Not an arsehole
Is Gordon Strachan right to be so annoyed that a besuited - and you would suggest slightly tipsy - Jambo called him an arsehole?
Surely he gets called much worse every week - often by his own fans. This weekend showed once again that supporters increasingly consider nothing about a player off bounds when it comes to shouting abuse. And fans visiting the citadel of bonhomie that...
It's clear that footballers don't like to be injured. But sometimes it's maybe not a bad thing....
For those of us that like to see Scots prosper down south - and who find Chelsea victories as welcome as Jonathan Ross at a dinner party hosted by Andrew Sachs - we could take some comfort from Craig Gordon's enforced absence from the walkover at the Bridge.
That sprained ankle has had a knock on...
The first Edinburgh derby of the season comes around and it's full of surprises. For a start both managers are still in place which might be seen as a miracle in itself.
And Derek Riordan is back for Hibs. Back kissing the badge, back scoring the goals.
So much seems the same.
The rumours: Deeks is only getting half what he was on at Celtic, he's shattered the concrete ceiling that was Easter...
Vladimir Romanov's "other club" gave him his most famous victory over either half of the Old Firm tonight and, contrary to the last, he refused to bask in the glory.
Questioned by Dennis the Menace's ginger, less articulate big brother (or Jim Spence as he's called on the radio) Vladimir claimed that FBK Kaunas had achieved more by beating Andorran side Santa Coloma in the previous round. Take...
Could things be turning around at Vladimir Romanov's Tynecastle circus? Vlad has promised to get "less and less" involved with the team, says he'll listen to Csaba Laszlo's opinion and has been waxing lyrical about happy, smiling players.
Still not much action on the transfer front, and the results in pre season haven't been brilliant, but is there a glimmer of hope for Hearts fans. Time will...
The pre season is in full swing now with the SPL clubs getting their preparations for the season fully underway.
A quick roundup:
After the disaster of the Intertoto Cup Hibs were held to a no scoring draw against Raith. Good news for the Hibs fans: There was a mystery triallist in goals. Bad news for the Hibs fans: He was 24 year old Phil Imray of Team Wellington in New Zealand. The Hibees...
Goodbye Motherwell! Hello, eh, umm, Motherwell?
Silly season saga number one has ended as it began with Mark McGhee still manager of Motherwell, albeit with an enhanced salary, and Hearts still looking for the man to rebuild the Romanov dream.
Actually this saga hasn’t been confined to the silly season. McGhee came close to doing some kind of deal with Hearts in the winter at the same time as...
Kick idiots out of football
Part one of our staggered end to the season and Gretna sign off from the SPL, probably from football, with a victory against Hearts.
So the Gretna farce ends on a high note. The players have, if nothing else, shown some professional pride. But tonight's crowd of just over 1000 tells its own story. Gretna never belonged in the SPL. Fairytales are fine. But sport is...
Is it because I is black?
A three match ban for Laryea Kingston. Hearts lose arguably their most consistent performer for the remainder of the season. Kingston, who had already been on something of a rampage, was dismissed by referee Steve Conroy at which point he launched a tirade at Conroy using "offensive, insulting and abusive language." This included accusing Mr Conroy of being...
Will Hearts always be held back off the field?
Regular readers will know that I am occasionally perplexed by the Romanov regime at Tynecastle. Occasionally perplexed and often supremely cynical. But Vladimir promised to bring the fans back into Tynecastle. And, in that, he has been successful. This season Hearts’ total attendance has risen to 428,000. This figure would have been far...
Such a beautiful horizon
The Spanish are coming. But hopefully nobody will be playing bowls this time. Hampden hosts the UEFA Cup Final in a couple of weeks with either Sevilla and Espanyol set to take the trophy home to Spain. Financially it's great for Scotland. And it puts us at the centre of European football for the night – although admittedly it would be preferable if we could...
Truth, Lies and Joseph Barton
What? Fat Pat? Signing for Aberdeen?
Giddy with signing Scotland international Brian Kerr (three caps, as you ask) John Collins is going to swoop for Chelsea’s Belgian ‘keeper Yves Makaba-Makalamby. Try putting that on the back of your shirt. All is not bright on Mr Collins’ horizon though. Michael Stewart is ready to spill the beans on the whole sorry...
All smiles as UEFA delegates announce the fines
If you’re going to slag somebody off you better make sure its not football’s decision makers. Hearts were yesterday fined £25,000 for Vladimir Romanov’s infamous “monkey” rant at Scottish referees and the media. Rangers, on the other hand, were fined £8,820 for sectarian chanting in the away fixture against Osasuna in the UEFA Cup. UEFA...
It seems like I’ve been away for almost as long as Vladimir Romanov. But, now that he’s back with a bang, it’s time to shake off the blogging lethargy. Below are some excerpts from Vlad’s interview in Russia that began the storm that’s currently engulfing the Scottish game. When you took over you declared that Hearts would in a few months be mounting a real challenge to Rangers and Celtic...
The key phrase from the interview with Romanov (carried in Russian football magazine Futbol) was: “Celtic and Rangers? Even Kaunas are a match for them on the pitch. The thing is they've turned football into a type of show business with their underhand games. They buy off players and referees.” At this point what might have been another Vlad rant turned into something much bigger. Speaking to...
The statement pulls one of Romanov’s favourite tricks. He is the wronged party, attacked at every turn by a Scottish establishment that seems to mistrust any new kids on the block. Interestingly enough Tam Cowan and Stuart Cosgrove made a point about the media’s treatment of Romanov being in some way racist on Off the Ball a few weeks ago. I disagree with that analysis and, it must be noted,...
………….and then it came. He undoubtedly brings something new to the Scottish game. And today Vlad gave us a lesson in how to dig yourself out of a hole with all guns blazing. Excuse the mangled metaphors but the Romanov statement on Hearts’ official website was spectacular. Here it is in full as it appeared (along with the illustration above) Read Vlad’s Back Part Four for my attempt to make...
It’s a shame that our continuing obsession with the Old Firm will overshadow two other games being played this weekend. With the Ibrox clash holding all the appeal of being hit in the face with a wet fish, Edinburgh and Falkirk might be the places to go for thrills. At Tynecastle this afternoon Hearts meet Aberdeen and third versus fourth looks more appealing than the battle of the top...
Congratulations to the SPFA for coming out and making a stand against Vladimir Romanov.
Fraser Wishart, secretary of the Scottish Professional Footballers Association, said:
“The SPFA condemns in the strongest of terms what it regards as the wholly unjustified treatment of Heart of Midlothian FC towards our member, Steven Pressley.
"The SPFA and its parent body, the GMB union, have long...
Well done to Lothian and Borders Police for arresting the Hibs and Hearts casuals involved in disturbances in Edinburgh last month.
The eight arrests, made after dawn raids on addresses in the Edinburgh area, are said to be just the beginning of police action after the incident.
Good stuff. Let’s hope those found guilty are properly punished and barred from football.
And barred for life....
So he’s back.
Chapter 752 in the Tynecastle saga as Valdas Ivanauskas returns to the club and promises to focus on getting three points on Saturday – although at least the hapless Mr Malofeev and his translator managed to avoid dropping into the British manager’s cliché handbook.
Still that Valdas is prepared to risk his health to work for Vlad the Impaler and has started making the right...
Have you heard the one about the team that lost three managers and had an invisible owner?
No. Neither had I, but it’s unlikely to raise much of a titter in Gorgie at the moment.
Let’s recap.
Captain Steven Pressley has been dropped for speaking out against the Romanov revolution.
But Romanov, the most visible of all the SPL owners, has turned pretty much invisible.
Valdas Ivanauskas is...
On Friday Rangers and Hearts sat second and third in the SPL table. By Sunday evening Rangers had moved back into second and Hearts had fallen to fifth. But has a game between two sides occupying such lofty status in the top division ever been overshadowed to the extent this one was? Sure Rangers haven’t exactly been resting on a bed of roses this season but Paul Le Guen must at least be...
