Kilmarnock 1 - 1 Hearts: Suso equaliser and Sergio snub ensure a sour end for Shiels
Paulo Sergio refuses to shake hands with Kenny Shiels. Picture: SNS
ONCE upon a time football writers went to games to report on what happened during the 90 minutes of play. Today we turn up to gather the participants’ quotes following the latest diplomatic incident between managers or players.
The pre and post-match strops between Kilmarnock manager Kenny Shiels and his Edinburgh counterpart, Paulo Sergio, provided a ‘highlight’ for what was, admittedly, a very poor match. Sergio did not go quite as far as carrying out his threat to wring Shiels’ neck over the latter’s remarks that the Hearts manager should quit over interference in team selection, but there was tension in the air throughout the day.
The first half was particularly grim, eliciting just five notes, two of which were to record bookings. Those fans who refused to pay the high price which the SPL demands for witnessing such dross were the wise ones – 4,237 is a terrible crowd for what is supposed to be a game between two of Scotland’s better sides.
The tone had probably been set by the managers’ pre-match differences, and in less than 90 seconds we had the first flashpoint. Killie’s Belgian new boy, Dieter Van Tornhout, slid in on ex-Rugby Park player Jamie Hamill on the halfway line. Hamill’s leap away from danger brought him down, studs first on the Belgian, sparking mayhem and yellow cards all round.
Van Tornhout later missed the best chance of the game, when he sent a free diving header wide from a great Jamie Fowler cross. This chance, Mommo Sissoko’s header, which was tipped on to the bar by Hearts goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald, and a header from Tynecastle captain Marius Zaliukas which drifted over the top comprised the first half “excitement” for the fans. There was also a 36th minute booking for Kilmarnock’s on-loan Celtic player Lewis Toshney for a two-footed challenge on Danny Grainger.
The second half was marginally better, with early goal threats from a Mehdi Taouil 20-yarder, saved by Cammy Bell, and a Dean Shiels free kick, touched onto his bar by MacDonald. But the real improvement came with Van Tornhout’s 54th minute dismissal for another sliding challenge, this time on Ian Black. Killie had been second-best at 11 v 11. At 10 v 11 and with their collective dander up, they showed more pace and urgency, the game became less of a stroll and more of a battle for the visitors’ defence.
Andy Webster, later booked for kicking the ball away, and Hamill fired over in rare Hearts’ attacks, but, with the game seemingly heading for the epitaph: “a draw, no football”, the Ayrshire-men struck in the 79th minute.
Michael Nelson embellished his home debut by powerfully meeting Shiels’ corner from the left, MacDonald could only parry the header and Paul Heffernan reacted quickest to stab the loose ball home. Hearts’ ferocious riposte saw Hamill follow Van Tornhout up the tunnel early, his late challenge on Garry Hay meriting the yellow card rather more than his second minute one had. At this point, the first of the away fans left, reconciled to the fact it wasn’t their day. They should have hung around for, to their credit, Hearts kept playing. As the game edged into the final one of the three added minutes which Euan Norris allowed, Taouil swung over a cross from the left and Suso Santana, whose 74th minute arrival had brought new energy to Hearts, ghosted in at the back post to head past the diving Bell. A share of the points was no more than Hearts deserved.
Kenny Shiels’ post-match offer of a handshake was spurned by Sergio, an action which Jimmy Nicholl, who stood in for his fellow Irishman in the post-match press conference admitted he could well understand. “I admire the guy for sticking to his principles”, said Nicholl, who added that at least he would not come into work this morning to be greeted by ‘I’ve opened my mouth again Jimmy’ from Shiels. Nicholl added: “It was a disappointing game, which was going nowhere.”
Sergio was happy with the manner in which his side kept going; diplomacy personified, he wished injured Killie captain Manny Pascali a speedy recovery, praised the four match officials, repeated his criticism of Kenny Shiels’ “lack of ethics”, then departed.
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Comments
There are 58 comments to this article
Page 1 of 4
jambo2006
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 07:48 PMHow many points have you scored today sir bc qc, enough to satisfy ones ego for another day, well in your own wee world inside that perverse head that is, what a sad existance you lead devoid of any real substance in football related matters, but still persistant in your comments tho 99% of them abuse towards other posters eh ! ah well i wish you good luck in life as your obviously a youngster just starting out and with a lot to learn ! good luck
Hen Broon
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 07:47 PMHearts & Rangers are two entirely different scenarios.Rangers situation is that ADMIN is a better option than paying a near £50m bill. Further Rangers giving notice is tantamount to Rangers playing their joker. HMRC left with knowing that if they do not accept a compromise then they will get nothing. Why it was obvious HEARTS were not going into ADMIN was because HEARTS settled a 7 figure TAX bill ...IE a substantial bill to an unsecured creditor. However VR's cost cutting: transfer income fell well short of what I would imagine he expected. If VR thinks that avoiding the current tax bill,players wages & ridding HEARTS of players on expensive contracts was more beneficial on a cost benefit analysis to the projected income over the next 6 months(incl league position monies,season ticket monies & any summer sales) then make no mistake he would place HEARTS in admin in a heart beat. I remain of the opinion that is not the case.
Hen Broon
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 07:34 PMRangers & Hearts are two different scenarios. Administration is preferable to a £50m HMRC hit. Further it 'potentially'puts HMRC i
Sir Brian Hine QC
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 05:03 PMFor all the Yaks that thought it could never happen - be warned boys.....Rangers have served notice to go into administration. The Ibrox club lodged papers at the Court of Session in Edinburgh on Monday, notifying an intention to declare an administrator. Rangers now have five days to confirm whether administrators have been appointed to take over the running of the club. The announcement comes with Rangers awaiting a verdict in a tax tribunal with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) that could land the club with a bill of £49 million. If they lose their case then it is feared the SPL champions could go into liquidation. Rangers will be hit with a 10-point penalty if they do enter administration. They are currently four points behind city rivals Celtic in the SPL table.
Sir Brian Hine QC
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 05:00 PMFor all the Yaks that thought it could never happen - be warned boys.....Rangers have served notice to go into administration. The Ibrox club lodged papers at the Court of Session in Edinburgh on Monday, notifying an intention to declare an administrator. Rangers now have five days to confirm whether administrators have been appointed to take over the running of the club. The announcement comes with Rangers awaiting a verdict in a tax tribunal with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) that could land the club with a bill of £49 million. If they lose their case then it is feared the SPL champions could go into liquidation. Rangers will be hit with a 10-point penalty if they do enter administration. They are currently four points behind city rivals Celtic in the SPL table.
Hen Broon
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 02:26 PM#51 YAK ....man up....stop greetin to other posters....last time someone done that was when when dishy Maggie told Big Daphne to tell me she didnae fancy me any more...... that was primary school. As for Russel L........if he or anyone else is offended by me deeming him a coloured genuis then so be it....... PC it may not be(i still say adding genuis negates)but racist it is not. U R just a daft weeladdie looking to stir the 'racist' pot........shame on you........apparently I am a bigot as well.....bigoted against who remains a mystery...... U remain in the words of RAC C ....a wee phanny!
Sir Brian Hine QC
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 02:13 PMTYF - I feel the same way myself about most of them, especially when you have people gloryfying the arthole brigade - really not a nice bunch, much better to just come on, say your piece and not even read the posts, apart from the likes of JJ who has a much more evenly balanced viewpoint, anyway, that's me off for the day, taking the slipper out a little later for a jaunt up the Thames, maybe pop into the Flower Po in Astont for a couple. Good day and remember, don't let the bugs bite.
The Yak Farmer
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 01:58 PMSir Brian - please remind the racist PLANK that he's wasting his time trying to engage me in any kind of direct conversation since I was REPULSED by his comments about Russell Latapy.
Sir Brian Hine QC
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 01:49 PM42 - As expected, you miss the point completely, I for one thrive off controversy, indeed, I have made a very good living from it, the point I was making was the last business that needs any more controversy right now is herts and so thought he might man up and not be outdone in the mindgames....but he has now that he acted like a silly wee girl, of course he could have come out of this very well indeed by purely shaking his hand and saying better luck next time with a wink and a smile......1-0 to Sergio but no......toys out the pram, spat out the dummy........1-0 to Deano's dad........shame
boozy
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 01:39 PM# I also note that Sergio has not bothered to have a shave, he looks like he has just came from Skid Row. Sorry I'm forgetting where he has just came from.
Hen Broon
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 01:38 PMBoozy....could you give wee Yak a wee cuddle....poor wee souls taking life a bit too serious since Harbour told him off for bad behaviour . SERGIO might well be guilty of recognising that in life your superiors(in terms of line management) have the authority to impose decisions upon an employee that the employee does not agree with. The thing that the tormented fail to recognise is that is an every day occurence in all walks of life & is not exclusive to Hearts. SERGIO's actions represent the actions of 99% of the subordinates in that their toys do not come out the pram therein not compromising his obligations to the other employees & his family. Appears that the 1% are represented by Shiels and a handfull of tormented Hibs fans.
jambo2006
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 01:27 PMThink Sergio looks miffed as to why HMFC are only 17pts ahead of hibs on the day rather than the 19 they should be !
boozy
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 01:19 PM# If you look at the above picture, Kenny is clearly watching Sergio playing pocket billiards. He has just discovered he has no testicles, this condition affects most Jambo managers sooner or later.
The Yak Farmer
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 01:19 PMFor the benefit of the PLANK - If that was, say, Neil Lennon refusing to shake a Hearts manager's hand I'm sure the response would be quite different... and for Sergeio to say Shiels lacks "ethics" is quite astonishing with so many examples of unethical practice closer to home.
Hen Broon
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 01:09 PM#43 Yak....calm down son....ever since HARBOUR(not me!) deemed u an er$e u have become all aggressive. Hand shake or no hand shake.....u will not find one genuine Hibs supporter (the type that goes to games) concerning themselves one way or the other. SERGIO can shake hands with who he likes as far as I am concerned.
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