Kilmarnock 1-1 Hearts: No hand of friendship at Killie
Suso Santana heads a late equaliser for Hearts
WHAT started out as a petty, faintly comical, spat between two men who should know better escalated into something uglier at Rugby Park yesterday.
Paulo Sergio is no Luis Suarez, and Kenny Shiels no Patrice Evra, but the two managers who have been at loggerheads these last couple of days made quite a fist of emulating the big controversy in England.
Never mind the equaliser in time added on by Suso Santana that cancelled out Paul Heffernan’s goal just a few minutes earlier. Or even the red cards for Jamie Hamill and Dieter Van Tornhout in the second half. It was before and after this ill-tempered, indisciplined match – wonder why? – that most of the drama unfolded.
When Sergio declined Shiels’ invitation to shake hands prior to the kick-off, the Kilmarnock manager conspicuously allowed his hand to linger for the cameras. At full-time, another offer by Shiels – which Sergio later described as provocative – was again declined, after which things threatened to get out of hand, if you’ll pardon the pun.
As the two sets of players mingled on the pitch, Sergio shook hands with Dean Shiels, Kenny’s son. From a distance, it looked as though the Hearts manager pulled the player towards him and made a comment to which Shiels objected. Sergio later claimed that a remark by the player was to blame. In any event, the two had to be separated, which only left others to enter the fray. Michael Nelson, the Kilmarnock defender, had a go at Sergio, while Gary Locke, the Hearts first-team coach, also had to be restrained.
Neither Shiels nor his son spoke to the press afterwards, but Sergio explained his decision to snub the handshake. “I don’t want,” he said. “You have to understand that. Come on. After what he has spoken about me, not just this week. It is the fifth or sixth time he did that. This time it was so low that I don’t have words to describe it. So you have my reaction.
“I’m sad about that, but I think it was time to give him an answer because he is not doing it just with me. He is doing it with everybody. He has no ethics, no respect for anybody. I’m sad with that. I’m not happy. I’m not a guy who came to Scotland, a guy in a foreign country, to be involved with things like that. When he came the second time to shake, it is just to provoke me and get the reaction of the crowd.”
Jimmy Nicholl, Kilmarnock’s assistant manager, said that he was not surprised by Sergio’s snub. He said that Shiels was too honest for his own good at times. “You know what he’s like. The media boys love him. He comes out and says what he thinks. But if Kenny’s got principles, Paulo’s got principles. His principles are that he’s said too many things. It’s up to Paulo to decide. I can understand it.”
Sergio was less forthcoming about his altercation with Dean Shiels. “The kid gave his hand to me too, but he said a thing. So I take my hand off, but I’m not going to say. I don’t want punishment. I can understand the reaction of Dean. And I think he is clever enough to understand mine too. If somebody was speaking about his father what his father was speaking about me, [he would] understand the reaction.”
And all this because of Shiels’ claim that Sergio should have resigned in protest at the club’s decision to drop Marian Kello. Sergio ridiculed Shiels on Friday, comparing him to a clown and claiming that everybody in Scottish football, including the Kilmarnock players, was laughing at him.
The nonsense continued in pre-match radio interviews. Sergio said that he had been too soft on Shiels, who replied that he was guilty merely of being a “wind-up merchant”. Only the humourless and the “self-indulgent”, “the Victor Meldrews of this world”, would be offended by his comments, said the Killie manager.
The pity was that Shiels did not emerge from the dressing room in a red nose, lipstick and oversized shoes. Sergio would have had the opportunity to say: “I don’t believe it.” As it turned out, neither so much as spoke to each other, although when Van Tornhout was pitifully late with a challenge on Hamill in front of the dugouts, you half expected an international incident to break out. Hamill was booked for his protests.
There was precious little else to report in a dreadful first half, save for Momo Sissoko’s lame header that was fumbled on to the bar, but Van Tornhout was not to be denied in his attempts to ignite proceedings. Nine minutes into the second half, he was guilty of another bad tackle, again on Hamill, which persuaded Euan Norris to dismiss him for a second booking.
Suddenly, it looked as though the match was Hearts’ for the taking. Stephen Elliott headed well over, and Andy Webster’s left-foot shot met with a similar fate.
That, though, was not to account for Dean Shiels’ potential from a set-piece. With 11 minutes left, Nelson met his corner with a powerful header, which the goalkeeper could only parry on the line. From the chaotic scramble that ensued, Heffernan bundled the ball over the line.
Hearts’ disappointment was compounded a minute later when Hamill was given his second yellow, this time for a foul on Garry Hay. With no more players than their opponents, a point looked a forlorn hope for Hearts, but a minute into time added on, Suso rose at the back post to head in Elliott’s cross.
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Comments
There are 49 comments to this article
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talko`thetoun
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 09:17 PMSergio and Sheils are welcome round mine any time to settle their differences over a can or two of purple nectar. We need an agenda though, first off, Kello is a wage thief. No worse mind you than any of the wee gits roond here at the Hailes. Got mugged the other week for ma carry oot, was too steamin' to run after them an plus ah hud ma kebab meat an chips in ma other hand and it was all ah hud fir ma tea that night.
First Green
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 07:09 PMJust read the article about Danny Grainger. Understandably he`s far from convinced he`ll get paid this week.
Portsmouth 657
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 06:27 PM#45 hibs are only an average first division team.
Portsmouth 657
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 06:26 PM#35 The biggest win was a 10–2 Hearts victory oh 12 August 1893. The largest number of goals scored in a competitive match was when Hearts won 8–3 in a league match on 21 September 1935. Hearts hold the record margin in the Scottish Cup with a 5–0 victory on 1 February 1955, and the record margin in the Scottish League Cup with a 6–1 victory on 11 August 1956.
Walter Mitty
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 06:18 PMHearts are only an average spl team.
First Green
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 04:47 PMOnly 3 and 4 days to big paydays. Interesting week in Gorgie.
Tightfisted
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 04:26 PMComment removed by moderator
Highland Hibby
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 02:20 PM#39 Anglo, I see where you are coming from, but given that the administrators have a remit to get as much cash as possible, I can see the ground going first. Putting my head first, I would hate to see that if it was us, but my heart would want anything that got rid of him. Perhaps STF should try to buy you and 'merge' you with us; it worked wonders for us when it was the other way around!!
busbyfth
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 01:22 PM#35....Does the 4-0 (same goal difference as 6-2 or 5-1....De Vries 4) count more when it happens in the same season as another 4-1 then a 4-0.....the most important Edinburgh derby in history ?Let's see......would I take a 6-2 win or three demolitions in the same season ? DUH !!!!
jambo2006
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 12:20 PM17pts behind HMFC, 1pt in front of the pars in a 2 horse relegation battle, a scraped draw v an injury ravaged dons side at home in what some were saying was a must win game and those poor tormented..deluded hobos are in fact back using comparisons of hibs and Brazil and the good times are now back at ER, thanks safe harbour your comedy gold post was the funniest i've read in a long time d+d+d tis the hibee way lmao
Anglo Jambo
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 11:25 AMHow much are the Hearts really worth after value of ground is taken off. What players could we expect a fee for. Templeton comes to mind. We probably have got more value in the young players if given a chance. Of course other teams would willingly sign some of our players but for nothing. If going into administration got rid of Romanov and the over paid "Don't do a lots" it would be worth it.
Anglo Jambo
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 11:09 AMIn the cup against St Johnstone we had a one man advantage and same against Kilmarnock. Yet we failed to take advantage. The reason both their managers know we have no fire power up front. Did PS take advantage by taking off the non constructive Mrwoeic and replacing him with a forward No! I think if we want to challenge for third we can't afford the luxury of a holding midfielder who creates nothing. Use Black as a holding midfielder. He can also pass the ball. We were stronger at full back with Thomson and Wallace. I don't want to get into the Thomson case. I know he is a better full back than Hamill. I think Granger will be be back to full fitness. I know Black is suspended so give youth a chance.
Weel Kent Jambo
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 10:51 AM#35 Would you just pipe down at your end of the league. That was another 'must win' match for Hibs we were told last week - and guess what? You concentrate on trying to hold onto 11th and we'll look after chasing 3rd. Deal? You guys must have been kacking it when Dunfermline went in front yesterday!
Portsmouth 657
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 10:46 AMHibs now firmly anchored to the bottom with the more skillfull Pars team. hibs to go down. Their fans behaviour speaks volumes. Reality of first division football has the posters on here grasping at straws.
themanwith2brains
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 10:06 AMso when a team gets hammered 5 0 , its not because they are p1sh, its because the other team is so good, does that mean when hibs hammered you 6 2, your finally admitting we play like barca lol, and take it fae me 4 0 isnae as good as 7 0 or 6 2, and sergio shoogly peg was the one at fault, and he was the one who after deano shook his hand, started greeting in his ear, who wants a bet that sergio gets sack long before luggy shiels. and motherwell, st johnston and dun utd all have games in hand , so how long will you be in 4th place
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