Realism flows from Laszlo expectations

Prepared for take off: New signing David Obua with Hearts boss Csaba Laszlo at Edinburgh Airport. Photograph: Eric McCowat

WHEN VLADIMIR Romanov first came to Tynecastle, he set out his stall in simple terms. The former submariner said he wanted Hearts to torpedo the Old Firm's domination of Scottish football, and he was prepared to pay to achieve that aim.

Apart from one season when Hearts split Celtic and Rangers by finishing second, the men in maroon have not achieved their owner's vaulting ambition, and ending up in eighth place last season was not in the Romanov game-plan. So has Romanov at last found the man who understands him and can carry out his vision? Can Hearts get back on track this season?

As the latest occupant of Scotland's managerial cool seat – nobody is ever on it long enough to warm it up – Csaba Laszlo has certainly made an impression since his arrival last month. The Romanian of Hungarian ancestry seems to share values with the Russian-Lithuanian Romanov, such as his blast at 'lazy' squad members, but also seems willing and able to gainsay the owner.

Asked at his latest press conference whether Romanov's diktat about the Old Firm still stood, Laszlo replied: "At the moment we must think realistically but maybe some time that will be possible. This year it is most important we get stabilisation, that we get the fundamentals right and change some things which are wrong. If we can do that then maybe in the long term we can think about closing the gap to Celtic and Rangers."

Realism? At Romanov's Hearts? This is almost revolutionary stuff, but Laszlo seems assured in his certainty that he is his own man, and will do things his own way, albeit in consultation with the boss.

"I have my style and I don't like to copy anybody. I have tried to learn as much as possible from people I have worked with, but trying to act like Mr Wenger and Mr Ferguson is wrong. You must have your own style, your own charisma and character, and set your own targets.

"I talk with Mr Romanov every day and we are looking at players whose names we pass to the club. We have a lot of names, and we are looking not to take the cheapest possibilities but the best possibilities in the market. This is not easy at the moment. We'll take a bit more time and make good decisions."

Time? Good decisions? Again, this is a new trend at Hearts. And Laszlo is not afraid to pinpoint the problem he must sort. In doing so, he made a reference to his staff which may become a classic.

"I came here and saw a lot of beautiful people (his exact words] but they are out of confidence. They want to stay and work with me, so now we have to get results in the league. If we can get those results we will have a nice future and will have a little bit more time to build and make the fundamentals stronger."

"At this moment the club needs success, and to get this success we need a target. We cannot speak at the moment about sixth or seventh place (in the league). Maybe at the end of the season that is where we might be, I don't know. But we have a target and that is to move very quickly back into Europe.

"Everything is possible if you have a vision and follow it, but you must not be just a dreamer. I know we have no dreamers here, but we do have a vision and everybody is working for it. If we can do this in the short term then I'll be happy, but good work often needs a bit more time."

The 'beautiful people' he mentions include Christophe Berra and Andy Driver, who have been persuaded to stay, as Laszlo promised on the day he arrived from Uganda. Will the fans be similarly persuaded?

"I feel that every day when I go into town the fans are accepting me. But the most important thing is for them to come and see the team on the field, and if the team wins I think I will have a very good relationship with the fans. The team can change the fans' attitudes with good games and results."

Next week's match against Motherwell looms large, but Laszlo is confident he has done enough work to obtain the good start that is vital to any club's season, though he will not hesitate to buy to strengthen the squad.

"We are ready," he said. "At the moment we are looking for some new players with quality. The transfer window is open and we are searching for some players, but we don't like doing things in a hurry and we will only take players who can do something immediately for the team and for the club."

"I want to stay here a long time. It is a nice country, with nice people and the people like their football. It is wonderful, but sometimes there is just too much rain."

OVERVIEW

Fine fettle or fairly brittle?

Smooth sailing so far, says manager Csaba Laszlo. But the players are lazy (according to Laszlo) and dirty (according to the authorities).

Mystic Kev
They need independent team selection. No meddling. Probably no medals either.

If they were a TV show

Dragon's Den. Bound to be some daft ideas floating about.

Title odds 150/1

Bogeymen Jim Jefferies. Killie caused Hearts trouble last season.

In David Obua (Kaizer Chiefs, free, subject to work permit)

Out Roman Bednar (West Brom, £2.3m); Ibrahim Tall (Nantes, free); Neil McCann (Falkirk, free); Marc McCusker (Clyde, free); Mauricio Pinilla, (free); Jose Goncalves (Nurnberg, loan).