IBRAHIM TALL has spoken candidly for the first time about his treatment at the hands of Vladimir Romanov.
The defender returned to his home in Paris last week at the end of his Hearts contract. Whilst retaining fond memories of the club, he explained how Romanov left him embittered by his dictatorial methods.
The majority shareholder ordered Stephen F
rail, Hearts' interim manager, not to play Tall during the second half of this season.
The Frenchman had refused the offer of a contract extension on reduced terms and therefore became subject to exclusion from the team at Romanov's request. He appeared only once at first-team level following the defeat at Falkirk on December 29 last year. Despite finding the process disturbing, he maintained a dignified silence on the issue until severing his ties with Hearts.
Tall spoke exclusively to the Evening News to reveal the extent of Romanov's ruthlessness during negotiations and subsequent interference in team matters.
His three-year, £10,000-a-week contract was sanctioned in 2005 against the wishes of Hearts' then-manager George Burley, so keen was Romanov to have the Senegalese internationalist involved in his Tynecastle revolution. However, when a proposed extension was rejected earlier this year, the owner's mindset altered.
"When we were to talk about a new contract I was open to discuss it with Mr Romanov, but he told my agent he would give me one offer and if I didn't sign I would never play again," said Tall.
"I was hoping to talk normally but with him it's like a dictator. You have to do what he says.
"He offered me less money, but the problem wasn't money, it was the way he spoke.
"I think it was very arrogant. It was a problem because I would not sign the new contract so Mr Romanov said to Stephen Frail not to put me in the team. I knew I wouldn't play after that and it was difficult."
In that sense, the 26-year-old's Hearts career petered out in similar fashion to the way it began, inconspicuously. Eight months lapsed between him arriving in Edinburgh from the French club Sochaux and his first-team debut, as first Burley, then Graham Rix, deemed him not good enough for Tynecastle. Romanov required to sack both managers and place Valdas Ivanauskas in temporary charge before he could facilitate Tall's promotion.
The defender's case was helped, ironically, when Romanov banished Andy Webster from the team following a contract wrangle with the Scotland internationalist and his agent in spring 2006.
The acrimony surrounding Tall's departure means that, for varying reasons, he was considered "unselectable" for a full year in total at Hearts.
He stressed that several players had received similar unethical treatment to that which tainted his final five months in Edinburgh. "My situation was like Julien's (Brellier]. But it's not only him, I think a lot of players have gone through this," he said.
"Hearts is a very good club, the people who love the club work very hard and they are nice people. But the owner, I don't think he does his job well.
"He did many bad things to me. A lot of players were happy there but they didn't stay because of Mr Romanov."
Tall managed to etch his name in Hearts folklore by helping the club win the 2006 Scottish Cup and enter the Champions League qualifying rounds for the first time.
He is now seeking a new club in France's Ligue 1 for next season. Waiting by the telephone in his Parisian residence, he has time to ponder some poignant memories from Scotland.
"I have a lot of good thoughts and a lot of bad ones.
"I don't forget the tough times," he continued. "I remember my first year at Hearts. I waited about eight months to play.
"That was difficult but after that I had good experiences.
"Beating Aberdeen to qualify for the Champions League was a great memory, as was winning the Scottish Cup.
"I played a lot more first-team games in my second season, which was better for me.
"I started this season well and was playing well for the first five months. I thought everything was okay but then I got injured in December and played only one game after that because of the contract situation.
"The Scottish Cup final was the best memory. You play football to win trophies and the fans were fantastic that day, right behind the team. I don't know if it was the biggest day of my career because I won the League Cup in France, but after the match being with the supporters was the best feeling in my career."
Tall had an inkling to return to France, where he was born to Senegalese parents, for family reasons. He watched Hearts undergo a moderate transformation earlier this year when Frail was appointed caretaker manager but believes Romanov's managerial rotation policy has undermined the efforts of everyone at the club.
"Mr Romanov must not change the manager all the time, it's not good for the team.
"This season was bad for us and results were not good enough, but things improved when Shaggy took over.
"I hope Mr Romanov keeps him and brings in two or three good players because this is what the team needs.
" Some new players with good quality will improve results for next season. "Shaggy taking the team from January was a good idea, he loves the club and works very hard for the club.
"I hope he can continue with Hearts because all the players like him and want to work hard for him.
"I had mixed memories from my time in Scotland but that's in the past and I'm looking forward.
"The French league season is finished now and clubs will start to talk to players about next season.
"I haven't heard any more from Strasbourg, they were interested before but they are relegated now. I would prefer to stay in Ligue 1. I'm at home in Paris and waiting for the telephone to ring."
The full article contains 1017 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
