Following this Glasgow newspaper`s exaggerated claims on Saturday regarding Hearts players not having been paid “for a month”, they have a story today titled –
“Cost-cutting fears as Hearts axe sports scientist Andrew Murray”.
As is often the case with this newspaper, the detail of the story is rather different to the headline. For a start, it reveals that Murray`s contract is not being renewed by Hearts. This would imply that he is not a “permanent” employee in the normal sense of the word, but is in a similar position to a player or coach in having a fixed term contract. If Hearts are not renewing his contract, then he is NOT being made redundant – which is what an emotive word like “axe” suggests.
The report goes on to say that “sources” claim this move is the latest in a line of cost-cutting measures, although Hearts are apparently saying that his duties can be absorbed by other medical staff.
Incidentally, Murray worked at Ibrox for a while, so we can only wonder if he was “axed” by Rangers – and if so, did this merit a story in the Daily Record ?
The report also says Hearts will no longer be using the Dalmahoy Hotel as a base for the players prior to home games. Instead the players will do all their match day preparation at Tynecastle, including having lunch – someone at Hearts has told the Daily Record that this change has been requested by Csaba Laszlo, and is not related to any financial problems.
Considering the Daily Record (along with other newspapers) have been laughing at Hearts for the last 2 years as their spending reached absurd levels, it is quite ironic that they now seem to be implying criticism of moves to reduce that spending.
Whatever the reasons behind these 2 developments, I applaud the fact that management seem to be continuing to make Hearts look more like a traditional football club, and trying to live within their means.
When it comes to certain newspapers though, it seems Hearts just can`t do the right thing !!
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Andy Murray has presided over the worst & most laughable period of injuries to the first team squad in my lifetime. No surprise his contract isn’t being renewed, to be honest. Also, the fact that the players are now reporting to Tynecastle on match days rather than a plush hotel is a good thing mentally. It fits in entirely with Csaba’s character & way of doing things – and I applaud it wholeheartedly. The Daily Ranger are simply trying to create controversy where there is none, and unsettle the club. Apparently, four red-tops were offered the “non payment of wages” thing, and rejected it as a non-story. The Sun even came out and criticised the Ranger for running with it. It’s laughable, really.
There is a clear correlation between Hearts position in the league and the negative reporting (of all matters Hearts) in the press. In other words the higher we are the more they want to kick us back down again. The same reporter had a real go at Csaba the very same day with remarks as follows:
?Hearts are being rewarded by their players with honesty, a character trait Laszlo himself would do well to emulate.?
?His post-match analysis was as disingenuous as his antics on the touchline, which are not fooling the majority of home fans and which run the risk of undermining the good work he has been doing to date with his players.?
?His over-the-top gesturing and need to artificially emote plays like an embarrassing show-reel for a Mexican day-time soap opera and he’s in danger of losing the respect of some players.?
Clearly Csaba has, in a relatively short time, gained the respect of the players (and indeed many of the fans) so it is the mission of the Daily Record to do their utmost to undermine this.
If you walked down Princes St. and did a straw poll of any Hearts fans you could see, at least 99% would say that Csaba is an excellent manager and that they had faith in him. We can all see the problems, and we can all see that he’s working his bum off to fix them. And I think he will. You’re right imcd, there’s a direct correlation between our position in the league and the level of reporting from the red-tops… we’re not a threat yet, but we could be, and the Daily Ranger is just getting in early.
I agree with both you guys. Without knowing the true ins and outs of why Murray and the Dalmahoy have been “axed”, I’d say these look to be positive moves. That quote from the paper you mention, IMcD, sounds absurd – the journo should realise its his reporting that isn’t fooling the majority of home fans.
They are at it again this morning by stating that the players are still unpaid and it is now a row. I believe the club did state it would take two working days to sort out the transfer of funds so Wednesday seems like a more realistic time. I would agree Murray managed to oversee the worst fitness regime I have ever seen since the Rangers team of the 90’s that included Rosenthal and Prodan. Interestingly Charlie Mann was rolled out onto the Jim Traynor show on Radio Scotland at the weekend and he stated the UKIO were unaffected by the recent spate of British and American banking failures. At which point Traynor ripped him apart saying he had no financial background and couldn’t comment on these matters, yet Traynor himself continued to rattle on about it being the end of Hearts. So the press can say what the want and no-one can argue against them seems to be Mr Traynor’s point of view. Clearly there are things that stink at Tynecastle and no fan would say otherwise but the press do have to run a “Vlad’s a vampiric parasite” story at least once a week when the team are struggling, then using their own formula increase the frequency if the club win a game. As for me I still remain to be convinced by Romanov’s intentions, he does have a Mr Darcy type atitude towards how he runs the club but ultimately without him Hearts go bust. Down with Radio presenters and the daily rags!
The fact is, these rags have been the first to jump on Hearts when things have been done wrong – with Hearts effectively ‘wasting’ money left right and centre. Now that the purse strings have been tightened (not zipped shut you understand) and some of the excesses that the club has put up with are being (rightly in my view) reigned in, we… apparently… should all panic because the end is nigh. It’s all part of the process of fixing HMFC as a football club.
The end could still be nigh though sir. Although I don’t blame the credit crunch for this, I blame over zealous reporting haha.
You no what guys, this article reeks of fear! simple facts are that use havent payed your staff! and if you dont pay your staff then you run the risk of a) people taking pops at you b) the staff taking pops at you c)being shut down! no I dont want hearts to go bust as use are a decent team who can chalenge for a top 6 spot every year however! ever since mad vlad rocked up in gorgy there has been 6 months of histeria and 2:5 years of doom,gloom and decline! if use dont watch it then use are the next gretna!
Well, “use” are certainly not the next Leo Tolstoy are you. Seriously though, I would be lying if I said it didn’t worry me slightly the goings on – if nothing else, the sheer bad timing of it sucks. It really is probably something over nothing, but with global share prices dropping and the price of oil going up again, its naturally going to make people assume the worst. We can’t be the “next Gretna” as we are structured in an entirely different way (Vlad doesn’t write the cheques directly, its all done through UBIG for example). And UBIG have just announced record profits last week & are writing £12M off our debt. So I still don’t think there’s anything much to worry about…. yet, anyway.
Hope so SJ I just am not that sure,
More stories today (Wed) regarding the salaried staff not being paid – with the expected Daily Ranger claiming an “exclusive” about Hearts stars threatening strike action. Campbell Ogilivie has apparently spoken to Fraser Wishart and assured him the players will be paid on Friday. Given the length of time to resolve it, this technical problem” now seems more likely to be a cashflow issue. We have to hope this doesn’t happen again – if it does, then it would suggest there is a serious problem (or change of heart) going on at UBIG.
I still think it’s possible to be a technical glitch. Transferring that amount of money from an international account when the banks are all focussed on somewhat important – must keep head above water things- could easily take a week to correct. Also, what does everyone thing of the text service for bad behavior at Tynie? Anyone used it?
It’s perfectly possible that this is still a technical glitch. If they are being paid through BACS – that is a notoriously unreliable system at the best of times, and as we all know, we are not living in “the best of times”. If it then has to go through an accountants firm, it can easily take up to 5 working days to be processed. Usually what happens when there is a glitch like this is that it gets rolled over until the next scheduled payday – which is, it looks like, exactly what has happened. If Friday comes with no money for the staff, then that’s a different matter of course, but until then… ignore the scaremongerers and sensationalist headlines and just hang tight. UBIG are doing well on paper (just posted record profits, 40% up on last year), and the Lithuanian economy is booming (unlike much of the rest of the EU). So, no panic yet. As for the text service, not heard of that one – what’s it about?
I note today (wed) captain Berra has stated he would love to hear the name of the source the Daily Ranger got it’s info from as he had no plans to strike and neither did his colleagues. Could the source be from Thin Air or the thoughts of a mischevious journo? I think so. As for the usual reports of Hearts demise, okay there could be truth at some point in it but the same could be said for any club! Honestly any fan just has to wait until that day. Murray implements a share issue buy back and it is genius, Romanov does it and it’s the fall of Tynecastle and Asda being the new owners of the land… Frankly I’m bored. I know the club is in a state but come on why worry about something you have no control over?
Indeed, Dalien. Also, Fraser Wishart has said they have received an explanation from Hearts and are also quite happy with the situation. Looks like another storm in a teacup – blown out of all proportion by some weegie journalist with an axe to grind against Hearts. God knows we’ve had enough of those over the past few years.
Update: Hearts issued a statement this lunchtime (Wed) that the salary payments have now been processed and that it’s highly unlikely to happen again. Also urged fans to be more vigilent in seperating fact from fiction (adding that there has been a lot of fiction written in the last few days) when reading newspaper articles. Matter closed, then.
Yeah I saw it just after I had posted. Funny how the Daily Ger is taking it’s time in commenting. Funnily enough I reckon they may not even mention it without stating something like “Poverty Stricken Hearts Players Finally Get Paid What They Are Owed By Evil Baby Eating Romanov.” Okay I am paraphrasing but I know how to read between the lines.
“Use” made some great comments there, guys !! Glad to see Hearts (and Berra) making official announcemnets that the matter is closed (and unlikely to happen again). Let’s hope that whatever caused this delay is not related to cashflow problems at Hearts or UBIG. I’m almost tempted to rush out tomorrow to buy the Daily Ranger to read their spin on the rsolution. Well, almost tempted … actually on second thoughts, who cares what they write !!
Thats brilliant, USE dont pay yr staff and blame the daily rebel! and one more things specs, under romanov, lines are NEVER drawn!
I don’t blame the Daily Ranger, in fact most Hearts fans here will tell you I think little of Vlad… But the Daily Ranger did print a load of old tosh about striking players yesterday. And today we have the title: New twist to Hearts wages row as Vladimir Romanov does U-turn on suspending director… : Hang on a minute a telephone source who claims to work at Tynie says that Hearts have suspended him then mysteriously calls back to state that Vlad has made his usual turnaround. Utter nonsense, this is akin to me calling the Daily Ranger and stating Murray has sold the club, then I call back a couple of minutes later saying he hasn’t. Vlad is insane and I really have a bad vibe about him but the news report yesterday was utter nonsense and everyone knows it.