Blogs

Trouble rife in the SPL: Old Hearts in a precarious condition?

|
Image for Trouble rife in the SPL: Old Hearts in a precarious condition?

The news that several Hearts players as well as manager John McGlynn have been forced to wait for their monthly wages again raises the question: just what exactly is going on at Tynecastle?

From the outside it appears that this famous old institution may be about to collapse like the proverbial house of cards, much like another of Edinburgh’s once proud establishments – the Royal Bank of Scotland.

This is not sensationalizing stuff, as despite denials from the Tynecastle PR department there can be no doubt that Hearts are on shaky ground financially, with the ominous prospect of potential administration over unpaid debts threatening the very future of the 138 year old club.

With a reported millstone of a £23m debt hanging over them, it is difficult to see anything but further financial hardship for the Gorgie club as supporters and sponsors both find investing in Hearts as something not worthwhile.

There now must surely must alarm bells ringing for supporters of the men in maroon, as the failure of the clubs staff to receive their wages on time and in full becomes a more and more regular occurrence.

Last season it got so bad that influential midfielder Ian Black stated he may have to seriously consider taking on another job outside football, as a painter, and the Tynecastle’s clubs failure in offering him a new contract saw him jump ship and head for the obscurity of Third Division football.

Fans’ favourite Rudi Skacel was another Hearts were unable to hold onto, as the poor state of the club’s financial health began to lead to more and more cut backs. Soon enough, Scottish Cup winning manager Paolo Sergio departed as did Kevin Kyle, Craig Beattie and most recently David Templeton.

And there appears to be no real prospect of things improving, with controversial owner Vladimir Romanov taking a back seat and showing less interest in the Edinburgh club, after failing to deliver on his promises of making Hearts a leading force in Europe and not just Scotland.

Indeed, Romanov has also failed with his lofty ambition of taking his bank Ukio Bankas into the premier league of the UK banking market, as more and more heavyweight blue chip financial organisations struggle to deal with the ongoing effects of the double dip recession.

On the park, there is not much for the Hearts’ supporters to get excited about either, as McGlynn’s team have, aside from a brave two-legged Europa League showing against Liverpool, been poor, losing their last two matches against Dundee and St Mirren, now sitting a lowly ninth in the table.

It’s all a far cry from that sunny day in May when the team stuffed old foes Hibs 5-1 to capture the Scottish Cup. Back then, everything in the Tynecastle garden was rosy.

But perhaps that was papering over the cracks, which with the news about the delayed wages resurfacing should be a matter of real concern for all those who hold a special place in their heart for this fine old club.

Introducing the neat little app that’ll pay you to view content tailored to your interests:

ThisisFutbol.com are seeking new writers to join the team! If you’re passionate about football, drop us a line at “thisisfutbol.com@snack-media.com” to learn more.

Share this article