Captain Steven Pressley, Neil McCann, Takis Fyssas, Rudi Skacel and Edgaras Jankauskas represented the squad at the meeting with Romanov and his son Roman, who is chairman and acting chief executive, after Aberdeen’s 2-1 victory at Tynecastle. “We have found a solution to the issues raised,” read the statement. “We feel the result will be positive for the club. All other matters will be kept within the club.”
Before it was issued, Rix’s remaining credibility seemed to disappear as he claimed the meeting had nothing to do with his position. “It’s not worth worrying about,” he said. When challenged on this view, he replied: “I pick the team.” But he refused to confirm he had selected the side which drew with Dundee United last Tuesday. He was then asked if he worried that his self-respect was being undermined. “I don’t think my credibility is in doubt at all.”
Rix met with Vladimir Romanov briefly on Friday night and hoped to again before Hearts’ owner left Scotland, but he refused to confirm he had received assurances he was in sole charge of team affairs. “It was a good chat,” said the head coach, who claimed the off-field shenanigans were not to blame for yesterday’s loss.
His keeper, Craig Gordon, revealed that some players were afraid to attend their meeting in case it led to their contracts being terminated. “Some people are in difficult situations that they don’t want to make worse,” he said.
Meanwhile, Vladimir Romanov is reported to be under investigation by the SFA over his role with two eastern European clubs, FKB of Lithuania and Belarus side Minsk MTZ-RIPO. A Hearts spokesman said: “They have written to us asking about Vladimir’s role and we will be supplying information.”
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The SFA’s general purposes committee is expected to ratify Hearts’ appointment of Rix on Wednesday. East Fife chairman Derrick Brown had raised concerns over Rix’s move north under SFA regulations that a coach must be a fit and proper person.