Paulo Sergio was unaware cup tie went to replay

By MOIRA GORDON sergio
Published on Thursday 16 February 2012 03:48

HEARTS manager Paulo Sergio has revealed that he feared one of his mistakes might cost his team a place in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup.

Having drawn with St Johnstone in the initial cup head to head almost two weeks ago, he was relieved that his side had managed to edge a tight replay at Perth on Tuesday and set up a meeting with St Mirren in the next round. Especially as he had made a bloomer in the initial home tie.

“I have a confession to make from the first cup tie against St Johnstone at Tynecastle. I did not know that the game would go to another match after the 90 minutes, I thought there would be extra time. Because of that I had not used my substitutes because I thought we would have more time. In Portugal we have a first match with extra time and then another with extra time and then penalties. So when the first game finished 1-1, Steve [Lomas] came over to shake my hand and I was brushing him away saying ‘what are you doing, we will speak later’. I was too busy speaking with my coaching staff because I though the game was going into extra time.

“If you see the images from the end of the game I look surprised when Steve comes to shake my hand. But then he told me that it was over, it goes to a replay, and there wasn’t extra time at Tynecastle. I did not have the information. When I realised this I wanted to shoot myself.”

In the second game, he knew exactly what to expect but with the game finely balanced he said he tried to avoid it going beyond the 90 minutes. “Even though I knew the game went to extra time in the second game I still used my three substitutes trying to win it in the 90 minutes.”

One of those substitutes, Suso Santana repaid him by winning the penalty which allowed Jamie Hamill to cancel out St Johnstone’s lead with the last real kick of the 90 minutes. And once it went into extra time another of Sergio’s reshuffles earned them the winner, when Ryan McGowan was sent on to replace Marius Zaliukas in defence and free the captain to see out the contest as an auxiliary striker. In the end it was the Lithuanian who capitalised on a goalmouth melee, eventually slamming the winner in from close range. “It was a brilliant feeling,” said Zaliukas, who, along with his team-mates celebrated like they had already won the silverware. “Over the last couple of years we haven’t got through this round and last year was lost to St Johnstone so this one made it even more special. We are now looking forward to the next round and then hopefully looking to Hampden.”

He had feared the worst though when they lost the opener with just seven minutes of the match remaining. “I had a really bad feeling when they scored. It was probably their only shot on target and it was a goal. But we were lucky we got the penalty and left happy.”

St Johnstone were enraged by the award and television replays did little to dilute their sense of injustice, with even Zaliukas admitted it was a close call. “I was very close to it and I would say it was 50-50 but the decision has been made and you can’t change it. This decision is going to give us a lot of confidence. It also shows what can be achieved if we fight until the last minute. Suso has been a big influence to us when he came on in the last two games. He has made some good decisions to win us a point and then a penalty in the cup. He has lifted everybody.”

Afterwards the players celebrated with their fans, throwing strips into the crowd and he said he had little time for what the money men at the cash-strapped club would think of that. “I don’t care, to be honest,” said Zaliukas. “I will pay.”

He also doesn’t care about the situation Rangers find themselves in. Deducted 10 points in the SPL and out the Scottish Cup, the Hearts captain said he was focusing only on what his team could do in both competitions, acknowledging that a higher place finish in the SPL and a run all the way to the cup final would have positive financial ramifications. “We want to go to Hampden and hopefully that can also help the club. We are going to fight for every point in the league and every single victory. We want to do our best. We are looking to ourselves. [What is happening at Rangers] doesn’t change anything because we will always try to do everything we can. We now have a marathon of games. We have Motherwell on Saturday and we are not thinking about Rangers.”

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45

busbyfth

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 08:21 PM

# 38.........Thank you for your comments............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Does you monikar describe your sexual preferences with your hand and amateur proctologist ?????????????

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44

FFF

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 05:45 PM

#14 the beef smoker......Thank you. It's good for the soul when ones efforts are acknowledged. Sadly, not everyone appreciates my soh.....usually the recipient :)

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43

VladMagic

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 05:44 PM

#42 Go easy on him dmarr. We should should show sympathy to the unemployed. Especially the over weight variety. No hopes in life and a slave to a Hearts forum. Pity is required.

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42

dmarr1293

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 05:30 PM

tightfisted and numpty. btw.....Muchachos is how you spell muchachos !!

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41

dmarr1293

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 05:29 PM

"tightfisted" .....really quite emotional arent you. Your envy is apparent as is the fact you make no sense and are illiterate!.........What else? oh yes, you are a numpty !

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40

Baldrick

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 05:19 PM

Mystery solved. The 3rd man in the photo is Tommy Tommy. Paulo texted me. He was asking them for a wee loan to tide him over till the Giro arrived.

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39

VladMagic

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 05:17 PM

#38 Enjoying life on the dole are you TROLL??

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38

Tightfisted

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 05:00 PM

#34 BUSBY TIT You MUST be joking pal. While I find it hilarious that,in the week that Jambozos actually BRAG that they've finally paid their tax bill (just like we're ALL supposed to do), we get a double titter at HMFC's expense. Not only have they been swindled (just like HMFC did with Arbroath,..Eh Jambozos??) by the TEDDYBERRZ, , but they even ENTERTAIN the idea that, with Lee Wallace having FINALLY "escaped" from the MadVladClapTrap Factory, he'd even CONSIDER going back to DECLINECASTLE...at least not while there are burgers in McDonalds to be flipped,....Eh Compadres??? PS Now you know what it's like to be swindled ......what goes around etc etc.......Eh Moochachos???

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37

Hen Broon

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 04:49 PM

#36 Wee kent...is that not the same way as ours or has my stressful day got the better of me?

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36

Weel Kent Jambo

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 03:57 PM

Anyone else think the Portuguese way of conducting cup ties is better than ours? The first out the hat is said to have home advantage but that is largely negated if there's a draw at the end of 90 minutes with their opponents then having home advantage for 90 mins + extra time + possibly penalties. Any way, nice to see our wgaes having been paid on time to make it a really, really horrible week for those of the green & white tendency. The Beeb have got the story - how long before Johnstone Press catch up?

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35

Hen Broon

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 01:58 PM

#33beefy...well said ....its where Hibs go from here not where they were before.......it makes no odds to Hibs if Hearts pay the tax bill or not.......I think Hibs will win on SUNDAY & lets hope both Edinburgh teams are in the SEMI of the cup

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34

busbyfth

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 01:56 PM

When is Lee wallace due back to Hearts ????????? Quite often there is a ruling that if a club does not pay for a player in full - back he goes. welcome back Lee in August ???

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33

The beef smoker

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 01:53 PM

Yep LB. I am not going to come on here and deny the fact that Hibs have been torture to watch over the last few seasons and that has driven loads of fans away, especially when it comes to shelling out big dosh for a season up front. But what I have seen the last few games gives me a lot of hope that we can start to get back to challenging for top 6 and Europe next season. There are a lot of balloons on here from both sides who get in a lather about the demise of one club or the state of the other. Bottom line is neither has been without their problems to seek over the last while.

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32

LB hearts

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 01:40 PM

beef smoker i am glad to hear it someone who is interested in his own teams plight rather than how badly another teams finances are

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31

The beef smoker

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 01:32 PM

LB. Personally I will froth and drool over the vastly improving Hibs side, 2 clean sheets, battling performance to progress to the next round of the cup, a proper bit of fight about the team and the fans getting right behind them and the manager. Cannae wait to take my seat at the Leith San Siro on Sunday. Onwards and upwards...

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