Tom English: 'Laszlo probably doesn't want to be a part of it if it goes wrong'

APOLOGIES TO this column's devotees down Tynecastle way, but we bet the house on Dinamo Zagreb beating Hearts on Thursday evening. At odds of 1-2, it was like free money. Dinamo were 5-2 to be leading at half time and full time – so we had a bit of that as well. Their goals machine, Mario Mandzukic, was evens to score on the night – we couldn't resist that one either.

Dinamo had opened their domestic season in Croatia with three wins – 7-1, 5-2 and 4-0. It didn't take a genius to work out that, on their home patch, they were going to break Hearts down. They are a very handy side. And if there was another certainty about the night, it was that Hearts would find it nigh on impossible to score a goal themselves.

They had, after all, gone goalless in six of their previous seven competitive games. We can now make that seven out of eight. They have got three goals (all in the same match) in their last 12 hours of football. It's why Csaba Laszlo seems to be digging his heels in over his new contract. He may not sign it until the Skinflint of Lithuania hands over some money for a new striker. In fariness to him, Laszlo deserves better.

You can imagine the conversation between the manager and Vladimir Romanov.

"Mr Romanov, we need a goalscorer."

"No, we don't."

"Yes, we do. We don't score enough. We only got 40 league goals last season. We scored 12 goals away from home! Even Caley Thistle got 19 – and they were relegated."

"So?"

"Forty goals was the lowest total of any club in the top seven in the SPL. We were the only team in the top seven that didn't have one player in double figures. Bruno Aguiar was our top scorer with seven – and he's not here any more."

"Remind me, where did we finish in the league?"

"Third, Mr Romanov."

"Which proves my point. You don't need goalscorers."

"But we finished third on the back of a strong defence."

"Yes, a great defence."

"And we've sold it. Christophe Berra has gone, Robbie Neilson has gone and so has Christos Karipidis."

"OK, Csaba, so you want the new Kevin Kyle?"

"That would be great."

"The new Anthony Stokes."

"Excellent."

"How about David Witteveen, then?"

"Er..."

Witteveen might come good, of course. But you'd be laughed up and down Gorgie Road if you ever suggested it to the Hearts faithful. They've seen him pre-season and they reckon he's no more the solution to their problems than Christian Nade is or Juho Makela was.

Laszlo's eye for a player in the transfer market doesn't appear as well-focused as Jim Jefferies' or John Hughes', but getting his team into third place last season should have bought him some slack with Romanov.

It's unclear if the Witteveen signing was his or Romanov's. Either way, he has still earned the right to spend a few bob on another striker. And if funds aren't found for another defender (or two) then Hearts are going to have a grim fight on their hands to make the top six this season, not to mind the top three.

Laszlo knows it – and probably doesn't want to be a part of it if, and when, it goes wrong. He has his own reputation to think of. His own career. If Romanov is going to deny him the money to try and take Hearts forward – and he can't be looking for fortunes either – then what's the point in sticking around. Where's the fun in managing decline?

Hearts have a big game against Rangers today. Walter Smith's side have averaged two goals a game in their matches with the Edinburgh team over the last couple of seasons. If that trend continues then Hearts are going to need to score twice just to get a point. You can't see where they are going to find one goal, never mind two. It's ridiculously early in the season to be talking of a club being in bother, but the transfer window is closing shortly and, unless Laszlo is given some latitude in the market, some major damage may have been done to their European prospects by the time it reopens again in January.

Let's face it, Hearts' rivals for a Europa League spot are in better shape in front of goal. Dundee United are reasonably OK on that front and Hibs have just brought in Stokes, who was a revelation the last time he was here. Kilmarnock's challenge will surely fade but the prolific Kyle will always give them hope. Aberdeen are desperately short of goals also, but at least they have Lee Miller, who'll probably get you a dozen, and seem to be on the lookout for somebody else.

Oh, and one other thing. Hearts have begun this season the way they finished last season – with a red card. That's three in their last five SPL games. Laszlo deserves a new player or two at Tynecastle, but he'd want to get a grip on the discipline at the club once and for all.

US IN the media seem to be in an awful hurry to sell-off Tony Mowbray's team for him. Apparently, Scott Brown is away, Aiden McGeady is away, big Georgios Samaras is packing his bags also and so is Andreas Hinkel. You have to wonder how Artur Boruc is feeling about this supposed fire-sale. No speculation about him moving on at all. The goalkeeper must be feeling mightily left out at the moment.

Frankly, I'll only believe in these supposed transfers when they actually go through. And nobody should be holding their breath. How many actual bids has Mowbray had for his players? How much real money has been put on the table by these alleged suitors from Tottenham (Brown and McGeady), West Ham (Samaras) and Hull (Hinkel)?

There's a ring of truth about the Hinkel speculation but the others seem a little unlikely. Brown, the most over-rated player in Scotland, is barely worth the 4m Celtic paid for him not to mind the 10m tag that keeps getting mentioned.

Celtic are still waiting for the Bank of White Hart Lane to get in touch. I'm guessing it'll be a long wait.