Replay result will impact on Hearts’ fortunes both on and off the pitch
THE Hearts squad travel to Perth tonight knowing that the outcome of their Scottish Cup replay against St Johnstone could have a big impact on the rest of their season on and off the field.
The players are due to receive their February salaries on Thursday, and the club also has to pay a tax bill of around £150,000 in order to escape a winding up order issued last week.
Hearts have said they are confident that the bill will be paid, but, having struggled to pay their players on time in recent months, they will find it hard to meet both commitments.
Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov declared last autumn that henceforth the club would have to pay its own way, but an exception may be made for the tax liability. Even if Romanov did extend his largesse to do that, however, the Hearts board would again have to find alternative funding for their wage bill. If the team progress to the quarter-finals of the cup with victory tonight, the resultant income would make it that much easier for the club to bridge the gap between its commitments and its liabilities.
Having experienced delays to their wages in three of the past four months, the Hearts squad have become accustomed to their employers’ financial difficulties. After an initial dip in form they recovered strongly, and although their last four matches have produced two draws and two defeats, first-team coach Gary Locke believes they remain able to disregard monetary matters while playing.
“It is a huge week, but it is always a huge week,” Locke said, yesterday. “We have got a big fan-base and we are all desperate to do well. It is no different to any other week. The cup game will look after itself and then we face a Motherwell side [in the SPL on Saturday] who are flying at the moment. It is a week we are all looking forward to.
“Of course they can put what is happening off the field to one side. They are professionals and all they want to do is play football.
“If you get a decent cup run, you get TV money and it will help the club financially. I don’t think the players worry about money when they go out on the pitch, it is just about winning the game. I’m pretty sure they will be focused enough to do that.”
Hearts took the lead in the initial fifth-round tie against St Johnstone, but lost it after the visitors had had Dave Mackay sent off for a second bookable offence. The impressive form which St Johnstone showed in that 1-1 draw appeared to desert them at the weekend, when they lost 5-1 at home to Dundee United, but Locke insisted they would still be formidable opponents this evening.
“They have got players who have done very well and Steve Lomas has done a great job as manager since taking over from Derek [McInnes]. It will be a difficult game, but hopefully we can go there and put up a performance.
“They will be hurting after the weekend, but, by all accounts, it was a close game. St Johnstone know they will get a difficult game from us. They played well in the second half [at Tynecastle] when they were down to ten men, and that shows you the character they have within their squad.”
Hearts have done little in the cup since winning the trophy in 2006, but Locke, who was non-playing captain when the club previously won it in 1998, believes it is realistic for the club to expect a good run every season. “I would think winning a cup is an objective,” he said. “I don’t think it is unrealistic for a club of our size to look to win something every season.
“I’ve been involved in a team which has had success. Unfortunately I never played, but it was still a great experience. I am hoping this group of boys can do the same.”
Ian Black is suspended for tonight’s game, but David Templeton may return from injury.
Saints lost 5-1 to United on Saturday, conceding three goals in the final six minutes, and manager Lomas is pleased to have an immediate opportunity to make amends. “It was a very bizarre game, from getting back to 2-1 with eight minutes to go and all of a sudden getting beaten 5-1,” he said. “It was a strange game. I couldn’t really explain it.
“It’s good we’ve got something so close to bounce back, it’s a great game for the club, so it’s something we should be looking forward to.”
Midfielder Murray Davidson could return following an ankle injury. Lomas added: “Murray’s a big part of what we do, his energy and drive in midfield. We’re hopeful he’s going to be fit.”
The Saints manager also has a decision to make in goal after a Peter Enckelman mistake led to a United goal, with Alan Mannus waiting for his opportunity.
Lomas, who was coy on whether he would change goalkeepers, said: “Peter made a mistake on Saturday. All the other players can make a mistake and get away with it, goalkeepers get punished. We’re very lucky we’ve got two very good goalkeepers at the club.”
Tonight’s winners will be at home to St Mirren or Ross County in the quarter-finals.
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Comments
There are 70 comments to this article
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Hen Broon
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 01:09 AMHannon.....come out come out from where ever you are? HEARTS march on.....6 of our graduates stripped.....fur contribute......unlike you I am hoping Hibs progerss and we get them in the SEMI..........therein lies the difference.
Portsmouth 657
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 10:28 PMHearts win again yawn....
media4one
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 02:29 PMRangers must suffer the consequences and will; but unfortunately it will not end in their total demise which will be seen as a good thing by Rangers fans but in reality will be the worst thing for Scottish football-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------The SPL with Rangers in it is still one of the most embarrassing excuses for a league in the world and whatever attraction there is appears to be based on the Old Firm Derby. If Rangers disappear the SPL becomes even poorer again and instead of almost nobody being interested, absolutely nobody will be interested-----------------------The best thing would be semi-professional status and back to basics, the fans will still come in their droves but the wages will be smaller and the league more competitive.
Highland Hibby
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 12:39 PM#64 and #65 Thanks for the post and the reminder. I forgot that rule.
Fly
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 12:32 PMJohnny Jambo, I am a neutral on this thread. At #23 you say football is a 'results driven business'. I find that a remarkable comment when you look at the state of Rangers. They cheated on tax so technically spent money they didn't have to achieve results ( 9 in a row, last 3 in a row). Hearts are little better. Football is also about managing your business which over recent years both clubs have done very badly. How many Rangers fans would give up some of their titles to be sure they exist in a decent form after the next few months?
Dragonlord
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 12:13 PM52#,54#,55 And others. Did you not read the posts in lastnight's EEN. Hearts will be paid for Wallace as will Utd will get their cup money. ALL football debts are paid BEFORE anyone else. If Rangers do not pay the money will come from their league payouts and TV money. In the event this is not enough the SFA pay out of their pocket. IT'S IN THE RULES! ( check last night's paper the rules are reproduced there.)
Weel Kent Jambo
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 12:12 PMHH - Think the comments have been cleared down from yesterday's article however I think this might have been the SPL rule being quoted....................."C9.1 If any Club defaults in making payment of any sum or sums due to the Company andor to another Club the Board shall be entitled to apply any sums which, under these Rules, would otherwise be payable to the defaulting Club by the Company in discharge of any debt due by such Club in default to the Company andor such other Club in such manner as the Board shall determine." ......................ASLO.............."D4.6 If a Club is in default of payments due to another Club under a transfer agreement or in relation to Compensation, such defaulting Club shall pay interest calculated on a daily basis at a rate of 5% per annum over the base rate from time to time of The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland to the other Club, and the Board may place an embargo on any further Registrations by such defaulting Club until such time as the agreement is honoured or, as the case may be, paid."
Highland Hibby
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 12:10 PMHi Weel Kent, I will have a look shortly. Thanks.
Dragonlord
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 12:09 PM1# Hannon: I take it you do not have a mortgage ot a credit card? No debt whatsoever? How can someone living beyond their means ( ethically) continue to live? Hearts have only recently been living beyond their means, By that I mean VR has serviced the debt( as you and many others do month to month) so it has only been since VR stopped finacing things, Hearts are living beyond their means. Once the summer comes and high earners leave things will return to servicing any debt and Hearts will continue as before.
Weel Kent Jambo
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 11:46 AMHighland Hibby - there was a good poston of yesterday's threads quoting the SPL rules on payment of transfer fees. Might be worth digging around to find it.
Highland Hibby
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 11:31 AM#58 Anglo, good questions. I wish I knew the answers. I hope you can get Wallace back as it would set a good precedent.
Highland Hibby
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 11:24 AM#57 "I remember when it was about going out to win, today it is about going out not to lose and hopefully winning." Me too. The fear factor of the 12 team league stops us going back to that attitude. Lets get a bigger league, say 18 teams, and use the opportunity to give youngsters experience. The benefit I see is that teams at the top can focus on winning (as they will be winning most games), teams in relegation danger can focus on not losing (as they often have to) and those in the middle have a comfort zone to develop youngsters to make a challenge in years to come.
Anglo Jambo
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 11:23 AMInteresting point Highland Hibby. I think it may depend on the administrators. Also if Rangers default how do Hearts get paid?. Wouldn't they have to take Rangers to court. Then if successful how would Hearts be paid? What are Rangers worth? What is Ibrox worth? What are the players worth? I believe the tax bill would have to be paid and everything shared after that. If Rangers were honourable they would use the money from Jelavic to pay the money they are owe other clubs.
Anglo Jambo
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 11:12 AMHearts should be looking for 17000 crowd at Tynecastle every week. Just now we are a few thousand short of that. Admittedly the cold weather doesn't help. So again, not just for Hearts sake but SPL in general , we have to look at summer football. Let us be honest about it other clubs have acquired better players for less wages than Hearts pay. Some hoboes do speak the truth it is the way they come out with it that gets our backs up. I remember when it was about going out to win, today it is about going out not to lose and hopefully winning. Hearts shouldn't be thinking along these lines. We should be expecting to win every game except the old firm matches. The club has little control over discipline. I know refs can be ridiculous in some of their decisions, but some of the behaviour shown by players is absolutely ridiculous. Yes some rules are silly but they are rules. Hamill got sent off on Saturday not because of his bad tackle but because of hi mouth earlier, Webster is due to be suspended, he kicked the ball away. We all know how Black gets his yellow cards. Black is a good player and we need him. There are professional fouls and some out right stupid.
Cave not Shed
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 10:56 AM54, Lucky if the will see 10p in the £. Rangers tax bill is apparently much bigger than what has been quoted.
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