Well, another day goes by and STILL nothing concrete from Hearts about the managerial situation.
Today’s Evening News are reporting (but I think given the lack of quotes in the story this is more like guessing!) that Artmedia Bratislava manager Vladimir Weiss, who was allegedly offered the job over the weekend, could now be out of the running due to his failure to let the club know of his intentions by the Monday deadline that was apparently agreed.
Yet again the lack of any communication from Hearts on the the most critical issue at the club is causing everyone to continue asking questions about what the hell is going to happen regarding this managerial appointment, which gets more and more crucial with each passing day that sees nothing happening.
As we now approach the end of June, other clubs have already identified many of their transfer targets and are already preparing for the new season. What exactly are Hearts doing? Ensuring that we are all going to suffer another completely flat, damp squib of a season? It certainly sounds like it.
Perhaps myself and many thousands of others are being far too cynical about this, but I just think that the way the club go about their business these days stinks.
I have no problem with the fact that they want to bide their time with this so that they eventually appoint the right man, but can anyone really say with any certainty that this is what they think they are doing?
Well, the answer is, nobody knows, because the club are communicating absolutely nothing to those gullible enough to continue throwing money at them, which sadly includes myself.
Maybe in a few days (or weeks) time we will all feel a little bit guilty about some of the comments we’ve made about Romanov and his board. Perhaps we’ll be delighted with whoever the new manager is and the team that he’ll eventually be able to put out on the park to entertain us, but it’s going to take some serious and quick action before we’ll be anywhere close to feeling like that.
In the meantime though, the circus would appear to still be very much in town…
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I used to follow Hearts a bit and I remember the other season when they came third but now it’s just gone downhill for you.
Second actually!
If Weiss hasn’t got back to us by the agreed time then the offer should be withdrawn – we cannot be used as a bargaining chip to secure an improved offer somewhere else. I have some sympathy with the club here who are in a bit of a “damned if they do/don’t” situation. I think it entirely appropriate that crucial business like the recruitment of staff is kept strictly confidential – other organisations wouldn’t speak to the press about potential targets and interviews. In this respect I think Hearts have acted appropriately. However, like the rest of us I just wish the whole thing was done and dusted so we could move on with a manager/puppet or whatever.
No quotes anywhere – just a vague supposition that Weiss was a) interviewed, b) offered the job, c) hasn’t accepted in time and d) the offer is subsequently withdrawn. All without anyone at Hearts opening their mouths! Amazing! Are we to believe that the likes of Barry Anderson at the EEN/Hootsman have suddenly turned into world class investigative journalists overnight? Or, as is more likely, is the whole thing just a load of spin invented by “journalists” like the aforementioned desperate for words to print? I would go for the latter myself. Even if the first three items in the list are true, there’s no reason to suggest that Weiss is not coming (or Thor, or anyone else for that matter). He simply said he would inform the club of his decision on Monday. For all we know that happened. But there are plenty of reasons why the club would not announce that yet… a prime one being that Weiss is still under contract with Artmedia until the end of the month.
Very true SJ…their information about the Monday deadline may in fact be supposition too, but it isn’t half frustrating the way that the club just never seem to let us or anyone else know a thing.
As usual, SJ, you are the voice of reason. Bizzarely, there is a quote attributed to Weiss in the Daily Ranger today – “There’s nothing new to report. I don’t know who’ll be my team next season but I’ll inform the media as soon as I have news.” Somehow, I can’t imagine Weiss talking to a DR journo, and this quote (if it is indeed a direct quote) may be several days old. Your point about him being contracted to Artmedia till the end of the month could well have an effect on when he starts at Hearts… or when he takes the National job. Either way, I can see Stephen Frail being involved in some capacity when the players come back next week. If this is so, he deserves a medal for remaining available, when the papers have been full of “done deals” which would probably have seen him booted out the door. Despite the worrying situation for us fans, Vlad has basically brought all this on himself by his reputation. If he resorts to Ziggy Mantovani as a trusted poodle, the fans will not take long to voice their disapproval (unless the guy turns out to be a miracle worker). Basically, any of us on VitalHearts could have made a better job of running Hearts these past 3 years, just using our common sense.
Here comes ziggy… Really I had a feeling this would happen. Frail will be his right hand man and take over when he is promoted to Ripo as Technical Specialist in Football Matters… Deja Vu anyone?
Well…..Frail being in charge is something that many of us predicted wasn’t it? Deserves a medal for still being available? Maybe….either that or a big, fat mug….bit like the one I bought myself the day I renewed my ST!
I feel if I were in the same position as Frail I would be embarrassed to stay when the board have said I was leaving. I suppose staying in employment and having an income would ultimately make the decision for me. My biggest gripe will be if Romanov waits for Weiss, I mean does this guy actually have the pedigree to postpone or pre-season preparations? It is looking increasingly like Weiss is using us as a bargaining chip to increase his stock.
“Stephen is very much still at the club,” said a Hearts spokesman last night. “If nothing has been resolved by then I imagine he will be asked to take the players next week.” This was in the Hootsmon today – goodness knows who they found at Tynecastle to give these words of wisdom. I especially like the use of “I imagine”. Quite appropriate actually, since we are left with little else these days except to imagine …. imagine that we had a competent new manager, imagine that Calum Elliot could score 20 goals a year, imagine that we’ve been transported back in time by 3 years………
aye….only to endure this frustration all over again?!