Jim Jefferies apologises, while Vladimir Romanov vents fury

HEARTS manager Jim Jefferies has accepted that Celtic's first goal against the Tynecastle side on Saturday was not offside and has apologised for suggesting otherwise - but not in time to prevent club owner Vladimir Romanov from suggesting he is so sick of Scottish football that he is tempted to walk away from "this useless work".

Jefferies said 'sorry' yesterday to Francis Andrews after accepting the linesman was right to ignore appeals for offside. The Hearts manager was so furious at Andrews' decision to allow Daryl Murphy to run through on goal before setting up James Forrest for the first-half opener that referee Willie Collum immediately sent him to the stand. After the match, which Hearts lost 3-0, Jefferies claimed he had been told that television pictures confirmed his belief that Murphy was "clearly offside". He said he had reported Collum to the SPL delegate John Connolly for speaking to him like a "two-year-old" at the interval after Jefferies had asked for an apology.

However, BBC pictures have subsequently shown Murphy to have been played onside by Hearts full-back Darren Barr.

Jefferies said last night: "At the angle I was at, he looked offside. We don't have monitors down at the dugout and everyone in our dugout thought he was offside.

"It was then relayed to me that some pictures showed he was offside but I have seen other footage and it shows he was marginally onside, and I accept that.

"I can't take back what I said, I can only apologise and I spoke to Hugh Dallas (head of referee development at the SFA) and asked him to apologise to Francis Andrews on my behalf, as I don't have his number. But I never criticised the performance of Willie Collum, I just said that I would be reporting him for the way he spoke to me."

Despite the apology, Jefferies could still face a dugout ban and a charge of bringing the game into disrepute.

Romanov waded into the row yesterday with another of his trademark attacks on the "mafia" running Scottish football. While the content was largely familiar and likely to land the club in further trouble with the authorities, Romanov's rant also mentioned for the first time the possibility of him giving up the struggle to take on the duopoly of Celtic and Rangers - a cause for concern among Hearts fans, given the fact the club's substantial debt is owed ultimately to Romanov.

"It is not me who you punish again by allowing two goals scored from offside in the game Celtic v Hearts," said Romanov. "You kill yourselves as human beings, turning into animals who live just to get food.

"I spoil not just your jolly mood but business - and that's why you punish my team with the cards and then fine me for complaining about it.

"I have nothing to prove to you. I proved everything in my first year of 2005 when I took away from you whatever I could.

"For 40 years you play games with the fans and deceive them about your wish to play in England. It would be much better if you merge the Scottish and the Lithuanian leagues. That is going to be more useful for you.

"It is hard to imagine what harm you cause to your country, to your nation every day by deceiving every week hundreds of thousands of fans.

"But sooner or later they are going to realise that they are being fooled and when it happens every day for you is going to become like torture."

He added: "I am bringing up the kids, the young players, watching your joy when you defeat them with the help of red cards and penalties.

"Of course, it is not worthwhile spending money and time on you. It would be possible to abandon this useless work, but I pity the fans. Not those, naturally, who are celebrating cheap victories when the opponents of your team are given three reds and three yellows. To see such a crowd is a frightful sight.

"You announced that you would like to sell your clubs. You are ready to get rid of them. But what decent and honest person would want to continue your showbusiness?"