Frail: We owe it to Hearts fans to make huge improvement

Published on Saturday 10 May 2008 11:18

STEPHEN FRAIL admits Hearts supporters deserve better than to endure a repeat of this season's mediocrity and the interim manager is determined to help improve the club's fortunes.

Frail believes a successful pre-season programme is key to ensuring a more prosperous campaign and is already formulating a summer schedule to prime the squad for the SPL's resumption in August.

Last season's trips to Austria and Germany were overshadowed by the hapless Eduard Malofeev, whose chaotic interference had a negative effect on team morale.

This year should see a more sensible pre-season programme involving only one week-long trip to Germany, with Malofeev not expected to attend.

Frail stressed that whatever is necessary will be done to ensure Hearts deliver on their stated aim of challenging for European football.

"If it was a report card going out, this season would read not good enough. That applies to everyone," he said.

"We need to make sure next season's report card reads a lot better. That means pre-season has to be right and we need to hit the ground running.

"We need to be ready for our first league game, home or away, and get three points.

"When you look back, losing the first game of the season at home to our rivals, the whole thing just wasn't right from the start. We're doing everything to make sure the start of next season is right.

"The fans don't deserve another season like this. They've been there every week and we need to give them something back. We need to make sure we're ready to give them it back next season."

Frail, whose current contract expires this summer, is still no clearer on which role he might fulfil next season or if he will even still be at Tynecastle.

"That's the uncertainty of football, but between now and the start of pre-season I'll be working to make sure everything is right," he continued. "If it's me in charge, fine. If it's someone else, I want to make sure I've left in place everything for whoever comes in so that they can take the club forward.

"That's the most important thing, the football club. It's not me being here or anyone else coming in, it's the club. If all our pre-season preparations are right, the games we arrange, the players are aware of what's expected, hopefully that makes better ingredients for next season."

With supporters craving the appointment of a permanent manager by majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov, Frail sympathises with their emotions.

"I think there's more emphasis put on that from outside the club. I know the fans want someone in place," he said. "We've lost a couple of games since taking over in January but the results and form have been relatively good. If we'd carried our current form from the beginning of the season we wouldn't be in the bottom six, we would be right up the top and challenging for Europe.

"The players know who the manager is in the minute. I can see the argument in people wanting to see a manager in place, whether it be me or someone else. I think that comes mostly from the fans, which is totally understandable."