Paulo Sergio takes blame for Hearts defeat to Celtic

Published on Thursday 9 February 2012 11:59

PAULO SERGIO took full responsibility for Hearts’ 4-0 defeat by Celtic at Tynecastle last night in an effort to protect his players after a disappointing result.

The Portuguese manager was angry after Stephen Elliott’s second-minute header crossed the Celtic goal line, with neither referee Willie Collum or his assistant Andy Tait awarding a goal. Thereafter, strikes from Scott Brown, Victor Wanyama, Joe Ledley and Gary Hooper secured a 16th consecutive domestic win for Celtic.

Sergio admitted Hearts would still have found it difficult to stop the Glasgow club due to the scintillating nature of their play. But he insisted he should shoulder the blame for the loss and refused to criticise anyone in his dressing room.

“We could have scored the early goal and lost 6-1,” said Sergio. “I can’t say we would win if the goal was allowed but you have to agree the game is different and harder for Celtic if they are behind. My goalie made only one save but they scored four, that is how a big team plays. I have to say, for everybody, this defeat is my responsibility.”

The defeat leaves Hearts still six points behind third-place Motherwell in the Scottish Premier League but Sergio is hopeful of having David Templeton available for Saturday’s league trip to Kilmarnock. Midfielder Ian Black is available again after missing last night’s match through suspension.

Hearts could find themselves playing twice inside 48 hours next week if the Scottish Football Association decides to switch their Scottish Cup replay with St Johnstone to Thursday, February 16.

The match is currently scheduled for Tuesday, February 14, but the SFA is hopeful of moving it to Thursday to allow Sky to broadcast live from McDiarmid Park.

They must first obtain permission from UEFA because of Europa League ties taking place that night. If they get the go-ahead Hearts will face St Johnstone in the replay next Thursday before travelling to Fir Park on league business on the Saturday. It is understood there is no prospect of the Motherwell match being moved to the Sunday.

Meanwhile, Hearts’ majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov has spoken to Russian media about the club’s outstanding tax bill. Officials at Tynecastle are confident of settling the bill with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs by next week, and Romanov told the news agency RIA Novosti: “I don’t know what’s going on at Hearts, I’m not in Scotland at the moment. All monies due to the footballers have been paid. It’s probably just that the tax service hasn’t been paid.”

Related Articles

• Hearts 2 - 0 Celtic: Home side ensure fortress is not breached as Romanov looks on

  Edinburgh side add Celtic to list of sides who have failed to score at Tynecastle

  0 Comments

• Hearts 1 - 2 St Johnstone: St Johnstone maintain away run

  LIAM Craig and Dave Mackay were St Johnstone’s goalscorers in an inspired performance at Tynecastle which left Hearts winless for the fifth game in six. Mehdi Taouil struck a consolation - his first goal in maroon - with four minutes remaining but Jamie Hamill missed a costly second half penalty which would have levelled the game at 1-1.

  87 Comments

• Hearts 0 - 4 Celtic: Celtic sweep Hearts aside to make it 13 wins in a row

  THE latest meeting between Hearts and Celtic once again provided much to talk about. The home side failed to recover from the blow of seeing Stephen Elliott’s second-minute header saved by goalkeeper Fraser Forster, with the ball having already appeared to have crossed the line.

  0 Comments

• Celtic go four points clear with comprehensive victory over Hearts

  CELTIC manager Neil Lennon last night conceded that his side had “copped a break” prior to scoring four unanswered goals against Hearts at Tynecastle Park last night.

  0 Comments

• St Johnstone 0 - 2 Hearts

  HEARTS usurped Motherwell to go third in the SPL after a priceless victory over St Johnstone, their fifth of the last six SPL fixtures. A Kevin Kyle penalty and substitute Ryan Stevenson's late strike secured three points and a third consecutive clean sheet following wins over Hibernian and Celtic, and brought to an end a phenomenal week for the Tynecastle club.

  0 Comments

Comments

There are 152 comments to this article

Order by:

• Newest first
• |
• Oldest first

Page 1 of 11

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• 11
• Next >
• Show all

152

runaway

Friday, February 10, 2012 at 11:30 AM

How about..."Pending Windup" at Tynie...

• Report Unsuitable

151

runaway

Friday, February 10, 2012 at 10:56 AM

144#...i'm a Hibby and you are right about'86...I can still see the St Mirren goalkeeper diving over every shot that came to him, being a goalkeeper myself at the time he made it so obvious that he'd been bought out, was it Money, i'm sure that's who it was....Disgrace..

• Report Unsuitable

150

MaroonPlatoon

Friday, February 10, 2012 at 10:06 AM

#47 - casting out abuse once more tommytommy. I really don't know why - your an adult surely? It's a shame your so full of hate and anti-social traits. HONEST QUESTION (as you put it so frequently) - What exactly is your problem with people here?

• Report Unsuitable

149

trainspotter

Friday, February 10, 2012 at 01:10 AM

There has been some talk here of using modern technology to solve the problems of goal line disputes. here's my take on it. technology has progressed to the point where cricket has cameras in the stumps, tennis allows players to question decisions which are then backed up by Hawkeye, Rugby and American football have used video for years. So why not football? One word. Corruption. The old firm in Scotland, the big four in England, Real Madrid and Barcelona ALL oppose the use of Goal line technology. Why? Their stock answer is it would make games last longer and take responsibility away from referee's. Rubbish. The real reason is fear. Fear they would lose the edge that dodgy decisions give them, whether it is goals chalked off against them or penalty decisions for them. the playing field would be levelled. No more conspiracy theories. No more you get more penalties than we do. Fear and Corruption. The only reason that football is the backward cousin of ALL sports who have embraced modern technology

• Report Unsuitable

148

Baldrick

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 11:32 PM

96* Waspy 100 wins for "Pending Relegation". Guess who he's referring to.

• Report Unsuitable

147

busbyfth

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 11:23 PM

# 146,,, Was of course referring to DugsBaws.

• Report Unsuitable

146

busbyfth

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 11:22 PM

# 139............He posts like a demented eunuch.

• Report Unsuitable

145

ahmnaedaftyahmajambo

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 11:17 PM

@136138----how blind are you, even your manager said the ball crossed the line and celtic got a wee bit luck,,,, now take of the bigot glasses and go lie in your ain pash you feckin idiot xxx

• Report Unsuitable

144

A Jambo come rain or shine

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 10:14 PM

#136 you left school in1960?!?! presumably you were around a year old at the time? Seriously you can't be 65+ ..... Although judging by the Celtic fans behaviour anything is possible. FYI Sky showed a still of the ball over the line. Are you honestly saying that everyone in the media is against celtic because i havent heard one person say it wasnt a goal ..... Even Alan "i'll say anything to put hearts down"Rough. I was at the game and heard the RA chants ..... Nothing to do with samaras although how convenient it is for you that he plays. What will you "pretend" to say that rhymes when he's gone?? Nobody is bitter on here bar you. Not a single hearts fan has said anything other than we deserved to get beaten yet certain Celtic fans can't accept a wee bit of criticism about the way they or their captain acts. P.S. I'm well over '86 - fully accepted the cheating antics of Celtic and St Mirren on that day along with our inability to get the job done

• Report Unsuitable

143

ahmnaedaftyahmajambo

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 10:07 PM

sorry good people tommy titommy will be in bed as its a school night NIGHT NIGHT TOM XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

• Report Unsuitable

142

Duncan D' Orderly

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 10:01 PM

Pending cruelty to dugsbaws. (Never thought I'd hear myself say that or type it for that matter.)

• Report Unsuitable

141

ahmnaedaftyahmajambo

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 09:56 PM

mmmmmmmmm,, my only concern is [and try paying attention tommy the wenker tommy] that if one of the bigot bros take 4 goals of a mediocre hearts team ,,what the feck will they do to a pash poor team from fester road xxxxxxx

• Report Unsuitable

140

Duncan D' Orderly

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 09:48 PM

Or even bother!! Sorry couldn't get the thought of him typing with his chawawa's baws in his mouth!! Laughing as I type.....

• Report Unsuitable

139

Duncan D' Orderly

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 09:46 PM

138 & 136, Have you ever considered taking thedugsbaws oot yer big mooth and taking the dug for a walk? Just a thought, and don't bothering answering with your mouth full. Thanks.

• Report Unsuitable

138

thedugsbaws

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 09:32 PM

38 and 39 you are talking mince,you want a goal,the whole ball must cross the line?!! did you not know that? you want a pen. instead of the goal it would have been fairer to give the goal restart the game then bring it back and give the hearts a penalty then we had an excuse to bury you in the sh*te house of a ground,WHERE IS THE STILL OF THE BALL ON THE GROUND OVER THE LINE ?!! it`s the media who has stirred this up all the pro-rangers mob,wee coistys mates in the media

• Report Unsuitable

Order by:

• Newest first
• |
• Oldest first

Page 1 of 11

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• 11
• Next >
• Show all

Logged in as:

Comment here. Start typing your comment here:

Post comment

Please adhere to our Community guidelines

Your view

Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.