Weiss excited about Hearts job after talks with Romanov

VLADIMIR WEISS, the Artmedia Bratislava coach, claims to have held preliminary contract talks with Hearts and is scheduled for further negotiations with Vladimir Romanov over the next 48 hours.

The 43-year-old Slovakian hopes to have a clearer idea on his future early next week.

Artmedia are keen to retain the services of their double-winning coach but recognise they would be powerless to prevent him accepting an offer from Hearts.

As revealed in yesterday's Evening News, Weiss is one of three candidates for the managerial vacancy at Tynecastle along with Icelander Gudjon Thordarson and Belarussian Andrei Zygmantovich. As a fluent Russian speaker, Weiss would have no difficulty in communicating directly with Romanov, an issue which often hindered former Hearts coaches such as John Robertson, George Burley, Graham Rix and Stephen Frail.

He also speaks German and is willing to improve his already decent English in order to become fluent if offered the job.

Weiss has been reluctant to divulge details on his talks with Hearts to date. Artmedia directors are aware that he has been involved in discussions with Romanov and Mindaugas Nikolicius, a financial expert from Hearts' parent company, Ukio Bankas Investment Group.

Speaking to the Evening News today, Weiss said: "I don't want to talk about my contract. I have had some discussions already. What can I say? This weekend I have a meeting with Hearts so maybe I will know more next week. I know everything about Hearts and it is a very exciting chance for me, but this is my business and I must do it privately. It's my problem."

Thordarson, the IA Akranes coach, remains a genuine contender for the position and would be keen to enlist the Scotland No.2 Terry Butcher as his assistant. Thordarson said: "I can confirm Hearts have talked with me and asked if I'm interested in the job. We spoke last winter but I thought it was over, then my agent spoke to Hearts about something else and suddenly it's back on. Things really got rolling when the Hearts board realised I could bring along people like Terry.

"They asked if I'd bring Icelanders with me as assistants but I said I'd focus on the British market. When I said Butcher wanted to be my assistant they seemed impressed. If people are ambitious in their proposals I'm willing to look into them but I'll only go to Hearts if the situation is right. I'll consider it under the right conditions. I'm getting too old for any other crap."

Zygmantovich, who has worked for Romanov at both MTZ Ripo in Belarus and FBK Kaunas in Lithuania, remains an outsider but his coaching methods are known to have impressed his paymaster.

Meanwhile, Arbroath are likely to enlist the SFA's help in an effort to recoup 26,000 from Hearts for Andy Webster.

Arbroath negotiated a 17.5 per cent sell-on clause when transferring the Scotland defender to Tynecastle in 2001. Wigan recently paid Hearts 150,000 following Webster's controversial move and a statement on the Edinburgh club's website in April confirmed they would pay Arbroath the required 26,000. However, Arbroath state that Hearts have offered only 14,000 and the Second Division side are now preparing to ask the SFA to intervene.