Vladimir Romanov took the "difficult" decision to remove Jim Jefferies because the manager refused to accept help. Jefferies was replaced by former Sporting Lisbon coach Paulo Sergio this week three games into the season. Jefferies paid the price for a run of one win in 15 games stretching back to last season. Jefferies was allowed to bring in four players of his own choosing this summer, including striker John Sutton, but Romanov was not impressed by the start to the season or Jefferies reluctance to work with a foreign coach.
Romanov said: "Even at the end of last season, we had this discussion. I told him we were playing typically Scottish football - long balls in front. Players are not creating, they are not playing good passes, we need to bring someone in who can help to change this for the better. We offered many times to find someone who can help him with the European game. Maybe he took it as an insult but that wasn't the purpose. We were trying to help, we were not looking to replace anyone, just trying to add. Getting to Europe is a big achievement and obviously we are grateful to Jim for that. It was very good to work with him, we had a very good working relationship. To change the manager was a difficult moment. It was a hard time but when I think about the situation, after the last 15 games, there were not a lot of good results and it was something we had to do. The final decision was the Dundee United game. We lost 1-0 but it could have been 3-0."
Romanov has told the Hearts players that he wants them to win the league but he would not specify what success was for the club. he went on: "It depends on a lot of things but there must be progress in the team. We have fantastic players, Rudi Skacel and Mehdi Taouil, who are capable of creating, but they are not able to do that, they are playing individually. I see there is no progress, the game is not attractive."
Hearts director Sergejus Fedotovas, Romanov's man on the ground at Tynecastle, was more forthcoming about what is expected of the team.
He said: "Based on the team that we have, we do not want to settle for a compromise in the league or Europe. Why should we accept top six or third place as success? Why should we be conditioned to accept this? Is it right that we are conditioned to accept that only two clubs can be allowed to win the league in the way they have been allowed to do for the last 26 years? This season we want to challenge for the top and we want our people to have this mentality. The new manager has this mentality and we are sure this is achievable."