‘Hearts always put me down,’ says banished Marian Kello
Marian Kello has secured an early release from Hearts. Picture: SNS
HEARTS goalkeeper Marian Kello yesterday hit out at key figures at the club, who he accused of “always trying to put him down”. Even before this outburst, Kello had seemed resigned to being frozen out of the Hearts first-team picture.
Now he appears to have sealed this fate.
The ‘keeper has started what he anticipates will be a four- month period of exile from the first team after failing to seal a move to Austria Vienna on the last day of the transfer window. He was excluded from the squad for Sunday’s Scottish Cup tie against St Johnstone, with manager Paulo Sergio later explaining that this had been the result of a “political situation” between Kello and the club.
The original reason forwarded by the club was that Kello had been suffering from a back complaint. The ‘keeper, however, made a point of warming up before the match at Tynecastle on Sunday.
Kello was in defiant mood again yesterday when making himself available to reporters prior to a press briefing ahead of tonight’s league clash with Celtic at Tynecastle. As he began to climb the stairs at the club’s Riccarton training complex he asked the gathering of journalists whether they wanted to speak about the “real story”, and then proceeded to unburden himself.
Several of his team-mates hung over the first floor balcony as they watched the player break free from what is normal protocol at a club where media arrangements are normally so tightly controlled. “For me it is very hard,” said Kello, who has kept eight clean sheets in 20 league matches this season. “I have been here three-and-a-half years and tried to fight for the club and everything, and they just try and put me down all the time. I don’t know why. I always try my best for the club.”
His surprise decision to speak meant reporters were denied access to Jamie Hamill, the player who had been handed media duties for the day. Kello expects to face recriminations for this act of insurrection. He stressed that the situation had reached the stage where he had to “protect” himself.
“Look, I had to say something because I have seen the mess that is in the papers,” he said. “I have to say something. I need to say how things are. That’s the point. They [Hearts] might do something to me, I don’t know. But I need to protect myself.”
Hearts and Kello have shared a complicated relationship dating back to when he was ordered not to board the team bus prior to a game with Rangers in May last year. The reasons for this have never been fully explained. Jim Jefferies, the then manager, referred to it as a “personal matter” between Vladimir Romanov, the club’s owner, and the goalkeeper.
Yesterday Kello, asked to comment on that first dispute with the club, said that he didn’t want to “go back that far, maybe later – we’ll see”. The goalkeeper was focused on this latest tete-a-tete, angrily denying that he was not committed to Hearts. He claimed he had not been offered a new contract and is being victimised for refusing to join Austria Vienna, who last month offered Hearts a sum of e100,000 [£83,000] for his services.
Asked if he felt he was being punished, he said “Obviously”. As the minutes ticked down towards the transfer window deadline, he felt he was being rail-roaded into a move which suited Hearts, but not him. “After talking to my agents, we decided that a move to Austria was not, at the moment, best for me,” he explained.
“The contract was for only 18 months and it wasn’t that good. I want a contract for a longer period. I am 29 now. I need to look to the future. And obviously I want to help the club with money, but it was not that big a deal [offered by Austria Vienna] anyway. Obviously my agents are working on something because of the situation here.”
The situation he refers to is one where he has again incurred the displeasure of Romanov. Kello was reluctant to refer to individuals, however. “I can say the board,” he said. “They are all together. I cannot specify one name. It’s the board who decided.
“It is said in the papers and everywhere that I am not committed to the club and that for me is totally nonsense,” he added. “The club signed two young goalkeepers [Jamie MacDonald and Mark Ridgers]. I have been told I don’t figure in the future of the club. I was not offered a new contract.”
He had been warned of the consequences of not agreeing to sign for Austria Vienna. Director Sergeyus Fedotovas told him, on 31 January, that he must expect to be sidelined, going by previous examples. Andy Webster, Marius Zaliukas and Jose Goncalves have all been treated in this way in the past after either rejecting new contract offers or having indicated a desire to move on.
Following Kello’s impromptu press conference, Sergio was asked about the ‘keeper’s predicament. “I said on Sunday there was an issue and the issue is clear: the future of Kello is not going to be at Hearts,” he said.
“If his future is not linked to this club then it’s fair enough to put others in to play because the future lies with them.
“This protects the club and protects the player, too,” he added. “Imagine tomorrow Kello made a big mistake, it would not be good for him.”
Kello has been linked with a move to Celtic. However, he ended speculation about this yesterday. Asked whether he would be open to a move to Parkhead, and all the financial security that entails, he answered: “No. You know why? Because it would look like I am prepared to sit on the bench in the Scottish league. And for me there is no point [in doing that].
He added that if there was a “50/50” chance of playing, then he might be persuaded to go to Celtic. “But obviously there is not a chance to play because the manager [Neil Lennon] likes someone else [Fraser Forster]. That is always the point to consider.”
Kello was asked if there was anything else he wanted to say. “If they want me then they should negotiate a new contract,” he said, with reference to Hearts. “Don’t force me out of here. It’s not like I don’t want to stay here. I was expecting something else from the club.”
Such as respect, came one suggestion. “Yes,” he replied.
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Comments
There are 61 comments to this article
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TommyTommy
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 07:44 AM60.You forgot the small matter of the clubs income during that period.
StockportJambo
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 12:48 AM£70M actually sounds about right really, if you add it up. Remember that Romanov came in 7 years ago, and up until the last year, Hearts have been losing money hand over fist. Taking into account transfer fees, player & staff salaries, and general expenses to keep the club afloat, over the course of 7 years that probably adds up to around £70M. This also includes increasing the debt by about £15M give or take.
JaimeDLG
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 10:55 PMActually Kello and his new predicament only proves that the present rules of transfer windows is a farce and should be removed or increased to about two months at a time...... I object to the pre contract arrangements also as I have memories of players being careful of injuries in the latter part of the season.
juiceterry
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 01:21 PMAnd looking at some of the other comments, the transfer fee was way too small. But this is because the other clubs were coming in thinking there was a fire sale on.
juiceterry
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 01:11 PMI feel sorry for the Hearts players who dare to speak out. In effect they are having a go at vlad, who I presume no jambos really want at the club. Yet when they do speak out, the supporters have no sympathy with them and seem fine with what vlad is up to. Kello and Stevenson were good servants of the club.
TommyTommy
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 01:09 PMIf hearts dont pay their players their wages on time they can be called to account by the spl for the same breach of goodwill that was brought against them after the last fiasco...............Lets hope that that happens because someone needs to get a grip of the cranks running HMFC............It is time to take these people on.........
TommyTommy
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 12:55 PM“If they want me then they should negotiate a new contract,” he said, with reference to Hearts. “Don’t force me out of here. It’s not like I don’t want to stay here. I was expecting something else from the club.”..........................................................Such as respect, came one suggestion. “Yes,” he replied..................Kello 7th February 2012 before the lie machine set about trying to discredit him..............Shame on Hearts...........Found out AGAIN........
TommyTommy
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 12:48 PMThen there is the daddy of them all................A £300million investment as stated by romanov the other week................A huge lie.............These people think that the public are fools.............They wouldnt know honesty if it landed in their laps.........
TommyTommy
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 12:45 PMAnother LIE is about a £70million investment in HMFC..............That is another Whopping lie from Hearts owners..........A lie machine..........They lie without blinking an eye.........
TommyTommy
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 12:44 PMReading between the lines of PS statement you ppick up the fear of losing his income if he doesnt tell the party line as given to him............A pack of lies as usual..............Another big lie is about the..................NEW STADIUM.................That is a whopper..........
TommyTommy
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 12:40 PM"It is said in the papers and everywhere that I am not committed to the club and that for me is totally nonsense.I have been told I don’t figure in the future of the club. I was not offered a new contract".............................”I WAS NOT OFFERED A NEW CONTRACT"..................Kello 7th FEb 2012...............Followed by the lie machine statement that he turned down an offer of a new contract ...................Remember this is after they tried to sell him and after he stood up for himself...He has no reason to tell lies........ ............Hearts are renowned for spinning fibs........More to come
TommyTommy
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 12:29 PM43.Clearly fatbum is not going to comment on your post but i will.............The date of the statement of an offer of a new contract being made is the 7th February.i.e. after the cat has been let out of the bag............You cant believe a word that comes out of the official Hearts propoganda machine.............This is another example of the lie machine operating..........
Hen Broon
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 12:16 PM#47 Mixup.......take it you realise HEARTS would 'now' be delighted if Kello left therein saving his wages? Most likely scenario is that Hearts will cancel his contract making him a free agent or loan him out to cover his wages.
Hen Broon
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 12:13 PM#45 yep you posted the same on the other HEARTS thread .....three and half hours after I did predicting that the scotsman will catch up & omit VR's statement that he deems HEARTS different as they generate their own income. (as funny enough you did) As per my original post what this does confirm(not that there was any doubt) that VR has indeed lost his love of football & that his decisions re Hearts will be driven by finances alone. The danger period is not now(tax bill will be paid) but post any summer transfer income & season ticket income. I still believe that he will recognise that to protect the tangible assets(TYNIE) value it remains imperative he keeps Hearts as a going concern. Best option selling club & leasing the ground. However HEARTS fans need to unite & fully consider all options before handing over our combined £2m or so.
Mixtu62
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 12:07 PMAll Kello needs to do is wait until his wadges have not been paid on time - Again and leave under breach of contract. Hearts probably couldne even afford to make a legal challenge to this move in the courts. not unless they try a pay for it with one of their contra deals that are so readily available. - "Dear Mr Solicitor, we are skint and need some help in the courts can you help us? We can though pay you with a seat in our state of the art pink stadium to watch the St Mirren game. Tickets will be posted about ASAP as soon as you send the £22 postage fees."
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