Former Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov gives first UK interview in a decade as part of BBC podcast series
Former Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov has given his first UK interview in over a decade, speaking to BBC Scotland's Romanov: Czar of Hearts podcast.
The Russian-Lithuanian businessman, who owned the Jambos between 2005 and 2013, sat down via video link with Martin Geissler and discussed his time running the Edinburgh club. In the interview, the now 77-year old made several incredible and inflammatory claims about players and staff at the club as well as his time in Scottish football.
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Hide AdFormer manager George Burley, who is currently undergoing treatment for cancer, was the subject of several disparaging claims along with many other backroom figures from the time at Tynecastle. Players of the era such as Paul Hartley, Steven Pressley and Craig Gordon are also discussed with Romanov claiming he offered the Scotland keeper a 'blank cheque' to prevent him signing for Celtic in 2006.
The BBC approached several individuals mentioned by Romanov for comment, offering them a right to reply to the claims being made. Some, like Gordon, declined the opportunity to give their side of events while others like former Hearts chairman George Foulkes described the testimony as 'total fantasy' and 'crazy comments'.
George Burley was not approached to participate in the podcast due to his ongoing battle against cancer but his assistant at the time, Simon Hunt, disputed the claims made by Romanov. Other eyebrow raising comments made by the former Hearts owner included that Burley’s replacement, Graham Rix, was ‘framed’ in his 1999 underage sex conviction and that he had been approached to buy Liverpool Football Club during his time with the Jambos.
You can listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds as well as the entire Romanov: Czar of Hearts series. Lithuanian authorities issued an international arrest warrant for Romanov in 2013, with reports suggesting he had fled to Russia.
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