Csaba Laszlo reveals he would have liked to make Hearts return

CSABA Laszlo - the manager sacked by Vladimir Romanov in January of last year - last night admitted he would have considered a return to Tynecastle to replace the man who succeeded him.

He won Scotland's Manager of the Year award after leading the Edinburgh club to third place in 2009 but was let go midway through the following season. However, before it emerged that Portuguese coach Paulo Sergio was the firm front-runner for the job, Laszlo claimed last night that there are no hard feelings between himself and Romanov and that he is still desperate to return to the SPL following a dismal spell in charge of Belgian side Charleroi.

"I refused to renew my contract there and I have turned down three other manager's jobs this summer - Kavala in Greece and Apollon Limassol and AEK Larnaca in Cyprus - because I want to work in Scotland again," said the 47-year-old. "I still have my house in Edinburgh and my eldest daughter has another year left at school there. I feel comfortable in Scotland.

"There is no problem between Mr Romanov and myself. I don't know what Hearts' intentions are but if they made me an offer then I would consider it - why not? I am sorry for Jim Jefferies but this is our life and this is what happens."

Meanwhile, former Hearts goalkeeper Henry Smith has accused Romanov of treating the club like a toy following a day of chaos at Tynecastle.

Smith said: "Nothing surprises you with Hearts. It's almost like he treats it like a toy and it's the case of, 'I'm the boss and what I say goes'.

"I've heard that the form of the team from last season and the start of this is being used as an excuse but I don't buy that. The question is, if he was going to change it why not do it during the summer? Why now just a couple of days before a big game. It's turmoil again for the club.

"You could even see the cracks appearing last season with some strange team line-ups when Marian Kello and Marius Zaliukas were left out. They're two big players for the club. Those decisions were strange to say the least. Jim is not a yes guy and never has been. Mr Romanov is the owner and has put his money in but he has to leave football matters to the manager."