Hearts boss shows frustration as he pulls no punches

Published on Thursday 26 November 2009 08:37

IF Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo can deduce one positive from his club's current quandary, it is that he knows who to trust. The old saying that in a crisis you realise who your friends are has become increasingly apparent for the Hungarian this season.

His relationship with majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov has become strained due to a perceived lack of investment in strikers. The players at his disposal are inexperienced, and in some cases simply insufficient. Additionally, critics have emerged to pour scorn on a man who last season could do no wrong. Laszlo has watched the above events unfold with a fair degree of frustration. He would like even one striker to arrive in January but must first fight for Romanov's attention to make clear his wishes.

He is happy to nurture the youthful element within the Hearts squad, an area in which he has proven himself extremely adept in the past, but needs a greater level of experience to complement it.

As for the criticism, his eyes remain wide open.

"If you are in a difficult situation, one good thing is that you can see who is with you and who is not a real friend. This is very clear now," he told the Evening News. "Even around the club there are people who recognise what situation we are in.

"Before we had many people wanting to be part of our success, now these people show me their face in the newspapers. Now I have the possibility to recognise the faces of these people.

"It doesn't change anything. I have said our situation is not the best, we need to win the games. I was very confident after last week's training and I was confident even with ten men that we could get one point against St Johnstone on Saturday.

"We have key players injured, like Driver, Zaliukas and Suso and this is not helpful. We would like to move forward but we are making mistakes.

"This season, it is a mistake to have the possibility to score but you don't score. You cannot leave the responsibility to the defence or midfield. I am very sad that we lose or we draw every game very close. The scores are 1-0, 2-1, 0-0, 1-1. This is what we must change. If we start winning games, the confidence will be back. But if you want to win games you need goals."

Laszlo believes those castigating him must adopt a touch of realism in the wake of the changes his squad has undergone this year. He professed himself content with Christian Nade's efforts in attack in the absence of a recognised goalscorer whilst reiterating that a top-six place and cup success are his targets for this season.

"The players we have at the moment do not bring any danger, they are not dangerous up front," he continued.

"I am happy with the development of Christian Nade but, from the other people, I don't see something. Nade tries his best, he is not a typical goalscorer but you see with some effort he can be dangerous. The other people must also come forward.

"I am definitely sad about this season's development. Before I came here we were in eighth position, we finished third and now we are back down again. This, for me, is not development.

"Maybe this season we will reach our target in the top six but, at the end of the day, every manager and every club would like to have something in their hands. For this reason, I wish to qualify for the final of the Co-operative Cup and to move forward in the Scottish Cup. These are the two competitions where we can get something."