Hearts boss Lazslo takes hard line with Rosa

Published on Wednesday 11 March 2009 08:58

DERBY week has prompted Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo to cut the telephone hotline he shares with Hibernian midfielder Denes Rosa. "I will not call Rosa this week until maybe after the game," said Laszlo, who has enjoyed regular contract with his Hungarian compatriot in recent weeks.

Laszlo's input was central to Rosa deciding to join Hibs in January, for the Hearts manager was effusive in praise of his Edinburgh rivals when Rosa called for advice. The discussion was the first in a series of meetings and conversations between the pair, who were manager and player at Ferencvaros and faced Hearts together in the 2004 UEFA Cup. However, their relationship has been put in cold storage ahead of the meeting at Easter Road.

"I have spoken with him many times but you must not misunderstand. This is not a friendship, this is a relationship between a manager and player," said Laszlo. "There is respect between us and that is a great thing. It is good, after so many years, for a player to call me if he has a problem.

"Rosa asked me a lot of questions before he signed for Hibs. He asked me about Scottish football, about the mentality and a lot of other things. I think this is normal. I did not tell him what to do because the decision is for the player. I told him the truth, I said Hibs is a big opponent for my team but I respect them. I told him it is a club with a very strong chairman who leads the club very well. I told all the positive and negative things and after the player has to decide himself.

"I am not an agent. If an ex-player calls me and asks my opinion it is a great thing for me. All the players I worked with call me and Rosa is one of these guys."

Respect is a big word in Laszlo's dictionary. Even when he isn't receiving any, like in recent jousts with fellow SPL managers Craig Levein and Mark McGhee, he prides himself on maintaining dignity. It is that, he says, which ensures former charges regard him highly.

"If some players have a very bad run they call me and ask 'what can I do?' Hungarian players have called me and said: 'I have an offer from here or there, what can you tell me? Is it okay or not?'

"Rosa called me to ask for some advice. It's a fantastic feeling to have this respect. I am the type of manager who always has a good relationship with his players and the supporters. I don't call my old players, 99 per cent of the time they call me. You cannot buy this kind of respect with money."

Although he won't be taking any calls from Rosa, Laszlo did receive a welcome buzz from another former player this week. "On Monday (Eugen] Polanski called me from Getafe," he said.

"I was in Moenchengladbach on Saturday and watched Borussia Moenchengladbach against Hamburg. I met Marcel Jansen and two other players who played in the youth team at Borussia Moenchengladbach. I also met Eugen Polanski's father. He said: 'Mr Laszlo, how are you? My son does not have your telephone number but he would like to call'. I gave him my number and Polanski called me on Monday. It made me very happy."

Impromptu rings from former colleagues are apparently a regular occurrence for the universally popular Hearts manager. "Last week five Uganda players called me and spoke with me," he continued. "I was in Germany for a couple of days and met a lot of ex-players there who I worked with. Players from Ferencvaros call me every week, and Rosa is the same."

Laszlo is careful not to become distracted from the task in hand despite the adulation. He is aware that his unbeaten Edinburgh derby record goes on the line this weekend in a fixture Hibs manager Mixu Paatelainen daren't lose following an unconvincing run of form.

Hearts will prepare for the match as they would any other normal league encounter, for Laszlo is conscious that derby-type emotions can compromise players' focus if they are not channelled properly.

"I don't make a big difference between Hibs or Inverness or Celtic or Rangers or Manchester United. Every team is the same," he stressed. "I concentrate very hard all week against every opponent. I prepare the team against Hibs like I would against St Mirren or Manchester United.

"Players must know this is a derby, a very important game. But also a derby is about three points. You have a lot of emotion which can sometimes be negative. I have been involved in so many derbies in my life and it's always the same. You must talk with the players and they must understand the importance. If you have the possibility to score, you must score. For me, it is important to get a point, if possible, three points. If we can do this we can keep our position in the table and this is important with ten games to go. Every game now has more and more importance.

"A town derby is always the top derby. The passion from the Scottish people is very high. What I have seen in Edinburgh is that the supporters have respect for each other. I can compare derbies from Hungary or derbies between two neighbouring national teams, these are different. The Scottish mentality for football is unique.

"It is not only the passion or winning, it is the lifestyle. I have never seen or felt this in any other country."

It seems Laszlo was built to thrive amidst the Scottish fervour. A man who lives and breathes football, he even spends inactive cup weekends hiking round foreign grounds watching matches, like Schalke against Cologne last Friday and Borussia against Hamburg the following afternoon. Family breaks certainly aren't on the agenda when there is a ball being kicked somewhere around Europe.

"A lot of people in the club ask me when I will go on holiday. I don't like to have a holiday. When I am 85 maybe I will have a holiday. My wife is always angry with me." He stops to talk to his wife. "Mariana, how many times have we been on holiday in the last ten years?"

"One week," is the reply.

"We went on holiday once in Uganda," he laughs. "This is my life and I am very happy. Not many people can say that their job and their passion is their job. I would like to give everything in my job."

Every ounce of energy will be expended on derby preparations between now and Saturday as Hearts seek to maintain a five-point lead in the race for a place in the qualifying rounds of UEFA's new Europa League.

Laszlo's biggest headache appears to be what to do with Marius Zaliukas, the Lithuanian defender who is available again after serving a four-match SFA suspension.

"Zaliukas is definitely a good football player but I would like to talk with him this week about many things," said Laszlo. "I am very satisfied with Eggert Jonsson but it is too early to decide what will happen on Saturday.

"Zaliukas makes it easier because we have more options. I must think a little about this.

"It will depend what happens this week and maybe tactically we can play with Zaliukas and Eggert in the team. It's possible. Zaliukas, if he is fit and if he brings the attitude I need, can help the team."