Does Hearts owner Vlad share the same goal as Laszlo?

Published on Wednesday 26 August 2009 09:44

FIVE days before the summer transfer window closes, Hearts' lack of a new striker threatens to impair their season. Options and propositions for players have been plentiful and manager Csaba Laszlo, more than once, believed he had a deal in place to fill the most problematical position in his squad. Vladimir Romanov, the club's majority shareholder, decided otherwise.

Exactly why is not clear. Laszlo's final list of potential striking targets totalled around 20 and contained names such as Kevin Kyle, Steven MacLean, Adam Nemec, Ilco Naumoski, Lee Miller and the recent Hibernian signing, Anthony Stokes. None were sanctioned.

As recently as last week, Hearts were approached about the possibility of signing the Polish international forward Ebi Smolarek before Romanov deemed him not good enough.

The Russian entrepreneur's lack of action is difficult to digest for Laszlo and the club's support, particularly after two domestic defeats and a European loss inside the opening week of the season. Having demonstrated his business acumen in the past by buying and selling players for a healthy profit, one can only wonder about Romanov's present hesitance. Not since Andrius Velicka defected to Viking Stavanger in February 2008 have Hearts had a goalscorer worthy of the name and it is this missing component that is jeopardising Laszlo's efforts so early in the season.

Recent rumblings from the Hungarian betray his exasperation, which first set in during July when a verbally agreed deal for Nemec, the Slovakian international forward, was not completed. Nemec left Belgium's Racing Genk to join Kaiserslautern on 28 July.

"We discussed terms with Hearts, we talked about everything with the contract and there was no problem regarding his salary or anything," said Karol Csonto, the player's agent. "Adam was willing to make a compromise because he wanted to play in Scotland. He preferred Hearts over Kaiserslautern.

"Everything was agreed verbally but we didn't get the definite offer from Mr Romanov. I don't know what happened.

"I had dealings with Hearts before with players like Roman Bednar and Rudi Skacel so I know the situation and what is going on. It's not so easy. We were in discussions with the coach who wanted the player but we didn't have anything from the club. In the end, we had to make a decision and Kaiserslautern definitely wanted to sign the player, so we took him to Kaiserslautern."

Another striker Laszlo believed could have had a future at Hearts was Mike Tullberg, the Dane who spent last season on loan at Tynecastle from the Italian club Reggina. "Like the coach said in the newspapers, he wanted me to come back but it was not his decision," said Tullberg. "It was frustrating but I was injured a lot last season. Hearts made a choice and so I must move along somewhere else. Of course, I would have liked to have stayed in Scotland."

Stokes was also keen on a move to Hearts but chose Hibs in the absence of a formal offer from Tynecastle. Naumoski, the Macedonian internationalist, travelled to Barsinghausen, Germany, in July for talks with Hearts officials but requested a salary well beyond Romanov's preferred new maximum wage ceiling of 4,000 per week. He has now rejoined SV Mattersburg of Austria on a one-year deal.

To date, the only forward to arrive in Gorgie is David Witteveen, who has yet to impress. He is backed up only by Christian Nade and the teenage Gary Glen with Calum Elliot injured once again. What has ensued as a result is something of a political wrangle between Laszlo and Romanov which could do long-term damage to internal relations. The owner believes Hearts' youth academy provides capable replacements for departed mainstays like Robbie Neilson, Christos Karipidis, Christophe Berra and Bruno Aguiar. Add in the missing experience of Tullberg, Deividas Cesnauskis, Saulius Mikoliunas, Adrian Mrowiec and even Juho Makela, and it becomes clear that filling the void is not a job for kids.

Yet it has been left to Glen, Jonathan Stewart, Craig Thomson and Arvydas Novikovas to undergo a fast track graduation from academy to first team. Romanov has told insiders at Tynecastle that Novikovas, the Lithuanian winger, will be worth 20million (currently 17.5m] and is keen for him to be given more game time. But deploying the youngsters would be akin to acceptance on Laszlo's part that reinforcements are not needed.

Most of the manager's striking targets possess sound development potential on the evidence of past exploits. Had Romanov invested, he could then sell on next summer before sitting back and counting his profit. Laszlo would have had his striker, and everyone could have been happy.

That moves have not been commissioned may be because the finance would have to come directly from Romanov, or his Ukio Bankas Investment Group which finances Hearts.

"Any signing would have to be financed by Vladimir because the club is not in a position financially to do it," said Leslie Deans, the club's former chairman. "If he decided to dip his hands in his own pocket, then it could be done.

"Like everyone else, I can see the need for a striker. I don't think young Witteveen is the answer. He might develop but he doesn't seem to be there at the moment. I think the manager's view on where we need to strengthen is absolutely right. The sadness is that we're strong in other areas of the team but we certainly need something up front.

"I know the problems that face any owner or chairman. It's never easy, especially in a league like ours where the TV deal is a fraction of what it is in England. But, for a signing to transpire just now, I believe would necessitate Vladimir Romanov putting his hand in his own pocket. Only he can answer whether he is prepared to do that."

FEARS THAT DINAMO'S BAD BLUE BOYS COULD GO ON RAMPAGE

THERE are fears that 200 Dinamo Zagreb fans could bring chaos to Edinburgh when they arrive for tomorrow's Europa League qualifier against Hearts.

Many of the Croatian fans – set to arrive in Edinburgh today – are believed to be members of the notorious Bad Blue Boys gang and are already banned from watching football in their own country.

However, a loophole means that banning orders do not apply abroad. Last season, Dinamo were fined 175,000 after trouble broke out at two of their UEFA Cup games.

Chief inspector Paul Bullen of Lothian and Borders Police, said: "We are aware of the potential issues surrounding visiting supporters."