfashionable he may be, but, like Scottish football itself, he's nowhere near as bad as his biggest critics make out. He's got genuine technical ability, and a game awareness that enables him to hold the ball up and bring team mates into play. There were some signs that, after Csaba Laszlo's deathly dull rigidity, more positive tactics might bring the best out of him.
Sadly, though, those personality frailities caught up with him once again. Getting sent off against Rangers on 23 January didn't help his cause, but then after playing Celtic, he got into an argument with Ian Black and did what many right-thinking people would do - he punched the little tosser.
The Hearts hierachy then suspended him, and then told him he had no future at the club.
He provided more copy for the papers a few days later, after arranging to play a five-a-side match with some random punters through Facebook. It seemed he was just lonely and wanted some company.
Nade claims that he did in fact sign a new contract before the argument with Ian Black, but the fact that he does not have a signed copy is unlikely to help his case. However, he has certainly helped to shine a little more light on the bizarre way Hearts is run. Although initially reluctant to sign, he claims he didn't want to say so because the club would just drop him, as they did Jose Goncalves.
So what next for our hero? He's still only in his mid-20s, so should have many more years ahead of him as a professional player. But he would need to sort his head out, and become a dedicated athlete - and Scotland probably isn't the place to do that. He also seems to be someone who needs an arm put around him, so he can feel secure and confident. At Hearts the players simply don't get that.
Whatever happens, we wish him all the best. Scottish football is going to be a slightly duller place without him
Showing posts with label vladimir romanov. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vladimir romanov. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Hearts all at sea
Now that Jim Jefferies, at the fourth time of asking, has a victory under his belt, perhaps now is the time to ask some gentle questions about his return to Hearts.
Such as... having failed to sign a striker in January, can he really afford to leave Nade out in the cold for the rest of the season? Following alleged changing-room fisticuffs between the burly striker and Ian Black, the word is that he's been fined and kicked out of the first team picture. With his contract up at the end of the season, we could have seen the last of the big guy.
Meanwhile, the Jose Goncalves stand off continues: the "fantastic" offer is still on the table, but unless Jose signs an extension to his current deal (which also runs out in the summer), he's not going to get a game either.
Having been forced into adopting this decision by his paymaster, Jefferies has since been tying himself in knots trying to justify it. Which he can't, of course, because it makes no sense.
Hearts lost the League Cup semi-final without their best defender, and are now paying north of £10,000 a week for Goncalves not to play. A bit like Nade, then.
The new offer - rumoured to be worth even more money - also makes no sense for a club which is supposed to be following a new, more prudent strategy. It takes them right back to the maddest days, when Vladimir Romanov was signing supposedly coveted players on huge contracts over his manager's head, and then watching as they failed to recoup that "investment".
Meanwhile, the club bobs between the top and bottom half of the table, never sure if this is merely a very disappointing season or a disastrous one.
Hearts are the laughing stock of Scottish football (as Scotsman writer Tom English pointed out in this tongue-in-cheek piece) but the Jambos don't find it very funny.
You suspect that, in his quieter moments, Jefferies looks even grumpier than he does when facing the media.
Such as... having failed to sign a striker in January, can he really afford to leave Nade out in the cold for the rest of the season? Following alleged changing-room fisticuffs between the burly striker and Ian Black, the word is that he's been fined and kicked out of the first team picture. With his contract up at the end of the season, we could have seen the last of the big guy.
Meanwhile, the Jose Goncalves stand off continues: the "fantastic" offer is still on the table, but unless Jose signs an extension to his current deal (which also runs out in the summer), he's not going to get a game either.
Having been forced into adopting this decision by his paymaster, Jefferies has since been tying himself in knots trying to justify it. Which he can't, of course, because it makes no sense.
Hearts lost the League Cup semi-final without their best defender, and are now paying north of £10,000 a week for Goncalves not to play. A bit like Nade, then.
The new offer - rumoured to be worth even more money - also makes no sense for a club which is supposed to be following a new, more prudent strategy. It takes them right back to the maddest days, when Vladimir Romanov was signing supposedly coveted players on huge contracts over his manager's head, and then watching as they failed to recoup that "investment".
Meanwhile, the club bobs between the top and bottom half of the table, never sure if this is merely a very disappointing season or a disastrous one.
Hearts are the laughing stock of Scottish football (as Scotsman writer Tom English pointed out in this tongue-in-cheek piece) but the Jambos don't find it very funny.
You suspect that, in his quieter moments, Jefferies looks even grumpier than he does when facing the media.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Will the Jambos stand up and be counted this weekend?
Apparently, Hearts' Supreme Leader is in town this weekend for their match against Dundee Utd (a match, remember, that Csaba Laszlo has described as a "must win" fixture).
Given how irregularly Vladimir Romanov bothers to turn up in Edinburgh these days, his appearance offers a rare opportunity to the supporters to vent their frustrations. There are more questions than answers at Hearts, with millions having disappeared into dubious player acquisitions, the stadium rebuilding project now derailed, and the club being buffeted by rumours of financial problems.
Will the supporters take this chance to protest? It could be a very interesting afternoon.
EDIT (Saturday): Ouch, did we scare him off?
Mister Romanov didn't show up at Hearts v Arabs (decent point for the Jambos, by the way). Apparently, he was never going to. Instead, he was taking an "opportunity to find out how the "stukachi" on me in Scotland operate"... "stukachi" meaning secret informer.
The man is mental.
Given how irregularly Vladimir Romanov bothers to turn up in Edinburgh these days, his appearance offers a rare opportunity to the supporters to vent their frustrations. There are more questions than answers at Hearts, with millions having disappeared into dubious player acquisitions, the stadium rebuilding project now derailed, and the club being buffeted by rumours of financial problems.
Will the supporters take this chance to protest? It could be a very interesting afternoon.
EDIT (Saturday): Ouch, did we scare him off?
Mister Romanov didn't show up at Hearts v Arabs (decent point for the Jambos, by the way). Apparently, he was never going to. Instead, he was taking an "opportunity to find out how the "stukachi" on me in Scotland operate"... "stukachi" meaning secret informer.
The man is mental.
Monday, December 07, 2009
Hearts hog the headlines, but Hibs might be the season's real story
After last week's (lucky) win over Kilmarnock, Hearts had a chance to get their season up and running away at Hamilton on Sunday. It didn't go well.
Highlights of the match show that, even though Hearts should have been awarded a late penalty, they did not deserve anything from the game. Silly Mikey Stewart lost the plot again, and a post-match fracas in the tunnel led to two more red cards for Ian Black and Suso Santana.
It's all symptomatic of a club lacking direction and leadership, with rumours swirling about financial problems for months (bright spark Gary Mackay has only just found out, however). Vladimir Romanov's regime has been an unmitigated disaster, but as long as the fans continue to be so apathetic in response, nothing will change. (Here's a neat summary of the myriad broken promises so far).
Manager Csaba Laszlo is now banking on six points in their next two games against Dundee Utd and Celtic... we'll let you know when we stop laughing. The truth is, Hearts are now condemned to a season bumping around in the bottom six, with a possible relegation battle ahead if they don't fix things pronto. And they won't... there's no money for new players in January, and - not for the first time - Laszlo is being found out. In truth, he's a fairly limited coach, with a very high opinion of himself.
Meanwhile...
As Hearts hogged the headlines from the weekend, Hibs recorded a comfortable 2-0 win over Motherwell that extends their unbeaten run to 10 matches. At the moment, they and Dundee Utd look favourites for the "best of the rest" title, which is all anyone could reasonably ask of them.
This is not an unusual situation. Hibs have finished third twice in the past decade, while two years ago they had a great start to the season under John Collins before falling away badly. Yet, there is a feeling this time that Hibs could be able to build a more sustained challenge.
Hibs are no longer the debt-laden club they once were. While players seem to move around a lot more these days, Hibs can now be much more selective about which offers they accept. The days of having to sell a player for the first decent offer that comes in are long gone. (Dundee Utd, on the other hand, have already admitted to some financial difficulties.)
John Hughes has made an impressive start as manager, made some eye-catching signings, and his face just seems to fit. He says that he is in his dream job and plans to stay around for several years, and there are few reasons to doubt him. Along with the club's sound finances, this brings stability, and the chance to build a squad over several seasons.
And, of course, the Old Firm just aren't the powerhouses they once were in the Scottish game. Hibs are currently just two points behind Celtic, with a third of the season gone. Celtic and Rangers just can't bank on an easy three points most weekends, as they used to - they have both dropped a fair few points already this season, with both Tony Mowbray and Walter Smith having their fair share of problems to deal with.
There is a long, long way to go still, and realistically even finishing in second place this season would be a huge achievement, never mind first. But there is the feeling of something special starting to happen down at Easter Road.
Highlights of the match show that, even though Hearts should have been awarded a late penalty, they did not deserve anything from the game. Silly Mikey Stewart lost the plot again, and a post-match fracas in the tunnel led to two more red cards for Ian Black and Suso Santana.
It's all symptomatic of a club lacking direction and leadership, with rumours swirling about financial problems for months (bright spark Gary Mackay has only just found out, however). Vladimir Romanov's regime has been an unmitigated disaster, but as long as the fans continue to be so apathetic in response, nothing will change. (Here's a neat summary of the myriad broken promises so far).
Manager Csaba Laszlo is now banking on six points in their next two games against Dundee Utd and Celtic... we'll let you know when we stop laughing. The truth is, Hearts are now condemned to a season bumping around in the bottom six, with a possible relegation battle ahead if they don't fix things pronto. And they won't... there's no money for new players in January, and - not for the first time - Laszlo is being found out. In truth, he's a fairly limited coach, with a very high opinion of himself.
Meanwhile...
As Hearts hogged the headlines from the weekend, Hibs recorded a comfortable 2-0 win over Motherwell that extends their unbeaten run to 10 matches. At the moment, they and Dundee Utd look favourites for the "best of the rest" title, which is all anyone could reasonably ask of them.
This is not an unusual situation. Hibs have finished third twice in the past decade, while two years ago they had a great start to the season under John Collins before falling away badly. Yet, there is a feeling this time that Hibs could be able to build a more sustained challenge.
Hibs are no longer the debt-laden club they once were. While players seem to move around a lot more these days, Hibs can now be much more selective about which offers they accept. The days of having to sell a player for the first decent offer that comes in are long gone. (Dundee Utd, on the other hand, have already admitted to some financial difficulties.)
John Hughes has made an impressive start as manager, made some eye-catching signings, and his face just seems to fit. He says that he is in his dream job and plans to stay around for several years, and there are few reasons to doubt him. Along with the club's sound finances, this brings stability, and the chance to build a squad over several seasons.
And, of course, the Old Firm just aren't the powerhouses they once were in the Scottish game. Hibs are currently just two points behind Celtic, with a third of the season gone. Celtic and Rangers just can't bank on an easy three points most weekends, as they used to - they have both dropped a fair few points already this season, with both Tony Mowbray and Walter Smith having their fair share of problems to deal with.
There is a long, long way to go still, and realistically even finishing in second place this season would be a huge achievement, never mind first. But there is the feeling of something special starting to happen down at Easter Road.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Celtic 0 - 1 Hearts
So much to talk about following Celtc's defeat to ha-ha-Hearts in the CIS League Cup last night, but let's ignore the Old Firm angle for a moment - they've had plenty coverage, no? - and think about Hearts for a moment.
In the build-up to the game, manager Csaba Laszlo gave a frankly hilarious press conference in which he expressed his anger at the current situation at the club, beset by problems and lacking a clear structure.
Hardly helping to bring clarity to the situation, owner Vladimir Romanov jetted into Edinburgh ahead of the match, and apparently introduced the club's new sporting director to the players, but not the manager. All nice and straightforward, then.
And so to the game, which Hearts won after Christian Nade - a player who admitted this week to personal problems affecting his game, but didn't elaborate on them - was brought down in the box, and Michael Stewart - who was booed by his own fans in Hearts' last game against Falkirk - converted the penalty. Unsurprisingly, he passed up the opportunity to celebrate with the Jambo support.
Celtic were unlucky last night, but that didn't prevent the 18,000 or so that turned up from venting their fury at Tony Mowbray at the final whistle. Georgie Samaras once again showed that he is far from a lethal finisher, while captain McManus committed probably the most cynical and reckless tackle you'll see all season. If you haven't already seen it, you really should - it's a shocker.
Is Mowbray's job on the line, just 3 months into the season? The board won't pull the trigger yet, but the faithful are getting madder and madder and things might come to a head if the results don't improve soon.
Scottish football's pretty exciting at the moment. Who'd want to leave it?
In the build-up to the game, manager Csaba Laszlo gave a frankly hilarious press conference in which he expressed his anger at the current situation at the club, beset by problems and lacking a clear structure.
Hardly helping to bring clarity to the situation, owner Vladimir Romanov jetted into Edinburgh ahead of the match, and apparently introduced the club's new sporting director to the players, but not the manager. All nice and straightforward, then.
And so to the game, which Hearts won after Christian Nade - a player who admitted this week to personal problems affecting his game, but didn't elaborate on them - was brought down in the box, and Michael Stewart - who was booed by his own fans in Hearts' last game against Falkirk - converted the penalty. Unsurprisingly, he passed up the opportunity to celebrate with the Jambo support.
Celtic were unlucky last night, but that didn't prevent the 18,000 or so that turned up from venting their fury at Tony Mowbray at the final whistle. Georgie Samaras once again showed that he is far from a lethal finisher, while captain McManus committed probably the most cynical and reckless tackle you'll see all season. If you haven't already seen it, you really should - it's a shocker.
Is Mowbray's job on the line, just 3 months into the season? The board won't pull the trigger yet, but the faithful are getting madder and madder and things might come to a head if the results don't improve soon.
Scottish football's pretty exciting at the moment. Who'd want to leave it?
Friday, January 09, 2009
Hearts crisis overdue but still forecast
Csaba Laszlo has been one of the surprises of the SPL season. The man currently known as "Hearts manager" picked up a squad who had played miserably all of last season, and managed to at least get them back towards the top end of the table. In fact, in the run up to Christmas, the Jambos were starting to threaten a sustained push for 3rd.
Since then, though, the wheels have come off a bit. Hearts haven't scored a goal in around 5 hours of playing time, and there are signs that Laszlo has rinsed the maximum out of his squad already. His rigid 4-5-1 is hard to beat but hardly the most creative formation, and they created practically nothing against Motherwell on Wednesday.
It wasn't primarily the tactics that let them down, however, but the players' work rate, and Laszlo teared into them after the match. At least we think he did - the man likes to talk so much that it's quite easy to get bored long before he's done talking.
Hearts desperately need a striker, as big-boned Nade clearly doesn't cut it, Tulberg is perma-knacked, and the kids aren't considered good enough. Will Vlad cough up for one? Not if the persistent bad news about his business interests in accurate. They have signed Ian Black from Inverness on a pre-contract for next season, but he's the only addition so far.
It's very likely that Hearts will finish January with a weaker squad rather than a stronger one, as the club tries to get some big earners off the unreliable wage bill and cash in on any saleable assets.
Then we will really see what Laszlo is made of. In many ways, he seems similar to Valdas Ivanauskas - a decent coach, but who became more and more visibly stressed by the week and eventually had to be removed from his duties by Vlad for his own health.
Things have been unusually calm at Hearts for months, now, and this simply won't do while Romanov is still in control. Another meltdown is long overdue.
Since then, though, the wheels have come off a bit. Hearts haven't scored a goal in around 5 hours of playing time, and there are signs that Laszlo has rinsed the maximum out of his squad already. His rigid 4-5-1 is hard to beat but hardly the most creative formation, and they created practically nothing against Motherwell on Wednesday.
It wasn't primarily the tactics that let them down, however, but the players' work rate, and Laszlo teared into them after the match. At least we think he did - the man likes to talk so much that it's quite easy to get bored long before he's done talking.
Hearts desperately need a striker, as big-boned Nade clearly doesn't cut it, Tulberg is perma-knacked, and the kids aren't considered good enough. Will Vlad cough up for one? Not if the persistent bad news about his business interests in accurate. They have signed Ian Black from Inverness on a pre-contract for next season, but he's the only addition so far.
It's very likely that Hearts will finish January with a weaker squad rather than a stronger one, as the club tries to get some big earners off the unreliable wage bill and cash in on any saleable assets.
Then we will really see what Laszlo is made of. In many ways, he seems similar to Valdas Ivanauskas - a decent coach, but who became more and more visibly stressed by the week and eventually had to be removed from his duties by Vlad for his own health.
Things have been unusually calm at Hearts for months, now, and this simply won't do while Romanov is still in control. Another meltdown is long overdue.
Monday, December 01, 2008
Hearts get a reminder of what might have been
Result of the weekend, without a doubt, was Hearts' 2-1 win over Rangers. It wasn't a pretty game of football, with Hearts scoring 2 from goal mouth scrambles and then conceding an own goal all before holding on for over an hour, but the home team will hardly care about that - this was their fifth win in a row, cementing Heart's grip on 3rd place. Given they spent most of last season bumping around nearer the bottom of the table, this is some turnaround.
Can they push on from here? More optimistic Jambos will be remembering the first season under Vladimir Romanov, when Hearts elbowed Rangers into 3rd place and earnt a chance at qualifying for the Champions League.
But things are very different now, compared to those heady days. Hearts are up to their eye-balls in debt, with MD Campbell Ogilvie admitting that the priority is to cut the wage bill, rather than invest further in the squad. Further problems with paying the wages hint at cash flow difficulties at Hearts, making it more likely that players will be going rather than arriving in January.
All this means that, rather than a spring board to greater success, the weekend's win over Rangers may well be the highlight of the season for Hearts. If players are sold in January, it seems inconceivable that they can continue as they have done. Impressive though recent results have been, Hearts have not been steam-rollering opponents into submission, but winning by one goal margins. Take any key players out of the equation, and - regardless of the fine job that manager Csaba Laszlo is doing - it may be difficult to keep things going.
As for Rangers, they are now 7 points behind Celtic, and if they slip any further the title race could be over by New Year. It's not looking good for them at all.
Can they push on from here? More optimistic Jambos will be remembering the first season under Vladimir Romanov, when Hearts elbowed Rangers into 3rd place and earnt a chance at qualifying for the Champions League.
But things are very different now, compared to those heady days. Hearts are up to their eye-balls in debt, with MD Campbell Ogilvie admitting that the priority is to cut the wage bill, rather than invest further in the squad. Further problems with paying the wages hint at cash flow difficulties at Hearts, making it more likely that players will be going rather than arriving in January.
All this means that, rather than a spring board to greater success, the weekend's win over Rangers may well be the highlight of the season for Hearts. If players are sold in January, it seems inconceivable that they can continue as they have done. Impressive though recent results have been, Hearts have not been steam-rollering opponents into submission, but winning by one goal margins. Take any key players out of the equation, and - regardless of the fine job that manager Csaba Laszlo is doing - it may be difficult to keep things going.
As for Rangers, they are now 7 points behind Celtic, and if they slip any further the title race could be over by New Year. It's not looking good for them at all.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Here we go again!
Euro 2008 was entertaining, the summer holidays are fun... but what we've really been waiting for is back. Yup, Scottish football is back!
The SFL are already up and running, the SPL's new season starts on Saturday. Both will no doubt provide plenty of fun over the next 9 months, but we haven't had to wait long for the first big story of the season:
Rangers have embarassed themselves in Europe yet again!
This time, it was nothing to do with the behaviour of their fans, but a terrible performance against a frankly mediocre Kaunas team. You could spend a while analysing the reasons for the defeat - overly cautious tactics, strikers that can finish the job as well as the contractors who built the Scottish parliament, or a complacent attitude amongst the squad, but why bother when this loyal fan has already summed up the problem so eloquently
The cute twist to the story, of course, is that Kaunus are owned by Vladimir Romanov, and the Hearts owner gave a wide-ranging interview to the BBC after the game. Dear old Vlad is looking tanned and relaxed these days, and - apart from other things - now seems to have decided that Hearts will never win the SPL, apparently because Scottish football is run by the mafia. All the old promises about becoming champions have now been binned?
What does this mean for the SPL? Well, Rangers could justifiably argue that the UEFA Cup run derailed their title challenge last season, and so without the distraction this time around they should be better placed to win the championship.
On the other hand, Celtic could spend a bit more money between now and the end of the month to further strengthen their squad. Rangers have no more money to spend.
Expect to see some wheeler-dealing from Smith over the next few weeks, as he needs to sell before he can buy. Somehow, he needs to get Rangers' season back on track.
The SFL are already up and running, the SPL's new season starts on Saturday. Both will no doubt provide plenty of fun over the next 9 months, but we haven't had to wait long for the first big story of the season:
Rangers have embarassed themselves in Europe yet again!
This time, it was nothing to do with the behaviour of their fans, but a terrible performance against a frankly mediocre Kaunas team. You could spend a while analysing the reasons for the defeat - overly cautious tactics, strikers that can finish the job as well as the contractors who built the Scottish parliament, or a complacent attitude amongst the squad, but why bother when this loyal fan has already summed up the problem so eloquently
The cute twist to the story, of course, is that Kaunus are owned by Vladimir Romanov, and the Hearts owner gave a wide-ranging interview to the BBC after the game. Dear old Vlad is looking tanned and relaxed these days, and - apart from other things - now seems to have decided that Hearts will never win the SPL, apparently because Scottish football is run by the mafia. All the old promises about becoming champions have now been binned?
What does this mean for the SPL? Well, Rangers could justifiably argue that the UEFA Cup run derailed their title challenge last season, and so without the distraction this time around they should be better placed to win the championship.
On the other hand, Celtic could spend a bit more money between now and the end of the month to further strengthen their squad. Rangers have no more money to spend.
Expect to see some wheeler-dealing from Smith over the next few weeks, as he needs to sell before he can buy. Somehow, he needs to get Rangers' season back on track.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Stuttering to a close
Gretna and Hearts' seasons ended tonight, with a 1-0 win for the "home" team at Fir Park. Just over 1,000 punters were watching... somewhat less than the 50,000 at Hampden Park exactly two years ago, when Hearts beat Gretna on penalties to win the Scottish Cup.
How times change. Back then, despite some clear danger signs, most Hearts supporters were still 100% behind Vladimir Romanov. His first season in charge of the club had seen trauma - such as the ridiculous sacking of George Burley - but winning that trophy and finishing 2nd in the League above Rangers was enough to appease the doubters.
Tonight they finished the 2007/8 season in 8th after another poor display. There has been no credible domestic challenge. They have made no impact in Europe at all. They have a bloated, disinterested squad led by caretaker Stevie Frail who is called "Shaggy" by his players and is palpably out of his depth. Neither are there any signs that things are going to get better. Some Jambos hang on to tenuous rumours that a credible manager - Mark McGhee or Billy Davies - is about to be parachuted in with a multi-million warchest to sort out the problems, but they are living in dreamland. Most of the supporters, however, just seem to shrug their shoulders and accept it... afraid that if Romanov walks, things could get much, much worse.
How much worse? Just ask Gretna. This wasn't just the end of the season - it could be the end of the club, full stop. When their sugar daddy turned off the taps, the whole house of cards collapsed, and while the administrators occasionally make positive noises about potential buyers, a rescue plan is looking less and less likely. Frankly, there isn't much to rescue - the youth system has already been dismantled, there are negligible player "assets", and their own stadium is partially demolished.
There is more to save at Hearts, should it come to that, but the scale of the debt is so much worse. What the supporters need to realise is that the "Romanov era" will come to an end at some point. It just depends how bad the situation is when it happens... and whether anyone will come to rescue their club.
How times change. Back then, despite some clear danger signs, most Hearts supporters were still 100% behind Vladimir Romanov. His first season in charge of the club had seen trauma - such as the ridiculous sacking of George Burley - but winning that trophy and finishing 2nd in the League above Rangers was enough to appease the doubters.
Tonight they finished the 2007/8 season in 8th after another poor display. There has been no credible domestic challenge. They have made no impact in Europe at all. They have a bloated, disinterested squad led by caretaker Stevie Frail who is called "Shaggy" by his players and is palpably out of his depth. Neither are there any signs that things are going to get better. Some Jambos hang on to tenuous rumours that a credible manager - Mark McGhee or Billy Davies - is about to be parachuted in with a multi-million warchest to sort out the problems, but they are living in dreamland. Most of the supporters, however, just seem to shrug their shoulders and accept it... afraid that if Romanov walks, things could get much, much worse.
How much worse? Just ask Gretna. This wasn't just the end of the season - it could be the end of the club, full stop. When their sugar daddy turned off the taps, the whole house of cards collapsed, and while the administrators occasionally make positive noises about potential buyers, a rescue plan is looking less and less likely. Frankly, there isn't much to rescue - the youth system has already been dismantled, there are negligible player "assets", and their own stadium is partially demolished.
There is more to save at Hearts, should it come to that, but the scale of the debt is so much worse. What the supporters need to realise is that the "Romanov era" will come to an end at some point. It just depends how bad the situation is when it happens... and whether anyone will come to rescue their club.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Hearts are falling apart - 2
A few hours after the chaotic AGM on Friday, Hearts published an interview with director Sergejus Fedotovas on their website. It's hard to say if this was pre-planned or not, but it had the look and feel of a rushed reaction to the hostility that swept the message boards and fansites following the meeting.
Fedotovas comes across as a much more reasoned, thoughtful character than idiot child Rodney Romanov, which makes the interview all the more fascinating. Here, in a supportive setting with a non-confrontational questioner, Fedotovas confirmed that either the hierachy don't know what they are doing, or that everything they have told the supporters is wrong.
In brief:
Fedotovas comes across as a much more reasoned, thoughtful character than idiot child Rodney Romanov, which makes the interview all the more fascinating. Here, in a supportive setting with a non-confrontational questioner, Fedotovas confirmed that either the hierachy don't know what they are doing, or that everything they have told the supporters is wrong.
In brief:
- Contrary to the New Year's statement, in which Hearts promised a "British-style" manager, they are apparently looking at a range of candidates. Despite Stevie Frail pushing his name forward for the job, he ain't on the shortlist. No, the shortlist can't be made public. They hope to have a manager in place by 30 June. No, they won't have full control over the squad but will make decisions "in co-operation" with Vlad. Oh dear.
- They are looking at restructuring the debt. Nope, no firm plans can be divulged, nor can they say how much of the debt will be restructured. Yes, Vlad promised the debt would be gone within months of his takeover, but let's not rake that up again - it's just cruel.
- There may be some plan to get "other" shareholders to contribute to the rebuilding of the main stand. Yes, those 400-odd people who own 20% are now going to be asked to dip in their pockets again. No, no further details, though this harks back to a previous appeal to local businesses to join them in funding the club. Nope, nothing came of that either.
- Fans who don't renew their season ticket and encourage others to refrain from renewing as well are not true supporters. So there.
- This is a very important time for the club. You don't say!
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Hearts are falling apart
The Hearts Annual General Meeting is a must-see fixture on the Scottish football calendar these days, guaranteed to set off a few fireworks. Of course, unless you have the dubious pleasure of being a Hearts shareholder (and there are still around 400 of them, with less than 20% of the company between them), an invite can be hard to come by, but the stories of the meeting always tumble out into the open soon enough.
The official AGM business took 5 minutes - no great surprise, given that the majority shareholder is in such a dominant position - and then the meeting opened up to questions. And that's where things got spicy: Roman Romanov (with daddy again nowhere to be seen) was apparently belligerent and snippy from the off, and the answers tumbling from his mouth caused mounting anger and confusion. For example, while last year's AGM was told that a £40m level of debt was "no problem", now it seems cost-cutting was needed to bring down the debt to more manageable levels (it's currently around £32 - 37m, depending on who you believe).
On every issue from the appointment of a new manager to the redevelopment plans for the stadium, Romanov was confusing and contradictory, before launching into a familar rant against the "conspiracy" against Hearts.
None of this is new. Since George Burley was sacked back in 2005 it's been clear that the Romanov regime is rather less than it appears, or rather there is an agenda pushing the project that is not the one told to the fans. Equally, the paranoia - either genuine or contrived - has been apparent almost from the outset, with a whole host of villians, from the SFA to journalists, identified as the people who are keeping Hearts down.
What is new is the fans' reaction, and the feeling that the Romanov story really has reached a tipping point. As news of the meeting filtered out, there was undisguised fury across message boards and in pubs as Jambos digested this latest, crazy episode. It's clear that many fans were pinning their hopes on this meeting as a chance to find out what is happening at their club - instead they feel the people in charge are treating them with contempt.
Hearts seem to be in disarray. On the one hand, Romanov argued for the caretaker "coach", Stephen Frail, to be given a chance, but then later another director, Sergejus Fedotovas, said that the search for a new manager (announced in January) was continuing. When the huge cost of the proposed new stand was questioned, l'il Roman suggested that perhaps plans would be drawn up for a cheaper option - which would mean starting the planning consent process all over again, and adding the £1m or so already spent on the plans.
Of course, the Romanovs "saved Tynecastle", and for many fans, Hearts IS Tynecastle and wouldn't be the same club if it ever moved from there. This, and the fear of what could happen should they pull the plug, has encouraged many Jambos to keep the faith during an increasingly bizarre 3 years. Hearts' problems didn't begin with the Romanovs, either - the club has been mismanaged for at least a generation, always spending more money than they had in the belief that there would always be another pot of gold to dip into if necessary.
Without a doubt, though, dissenters are now far more vocal, no longer being shouted down by the ranks of "believers". Most would seem to want the Romanovs out of the club, but are unsure how to do it. With season ticket sales in full swing, it's a crucial time... will the fans put their money up again, or not renew their season tickets in protest? How much appetite do they have for a fight?
The official AGM business took 5 minutes - no great surprise, given that the majority shareholder is in such a dominant position - and then the meeting opened up to questions. And that's where things got spicy: Roman Romanov (with daddy again nowhere to be seen) was apparently belligerent and snippy from the off, and the answers tumbling from his mouth caused mounting anger and confusion. For example, while last year's AGM was told that a £40m level of debt was "no problem", now it seems cost-cutting was needed to bring down the debt to more manageable levels (it's currently around £32 - 37m, depending on who you believe).
On every issue from the appointment of a new manager to the redevelopment plans for the stadium, Romanov was confusing and contradictory, before launching into a familar rant against the "conspiracy" against Hearts.
None of this is new. Since George Burley was sacked back in 2005 it's been clear that the Romanov regime is rather less than it appears, or rather there is an agenda pushing the project that is not the one told to the fans. Equally, the paranoia - either genuine or contrived - has been apparent almost from the outset, with a whole host of villians, from the SFA to journalists, identified as the people who are keeping Hearts down.
What is new is the fans' reaction, and the feeling that the Romanov story really has reached a tipping point. As news of the meeting filtered out, there was undisguised fury across message boards and in pubs as Jambos digested this latest, crazy episode. It's clear that many fans were pinning their hopes on this meeting as a chance to find out what is happening at their club - instead they feel the people in charge are treating them with contempt.
Hearts seem to be in disarray. On the one hand, Romanov argued for the caretaker "coach", Stephen Frail, to be given a chance, but then later another director, Sergejus Fedotovas, said that the search for a new manager (announced in January) was continuing. When the huge cost of the proposed new stand was questioned, l'il Roman suggested that perhaps plans would be drawn up for a cheaper option - which would mean starting the planning consent process all over again, and adding the £1m or so already spent on the plans.
Of course, the Romanovs "saved Tynecastle", and for many fans, Hearts IS Tynecastle and wouldn't be the same club if it ever moved from there. This, and the fear of what could happen should they pull the plug, has encouraged many Jambos to keep the faith during an increasingly bizarre 3 years. Hearts' problems didn't begin with the Romanovs, either - the club has been mismanaged for at least a generation, always spending more money than they had in the belief that there would always be another pot of gold to dip into if necessary.
Without a doubt, though, dissenters are now far more vocal, no longer being shouted down by the ranks of "believers". Most would seem to want the Romanovs out of the club, but are unsure how to do it. With season ticket sales in full swing, it's a crucial time... will the fans put their money up again, or not renew their season tickets in protest? How much appetite do they have for a fight?
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Edinburgh in uproar
It's not easy being overshadowed by bigger, more successful football teams.
Edinburgh's two clubs have been kept out of the light for so long by the Glasgow Old Firm that you'd think the fans would have resigned themselves to their fate by now. Thankfully, this hasn't happened, and Scottish football is all the richer for it.
While supporters at Aberdeen and Dundee Utd have responded to repeated disappointment by drifting away from match days, leaving dwindling crowds to rattle around stadiums still haunted by memories of glorious achievements in the 1980s, Hearts and Hibs supporters are turning up in numbers, despite the fact that most fans of either club weren't alive the last time their club won a league title.
Yet this gloriously irrational behaviour has a flipside... it tends to cause despondency and anger rather than resignation when things aren't going well. And neither club has had a good month.
Hibs have won just once in their past 8 games, and the fans are starting to vent their fury. Rationally speaking, this shouldn't be happening - the club has sold so many players in recent seasons that expectations for this term should be muted, and their excellent unbeaten run at the start of the season means the club is still in 5th, which is hardly a disaster. Furthermore, what with the debts, new training centre and potential new East Stand at Easter Road, the club has got a fairly large list of bills besides going shopping for new players.
But the team's form is awful, and a minority have begun calling for John Collins to be sacked. Both manager and squad seem short of confidence at the moment, not helped by an increasingly edgy mood at Easter Road. It wasn't last Saturday's 1-1 draw against Falkirk, but the abject defeat against Aberdeen that proved the catalyst for the latest discontent. Few of the new signings have really made their mark yet, while the tactics and line up seem to chop and change from one match to the next.
Unless this current slump becomes a prolonged losing streak, there is no prospect of Collins getting the sack. Hibs simply don't respond to short term pressure in that way, much to their credit. But the manager certainly faces an important Festive period, and Hibs need to stay in touch with Motherwell and Dundee Utd in the battle for third spot at least. Otherwise the famously radge support could get even more vocal.
All this could seem no more important than the typical family row at the Christmas dinner table, though, compared to what's going on at Hearts just now. They are also on a poor run of results, but this time the catalyst was goalkeeper Eduardas Kurskis' mistake at the weekend that allowed Rangers to grab all three points from a game that had "draw" written all over it. The player's inclusion in the team is symptomatic of the chaotic way player selection works at Hearts, with the teamsheet faxed in from Lithuania covered in Vladimir Romanov's scribbles, some names crossed out and others put in their place.
Predictably, the Jambos are furious. Yes, Hearts have also lost plenty of decent players over the past year or so as well, but given the still large 1st team squad and huge wage bill they should not be down in 8th position in the league. And while Hearts, too, claim to be planning a new stand at their stadium, the latest promised date for submitting the planning permission has come and gone this week without any progress. Whatever Vladimir Romanov is up to, living up to his promises is not featuring high on his list of priorities at the moment.
The big question is: are the Hearts fans going to turn their anger into action? If Hibs were currently in their position, the fans would probably have rampaged through the streets of Leith by now, before orchestrating a forced occupation of the stadium and holding a mass rally to demand action.
Instead, the Jambos are trying to organise a meeting to plan a meeting to discuss a possible boycott of a home match, perhaps in February. For all their bluster, they tend to sit on their hands during crises and moan, rather than stand up and be counted. The occasional open letter to the owner is about as forceful as they get.
So far, Romanov has been able to do as he likes at Hearts, almost completely un-opposed (and there are still many Hearts fans that caution against doing anything that might upset Dear Leader, despite the chronic misrule). Indeed, it's arguable that Hearts only ended up in his hands because the fans failed to organise themselves against the proposed sale of Tynecastle to a property developer until the very last minute, forcing them to go cap in hand to a mysterious Russian businessman whose ultimate motive remains unclear.
Could this be the moment that the maroon half of Edinburgh finally reaches breaking point?
Edinburgh's two clubs have been kept out of the light for so long by the Glasgow Old Firm that you'd think the fans would have resigned themselves to their fate by now. Thankfully, this hasn't happened, and Scottish football is all the richer for it.
While supporters at Aberdeen and Dundee Utd have responded to repeated disappointment by drifting away from match days, leaving dwindling crowds to rattle around stadiums still haunted by memories of glorious achievements in the 1980s, Hearts and Hibs supporters are turning up in numbers, despite the fact that most fans of either club weren't alive the last time their club won a league title.
Yet this gloriously irrational behaviour has a flipside... it tends to cause despondency and anger rather than resignation when things aren't going well. And neither club has had a good month.
Hibs have won just once in their past 8 games, and the fans are starting to vent their fury. Rationally speaking, this shouldn't be happening - the club has sold so many players in recent seasons that expectations for this term should be muted, and their excellent unbeaten run at the start of the season means the club is still in 5th, which is hardly a disaster. Furthermore, what with the debts, new training centre and potential new East Stand at Easter Road, the club has got a fairly large list of bills besides going shopping for new players.
But the team's form is awful, and a minority have begun calling for John Collins to be sacked. Both manager and squad seem short of confidence at the moment, not helped by an increasingly edgy mood at Easter Road. It wasn't last Saturday's 1-1 draw against Falkirk, but the abject defeat against Aberdeen that proved the catalyst for the latest discontent. Few of the new signings have really made their mark yet, while the tactics and line up seem to chop and change from one match to the next.
Unless this current slump becomes a prolonged losing streak, there is no prospect of Collins getting the sack. Hibs simply don't respond to short term pressure in that way, much to their credit. But the manager certainly faces an important Festive period, and Hibs need to stay in touch with Motherwell and Dundee Utd in the battle for third spot at least. Otherwise the famously radge support could get even more vocal.
All this could seem no more important than the typical family row at the Christmas dinner table, though, compared to what's going on at Hearts just now. They are also on a poor run of results, but this time the catalyst was goalkeeper Eduardas Kurskis' mistake at the weekend that allowed Rangers to grab all three points from a game that had "draw" written all over it. The player's inclusion in the team is symptomatic of the chaotic way player selection works at Hearts, with the teamsheet faxed in from Lithuania covered in Vladimir Romanov's scribbles, some names crossed out and others put in their place.
Predictably, the Jambos are furious. Yes, Hearts have also lost plenty of decent players over the past year or so as well, but given the still large 1st team squad and huge wage bill they should not be down in 8th position in the league. And while Hearts, too, claim to be planning a new stand at their stadium, the latest promised date for submitting the planning permission has come and gone this week without any progress. Whatever Vladimir Romanov is up to, living up to his promises is not featuring high on his list of priorities at the moment.
The big question is: are the Hearts fans going to turn their anger into action? If Hibs were currently in their position, the fans would probably have rampaged through the streets of Leith by now, before orchestrating a forced occupation of the stadium and holding a mass rally to demand action.
Instead, the Jambos are trying to organise a meeting to plan a meeting to discuss a possible boycott of a home match, perhaps in February. For all their bluster, they tend to sit on their hands during crises and moan, rather than stand up and be counted. The occasional open letter to the owner is about as forceful as they get.
So far, Romanov has been able to do as he likes at Hearts, almost completely un-opposed (and there are still many Hearts fans that caution against doing anything that might upset Dear Leader, despite the chronic misrule). Indeed, it's arguable that Hearts only ended up in his hands because the fans failed to organise themselves against the proposed sale of Tynecastle to a property developer until the very last minute, forcing them to go cap in hand to a mysterious Russian businessman whose ultimate motive remains unclear.
Could this be the moment that the maroon half of Edinburgh finally reaches breaking point?
Monday, September 17, 2007
Rangers shell-shocked by Hearts
No debate about the match of the weekend in the SPL. While the rest of the results favoured the punter by coming in broadly as predicted, Hearts 4-2 humiliation of the would-be contenders would have destroyed their hopes of a payout. Even at tempting odds of 4-1, few would have put money on a Hearts win.
The real surprise performance was from the home side. Hearts, uniquely, had managed to attract critical headlines even during the international break, with those not called up for their countries packed off for a training camp in Lithuania, at the same time that Lithuania were playing Scotland at Hampden. Yet they tore out of the blocks, establishing a 2-0 lead before Rangers had got into the game.
The visitors were poor, though. Walter Smith elected to leave Barry Ferguson on the bench, but David Weir, who probably needed a rest, had to play - somehow, he and Cuellar were the only fit centre backs, despite Rangers having a wealth of options in this position. And why no Steven Naismith? He would have relished this big fixture early in his Rangers' career. Pretty toothless up front, at the back Cuellar had a nightmare, and Alan Hutton relapsed to old form with an erratic display.
The real surprise performance was from the home side. Hearts, uniquely, had managed to attract critical headlines even during the international break, with those not called up for their countries packed off for a training camp in Lithuania, at the same time that Lithuania were playing Scotland at Hampden. Yet they tore out of the blocks, establishing a 2-0 lead before Rangers had got into the game.
The visitors were poor, though. Walter Smith elected to leave Barry Ferguson on the bench, but David Weir, who probably needed a rest, had to play - somehow, he and Cuellar were the only fit centre backs, despite Rangers having a wealth of options in this position. And why no Steven Naismith? He would have relished this big fixture early in his Rangers' career. Pretty toothless up front, at the back Cuellar had a nightmare, and Alan Hutton relapsed to old form with an erratic display.
Probably not the result they wanted ahead of their Champions League game against Stuttgart on Wednesday night, but then again, the real work in Europe has already been done this season. Having secured a spot in the lucrative group stages, Rangers probably don't much care what happens in Europe now. Winning the SPL is everything for the Ibrox club... but on this showing, the title is some way off.
Results and table: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/default.stm
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
The waiting is nearly over
Summer, and the sun is shining. No? Oh well, we'll be started again soon. In a little over 2 weeks, another Scottish football season will be under way.
This used to be a time when football disappeared from the papers completely, and only the most die-hard fans, desperate to follow their team to a pre-season friendly to get a first glimpse of their team's new signings, were following what was going on.
But now, with pre-season seen as much as a marketing opportunity and additional source of revenue as preparation for the challenge ahead, and the explosion in media coverage, we can all keep up to date with what the various clubs are up to.
Austria has proved a popular destination for training, while Celtic have embarked on their inevitable American tour. But Hearts have managed to grab the attention again, with this bizarre gem, stuck on their own website:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b13aH-vk_E
It's supposed to be, one assumes, a bit of playful sparring between Roman Bednar and Vladimir Romanov. But Bednar looks like he's not having fun anymore after Vlad catches him with a left hook. Cue shocked laughter and uncertainty, before Vlad is declared "the winner" and the fight is broken up.
Does anyone else suspect Vlad might be an only child?
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Give us a winter break
The SPL used to enjoy a winter break around this time of the year. It proved to be short-lived. It first got temporarily suspended, to avoid the season running into the World Cup (presumably for the benefit of foreign internationals playing here, because Scotland certainly weren't involved), and then abandoned for good as the clubs voted by a majority to plug the January hole in their cashflow. They didn’t like the grounds being empty while paying players to play.
Much of January proved a persuasive argument for the winter break's return, however. Motherwell had 3 weeks off anyhow, because Fir Park had been unplayable, but even where games have gone ahead the standard of the pitches has been awful. The quality of the football has really suffered as a result, and fans have had to sit through some turgid games.
Compounding the boredom, the SPL couldn't throw up any shock results to enliven a humdrum season. Celtic remain in a league of their own, and seem unable to lose, even when totally outplayed. Inverness pushed them closest, but they missed a bundle of chances at 1-1, and the last minute sucker punch duly arrived. Celtic are now just five victories away from retaining the title.
The transfer window, too, proved to be a damp squib for much of the month, with very little happening. Rangers moved to strengthen their slipshod defence with the, ahem, experienced pair of David Weir and Ugo Ehiogu, and there were a few other bits of business, but not much else. Frankly, it was all a bit boring.
So thanks, then, to Mr Vladimir Romanov, back from his self-imposed silence to liven up a drab winter and make Hearts the centre of attention once more. Things had been going alarmingly smoothly over at Tynecastle, with some players coming in on loan, the team getting the results on the pitch, and Edinburgh Council agreeing in principle to the sale of land to the club to bring the putative stadium redevelopment one step closer.
Choosing the Belorussian magazine Pressball to air his views, meaning that his refusal to talk to the Scottish media technically still holds, Vlad gave an enigmatic interview, a bit like Cantona's famous seagulls and trawler effort all those years ago, but with added menace. Not being the most cosmopolitan of nations, the Scottish media all had to rely on the same translation of the piece to reprint with glee, and we love fitba sees nothing wrong with that.
He started off on his favourite theme, the conspiracy against Hearts. "In Scotland we have to fight not in the sporting sense, but against constant intrigues." One of Romanov's favourite subjects is the "conspiracy" against Hearts - from the referees to the media, they all conspire against a club that dares to challenge the Old Firm. And he's on pretty firm ground, too, if only because there are many fans in Scotland who are quite happy to see someone roughing the Glasgow twins up a bit.
But then he went on. Asked about Stephen Pressley's departure, he said: "There was no conflict whatsoever, there was a banal betrayal. Players sold themselves for the striped shirts they were promised; they decided that these were so valuable that they could allow themselves to behave the way they did." Not a single player, but players. Yup, Vladimir was on the warpath again.
Paul Hartley and Craig Gordon, the other 2 members of "the Riccarton three" who hosted that memorable press briefing at the training ground in October, were left out of the squad against Rangers, and it was now clear that Romanov wanted them out. At long last, the transfer window seemed about to feature some big moves.
Rangers put in at least 2 bids for Hartley, but had them both knocked back. Fulham, meanwhile, bid for Gordon, but rumours abounded that Romanov was trying to flog him to a Russian club. Gordon wasn't keen, not surprising, given that clubs of the calibre of Arsenal seem interested. He knows full well he will have lots of options in the summer, and is under no pressure to leave.
Elsewhere, the bidding finally got going for the Hibs twins, Kevin Thomson and Scott Brown, setting up an intriguing last few days of the transfer window as Rangers and Celtic jockeyed to cherry pick the best talent from Edinburgh.
When it was all done, it's hard not to come to the conclusion that it's the green halves of the cities that have come out on top. Despite Hibs' insistence that the twins weren't for sale, the animosity between Thomson and the manager, John Collins, became so bad that Hibs finally decided on Tuesday 30 January that they needed rid of the destabilising influence in their dressing room. For the first time, they invited clubs to come in for the player, if they met the asking price of £2m. Celtic and West Bromich Albion, who had both made offers for the pair, thought that a bit rich... but Rangers took the bait. Meanwhile, Hibs have held on to Scott Brown - their best player - for the rest of the season, proving that the twins could be separated after all.
Celtic have, in the space of 6 weeks, strengthened their squad with two seasoned, proven players, for a total outlay of a million quid. Steven Pressley is already adding his grit and resilience at the back, while Paul Hartley will add guile and match-winning nous in midfield. Unlike, say, Thomas Gravesen, who might have been good enough for the Premiership, but has still to prove himself in Scotland. It's a big step up, after all. ;-)
Rangers clearly wanted an attacking player, because as well as Hartley, they also bid for Alan Gow of Falkirk and Lee McCulloch of Wigan, yet their bids for all three were dismissed as too low (although Gow has signed a pre-contract and will arrive in the summer). Instead, they paid much, much more for Thomson, who plays much deeper, in the same area of the pitch that Barry Ferguson likes to call his own. It's all a bit odd.
Odder still that Hearts, despite their claimed ambition to challenge the Old Firm, have now lost 2 of their best players to Celtic and refuse to pick one of the best goalkeepers in Britain. With their losses for last year at £5m and total debt now up to £28m, and the likelihood of European football next season lessening by the day, anyone who knows what the plan is please feel free to enlighten us all.
As well as the long overdue excitement in the transfer market, knock-out football returned to take everyone's minds off the dreary SPL "race" and inject a bit of drama into proceedings. The favourites for the CIS League Cup, Hibernian, booked their place at Hampden by labouring past St Johnstone, while Kilmarnock showed who the real favourites should be by dismissing Falkirk 3-0.
Then, last weekend the 4th round of the Scottish Cup saw Hibs safely through again, while Hearts tumbled to Dunfermline and Celtic trounced Inverness Caley. The pitches are still poor, but the Pars-Hearts tie in particular lacked nothing for drama, as a last minute goal from a side that just cannot score in the League put the holders out.
The games will come thick and fast from now on, and hopefully the pitches will get better. And all of Scotland will be watching to see if Alex McLeish can make a winning start as Scotland manager. Incidentally, he's a fan of the winter break as well.
Much of January proved a persuasive argument for the winter break's return, however. Motherwell had 3 weeks off anyhow, because Fir Park had been unplayable, but even where games have gone ahead the standard of the pitches has been awful. The quality of the football has really suffered as a result, and fans have had to sit through some turgid games.
Compounding the boredom, the SPL couldn't throw up any shock results to enliven a humdrum season. Celtic remain in a league of their own, and seem unable to lose, even when totally outplayed. Inverness pushed them closest, but they missed a bundle of chances at 1-1, and the last minute sucker punch duly arrived. Celtic are now just five victories away from retaining the title.
The transfer window, too, proved to be a damp squib for much of the month, with very little happening. Rangers moved to strengthen their slipshod defence with the, ahem, experienced pair of David Weir and Ugo Ehiogu, and there were a few other bits of business, but not much else. Frankly, it was all a bit boring.
So thanks, then, to Mr Vladimir Romanov, back from his self-imposed silence to liven up a drab winter and make Hearts the centre of attention once more. Things had been going alarmingly smoothly over at Tynecastle, with some players coming in on loan, the team getting the results on the pitch, and Edinburgh Council agreeing in principle to the sale of land to the club to bring the putative stadium redevelopment one step closer.
Choosing the Belorussian magazine Pressball to air his views, meaning that his refusal to talk to the Scottish media technically still holds, Vlad gave an enigmatic interview, a bit like Cantona's famous seagulls and trawler effort all those years ago, but with added menace. Not being the most cosmopolitan of nations, the Scottish media all had to rely on the same translation of the piece to reprint with glee, and we love fitba sees nothing wrong with that.
He started off on his favourite theme, the conspiracy against Hearts. "In Scotland we have to fight not in the sporting sense, but against constant intrigues." One of Romanov's favourite subjects is the "conspiracy" against Hearts - from the referees to the media, they all conspire against a club that dares to challenge the Old Firm. And he's on pretty firm ground, too, if only because there are many fans in Scotland who are quite happy to see someone roughing the Glasgow twins up a bit.
But then he went on. Asked about Stephen Pressley's departure, he said: "There was no conflict whatsoever, there was a banal betrayal. Players sold themselves for the striped shirts they were promised; they decided that these were so valuable that they could allow themselves to behave the way they did." Not a single player, but players. Yup, Vladimir was on the warpath again.
Paul Hartley and Craig Gordon, the other 2 members of "the Riccarton three" who hosted that memorable press briefing at the training ground in October, were left out of the squad against Rangers, and it was now clear that Romanov wanted them out. At long last, the transfer window seemed about to feature some big moves.
Rangers put in at least 2 bids for Hartley, but had them both knocked back. Fulham, meanwhile, bid for Gordon, but rumours abounded that Romanov was trying to flog him to a Russian club. Gordon wasn't keen, not surprising, given that clubs of the calibre of Arsenal seem interested. He knows full well he will have lots of options in the summer, and is under no pressure to leave.
Elsewhere, the bidding finally got going for the Hibs twins, Kevin Thomson and Scott Brown, setting up an intriguing last few days of the transfer window as Rangers and Celtic jockeyed to cherry pick the best talent from Edinburgh.
When it was all done, it's hard not to come to the conclusion that it's the green halves of the cities that have come out on top. Despite Hibs' insistence that the twins weren't for sale, the animosity between Thomson and the manager, John Collins, became so bad that Hibs finally decided on Tuesday 30 January that they needed rid of the destabilising influence in their dressing room. For the first time, they invited clubs to come in for the player, if they met the asking price of £2m. Celtic and West Bromich Albion, who had both made offers for the pair, thought that a bit rich... but Rangers took the bait. Meanwhile, Hibs have held on to Scott Brown - their best player - for the rest of the season, proving that the twins could be separated after all.
Celtic have, in the space of 6 weeks, strengthened their squad with two seasoned, proven players, for a total outlay of a million quid. Steven Pressley is already adding his grit and resilience at the back, while Paul Hartley will add guile and match-winning nous in midfield. Unlike, say, Thomas Gravesen, who might have been good enough for the Premiership, but has still to prove himself in Scotland. It's a big step up, after all. ;-)
Rangers clearly wanted an attacking player, because as well as Hartley, they also bid for Alan Gow of Falkirk and Lee McCulloch of Wigan, yet their bids for all three were dismissed as too low (although Gow has signed a pre-contract and will arrive in the summer). Instead, they paid much, much more for Thomson, who plays much deeper, in the same area of the pitch that Barry Ferguson likes to call his own. It's all a bit odd.
Odder still that Hearts, despite their claimed ambition to challenge the Old Firm, have now lost 2 of their best players to Celtic and refuse to pick one of the best goalkeepers in Britain. With their losses for last year at £5m and total debt now up to £28m, and the likelihood of European football next season lessening by the day, anyone who knows what the plan is please feel free to enlighten us all.
As well as the long overdue excitement in the transfer market, knock-out football returned to take everyone's minds off the dreary SPL "race" and inject a bit of drama into proceedings. The favourites for the CIS League Cup, Hibernian, booked their place at Hampden by labouring past St Johnstone, while Kilmarnock showed who the real favourites should be by dismissing Falkirk 3-0.
Then, last weekend the 4th round of the Scottish Cup saw Hibs safely through again, while Hearts tumbled to Dunfermline and Celtic trounced Inverness Caley. The pitches are still poor, but the Pars-Hearts tie in particular lacked nothing for drama, as a last minute goal from a side that just cannot score in the League put the holders out.
The games will come thick and fast from now on, and hopefully the pitches will get better. And all of Scotland will be watching to see if Alex McLeish can make a winning start as Scotland manager. Incidentally, he's a fan of the winter break as well.
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