By Stewart Weir
“I wonder who we’ll get next?”
That was the throwaway line from a Hearts player a few years ago, not in the hours after Tynecastle owner Vladimir Romanov had jettisoned another unsuccessful coach, but the same day he had appointed Stevie Frail to the most perilous position in the Scottish game.
No doubt, one or two of the players will have wondered "What next?" after they saw one manager depart and another installed in the space of just 24 hours.
On Monday, Jim Jefferies parted company with Hearts, another unsuccessful manager in the eyes of Mr Romanov.
Jefferies was offered another position within the club, that of director of football, but kindly refused the invitation. Maybe it didn’t suit the 60-year-old. Or perhaps he just didn’t want to be around when new coach Paulo Sérgio will invariably be hailed as a great find should he reach the next stage of the Europa League qualifying, with what in reality is the team that Jim made.
It’s very easy to be unsuccessful in Vladimir Romanov’s mind. Take Jefferies' case.
Everyone in Scottish football knows that coming close to the Old Firm is an achievement in itself. Being the best of the rest, namely third in the SPL, is no mean feat. And while teams might get their wee bit of glory in winning one of the cup competitions, it will take something exceptional to get ahead of those from Ibrox or Parkhead over 30-odd matches.
Jefferies took Hearts to third place last term, and into Europe, despite a horrendous run of results at the end of the season which saw them last win against St Mirren at the end of March. So, in effect, job done.
This campaign started well, Hearts drawing in Glasgow with champions Rangers (although they probably should have won), then another draw in the Europa League qualifier against Paksi. On Sunday, though, they lost to Dundee United in their opening home game of the season.
That should have been little more than a blip. United are a capable side. Remember, just a few months ago they so-nearly scuppered Walter Smith’s big farewell by defeating Rangers 3–2 at Ibrox.
Not that Romanov sees it that way. But then, most people wonder exactly how he does see or perceive things. Obviously, it’s somewhat differently from the rest of the Scottish game – and differently from the eight managers he’s employed in the last six years.
Romanov knows how to gauge how unsuccessful a manager has been. But how does he calculate success?
Two semi-finals and fifth in the league wasn’t enough for his first victim – Jambo legend John Robertson – to keep his job.
But Romanov’s harsh decision appeared completely justified when his next appointment, George Burley, steered Hearts to eight wins and two draws at the start of the 2005–06 season, and to the top of the SPL table.
Down Gorgie, fans were delirious. Could they be the first to break the Old Firm stranglehold since Aberdeen more than 20 years before?
Unfortunately, no one found out, particularly Burley who, because of “irreconcilable differences” with Romanov, lasted just three months.
Then there was Valdas Ivanauskas, who took Hearts to the Scottish Cup, beating Gretna in the final at Hampden. Gretna went bust soon afterwards thanks to mismanagement at the top – although ironically their owner, the late Brooks Mileson, always said he quite liked Romanov. Draw your own conclusions there.
But again, Ivanauskas left by "mutual consent" a year later, not having achieved the Romanov standard.
Throw in the names of Graham Rix, Anatoly Korobochka, Frail and Csaba László, alongside former Sporting Lisbon coach Paulo Sérgio (who could be described as the latest candidate but not the last), and it is plain to see why even the most ardent Hearts fan sees their club as a complete shambles and a laughing stock.
Good job the man at the top has been such a success, or it would have been a total disaster…
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