Hearts fans should be glad of Romanov, says McGhee

MARK McGhee has insisted the prospect of working under Vladimir Romanov was not behind his decision to turn down the offer of becoming Hearts manager, and that fans of the Edinburgh club should be grateful for the Lithuania-based owner's involvement.

McGhee reneged on a proposed meeting with Romanov in Lithuania last week just minutes before he was due to board a plane to Vilnius for discussions about a move from Fir Park to Tynecastle. Instead, the former Aberdeen and Celtic striker agreed improved terms with Motherwell chairman John Boyle to remain in charge of the club he guided to third place in the Premier League last season.

Explaining the dramatic turn of events in his weekly newspaper column, McGhee wrote: "Much has been said and written about Vladimir Romanov which caused me concern and ensured that I did my 'due diligence' when considering if I should take the Hearts job, were I to be formally offered it.

"I have become convinced that Hearts supporters should be grateful to have Mr Romanov at the club. I believe he has proper intentions and high ambitions for the club.

"I stayed (at Motherwell] for purely football reasons. I want European football and I believe that the way we play may suit that stage. The mistake I made was that I should have realised this sooner and made that clear to Hearts.

"The Hearts job is one that I would like to have taken, but I felt when it came down to the final decision that it was premature to leave and that I owed the players and supporters of Motherwell a bit more."

Romanov's meddling in team affairs at Tynecastle has contributed to a succession of managerial changes during his three years in charge at the club, most notably the departure of George Burley with Hearts unbeaten at the top of the league in October 2005. Since then, a further four managers have come and gone, while current caretaker Stephen Frail will not be handed the post permanently. When Frail was appointed as caretaker at the turn of the year, the club released a statement saying he would "have full responsibility for team selection".

What is taken for granted at most clubs had become an issue needing clarification, but McGhee claims he would have been totally at ease with Romanov's approach having experienced something similar while in charge of Millwall.

"My chairman there was very similar – a very intelligent and successful individual with strong opinions on how business works and how a football team should be managed," wrote McGhee. "He was Theo Paphitis, who many of you will know from TV's Dragons' Den.

"You may have witnessed how opinionated and dogmatic Theo is in dealing with matters of business and in handling people. His attitude borders on hubris and at times he can appear arrogant. He is, however, also one of the most intelligent, loyal and generous people I have ever known and the combination of these strengths and weaknesses makes him a very interesting and challenging person to work for. The key to working with someone like Theo Paphitis is communication.

These types of chairman require answers. They require that their employees justify their decisions with clear rationale. They don't accept 'because I felt like it' as an argument for team selection or for spending millions on a player. Some people shy away from this. I believe that is because they don't have the answers and that this sort of scrutiny is too much for them. Many managers would benefit from this sort of pressure. Theo Paphitis made me a better manager.

"I believe that Mr Romanov is similar. He is passionate about his club and demands high standards... He requires that his manager communicates with him, keeping him informed on all aspects of the team. That's all, and the person who realises that and is in a position to take the job will have a fantastic opportunity."