2006–07 Heart of Midlothian F.C. season
| 2006–07 season | |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Roman Romanov |
| Manager | Valdas Ivanauskas (until 23 October) Eduard Malofeev (interim) Anatoliy Korobochka (from 2 March) |
| Stadium | Tynecastle Park Murrayfield Stadium |
| Scottish Premier League | 4th |
| Scottish Cup | Fourth round |
| League Cup | Quarter-finals |
| UEFA Champions League | Third qualifying round |
| UEFA Cup | First round |
| Top goalscorer | League: Andrius Velička (9) All: Andrius Velička (12) |
| Highest home attendance | 32,459, vs. AEK Athens, Champions League, 9 August 2006 |
| Lowest home attendance | 15,912 vs. Inverness CT, SPL, 26 August 2006 |
The 2006–07 season was the 126th season of competitive football by Heart of Midlothian, and their 24th consecutive season in the top level of Scottish football, competing in the Scottish Premier League. Hearts also competed in the Champions League, UEFA Cup, Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup.
Overview
[edit]Following an indifferent start to their League campaign, head coach Valdas Ivanauskas took a sabbatical from his role on 23 October. Club owner Vladimir Romanov, who stated "I have full confidence in Valdas and look forward to his return",[1] appointed the club's sporting director, Eduard Malofeev, as interim head coach. Further off-field disruption ensued four days later when Romanov warned his players that they would all be put up for sale if Hearts did not win their match against Dunfermline Athletic the next day. Captain Steven Pressley, flanked by senior players Paul Hartley and Craig Gordon, responded with a statement voicing the players' unhappiness at affairs at the club, stating in a pre-match media conference ahead of Dunfermline's visit that there was "significant unrest" in the dressing room.[2] The game was drawn 1–1.
The repercussions from the press conference stretched over several months and eventually led to the departure from the club of two of the so-called Riccarton Three.[3] Pressley was dropped for a match against Falkirk on 13 November[4] and named as an unused substitute for a 1–0 defeat by Rangers on 19 November.[5] Hartley was only used as a substitute in the former game. Pressley eventually left Hearts on 9 December, with accompanying press releases stating that this was an amicable agreement. He joined rivals Celtic on 1 January 2007 and captained his new squad to a 2–1 victory at Tynecastle on his first return to Edinburgh. Hartley also moved to Celtic during January 2007, in a £1.1 million transfer on 31 January. This only left Gordon, who was dropped for matches away to Dundee United and Rangers in December and January respectively, as the only member of the trio to remain at Hearts beyond the January transfer window.
Hearts failed to win a game under the management of Eduard Malofeev, who took control during Ivanauskas' sabbatical. Hearts lost at Celtic and Hibernian – a result which eliminated Hearts from the Scottish League Cup – and at home to Rangers. He remained as caretaker manager until late November 2006 when, despite media reports anticipating the appointment of Eugenijus Riabovas,[6] Ivanauskas returned to resume his duties as club manager.[7]
A 1–0 loss in the Scottish Cup at Dunfermline on 3 February 2007, with Gordon on the bench, ended Hearts' chance to retain the trophy. Later that month, Ivanauskas was moved to a director of football role,[8] with director of football Anatoly Korobochka assuming the role of interim head coach on 2 March. An improved run of form towards the end of the season witnessed Hearts challenge Aberdeen for third spot in the League and UEFA Cup qualification. The Dons scored a last minute equaliser in a head-to-head confrontation between the two teams at Tynecastle in May, and eventually finished four points clear in third place.
First team squad
[edit]- Squad at end of season[9]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Left club during season
[edit]Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Matches
[edit]Pre-season
[edit]Hearts travelled to Austria for a pre-season tour.
| 5 July 2006 Friendly | LASK | 1–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Stadion Windischgarsten |
Muhlbauer  62' |
Bešlija 83' |
Attendance: 400 Referee: Dietmar Drabek |
| 8 July 2006 Friendly | Spartak Trnava | 1–3 | Heart of Midlothian | Stadion Windischgarsten |
| Peter Duris 80' |
Cesnauskis 31', 36' Bešlija 83' |
Attendance: 200 Referee: Thomas Prammer |
| 12 July 2006 Friendly | CFR Cluj | 1–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Stadion Stainach |
| Zelemcz 92' |
Mäkelä 77' |
Attendance: 80 Referee: Rene Eisner |
| 15 July 2006 Friendly | Preston North End | 1–2 | Heart of Midlothian | Deepdale Stadium |
| Whaley 33' |
Bednář 15' Mikoliūnas 18' |
Attendance: 3,000 Referee: Chris Foy |
| 19 July 2006 Friendly | Heart of Midlothian | 2–0 | Osasuna | Murrayfield Stadium |
| Velička 73' Tall 90' |
Attendance: 18,997 Referee: Craig Mackay |
| 20 July 2006 Friendly | Livingston | 1–2 | Heart of Midlothian | Almondvale Stadium |
| Weir 63' |
Neill 52' Bešlija 54' |
Attendance: 900 |
Scottish Premier League
[edit]| 29 July 2006 SPL | Dunfermline Athletic | 1–2 | Heart of Midlothian | East End Park |
| Stephen Simmons 62' |
Bednář 15' Pospíšil 77' |
Attendance: 7,936 Referee: Brian Winter |
| 6 August 2006 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 2–1 | Celtic | Tynecastle Park |
| Bednář 49' (87) |
Petrov 65' |
Attendance: 16,822 Referee: Stuart Dougal |
| 12 August 2006 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 0–0 | Falkirk | Tynecastle Park |
| Attendance: 16,127 Referee: John Underhill |
| 19 August 2006 SPL | Rangers | 2–0 | Heart of Midlothian | Ibrox |
| Boyd 47' (pen.), 49' |
Attendance: 50,239 Referee: Kenny Clark |
| 26 August 2006 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 4–1 | Inverness CT | Tynecastle Park |
| Pinilla 17' Mole 42' Driver 80' Aguiar 91' |
Bayne 29' |
Attendance: 15,912 Referee: Steve Conroy |
| 9 September 2006 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 0–1 | St Mirren | Tynecastle Park |
| Kean 82' |
Attendance: 16,823 Referee: Douglas McDonald |
| 17 September 2006 SPL | Motherwell | 0–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Fir Park |
| Mole 68' |
Attendance: 5,931 Referee: Iain Brines |
| 24 September 2006 SPL | Aberdeen | 1–3 | Heart of Midlothian | Pittodrie Stadium |
| Daal 82' |
Berra 64' Pinilla 76' Mikoliūnas 81' |
Attendance: 11,160 Referee: Stuart Dougal |
| 1 October 2006 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 4–0 | Dundee United | Tynecastle Park |
| Velička 29' Mäkelä 39' Hartley 88' (pen.) Mole 89' |
Attendance: 16,849 Referee: Eddie Smith |
| 15 October 2006 SPL | Hibernian | 2–2 | Heart of Midlothian | Easter Road |
| Zemamma 5' Killen 16' |
Velička 29' (72) |
Attendance: 16,623 Referee: Charlie Richmond |
| 21 October 2006 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 0–2 | Kilmarnock | Tynecastle Park |
| Invincible 28' Wales 35' |
Attendance: 16,849 Referee: Kenny Clark |
| 28 October 2006 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 1–1 | Dunfermline Athletic | Tynecastle Park |
| Velička 12' |
Hamilton 48' |
Attendance: 17,031 Referee: Brian Winter |
| 4 November 2006 SPL | Celtic | 2–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Celtic Park |
| Jarosik 86' Gordon 94' (og.) |
Velička 72' |
Attendance: 58,971 Referee: Craig Thomson |
| 13 November 2006 SPL | Falkirk | 1–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Falkirk Stadium |
| Latapy 84' |
Velička 65' |
Attendance: 6,289 Referee: Mike McCurry |
| 19 November 2006 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 0–1 | Rangers | Tynecastle Park |
| Novo 78' |
Attendance: 17,040 Referee: Dougie McDonald |
| 25 November 2006 SPL | Inverness CT | 0–0 | Heart of Midlothian | Caledonian Stadium |
| Attendance: 5,603 Referee: Iain Brines |
| 2 December 2006 SPL | St Mirren | 2–2 | Heart of Midlothian | Love Street |
| Kean 19' (21) |
Mikoliūnas 1' Zaliukas 51' |
Attendance: 5,728 Referee: Charlie Richmond |
| 9 December 2006 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 4–1 | Motherwell | Tynecastle Park |
| Fyssas 9' Quinn 55' (og.) Velička 58' Aguiar 64' |
Foran 20' |
Attendance: 16,753 Referee: Craig Mackay |
| 16 December 2006 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 0–1 | Aberdeen | Tynecastle Park |
| Lovell 87' |
Attendance: 17,274 Referee: Stuart Dougal |
| 23 December 2006 SPL | Dundee United | 0–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Tannadice Park |
| Hartley 54' (pen.) |
Attendance: 7,789 Referee: Charlie Richmond |
| 26 December 2006 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 3–2 | Hibernian | Tynecastle Park |
| Hartley 2' Jankauskas 48' Mikoliūnas 70' |
Killen 55' Shiels 61' |
Attendance: 17,369 Referee: Craig Mackay |
| 30 December 2006 SPL | Kilmarnock | 0–0 | Heart of Midlothian | Rugby Park |
| Attendance: 7,302 Referee: Charlie Richmond |
| 2 January 2007 SPL | Dunfermline Athletic | 0–1 | Heart of Midlothian | East End Park |
| Pospíšil 15' |
Attendance: 7,004 Referee: Craig Thomson |
| 14 January 2007 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 1–2 | Celtic | Tynecastle Park |
| Mikoliūnas 28' |
Hesselink 59' Jarosik 81' |
Attendance: 17,129 Referee: Kenny Clark |
| 20 January 2007 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 1–0 | Falkirk | Tynecastle Park |
| Bednář 74' |
Attendance: 17,247 Referee: Steve Conroy |
| 27 January 2007 SPL | Rangers | 0–0 | Heart of Midlothian | Ibrox |
| Attendance: 50,321 Referee: Charlie Richmond |
| 10 February 2007 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 1–0 | Inverness CT | Tynecastle Park |
| Pospíšil 82' |
Attendance: 16,631 Referee: Eddie Smith |
| 17 February 2007 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 1–1 | St Mirren | Tynecastle Park |
| Kingston 71' |
O'Donnell 14' |
Attendance: 17,195 Referee: Dougie McDonald |
| 5 March 2007 SPL | Motherwell | 0–2 | Heart of Midlothian | Fir Park |
| Tall 37' Craigan 66' (og.) |
Attendance: 4,389 Referee: Stuart Dougal |
| 10 March 2007 SPL | Aberdeen | 1–0 | Heart of Midlothian | Pittodrie |
| Lovell 7' |
Attendance: 13,964 Referee: Steve Conroy |
| 17 March 2007 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 0–4 | Dundee United | Tynecastle Park |
| Robson 51' (70), 78' Hunt 59' |
Attendance: 17,172 Referee: Craig Mackay |
| 1 April 2007 SPL | Hibernian | 0–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Easter Road |
| Zaliukas 81' |
Attendance: 15,953 Referee: Kenny Clark |
| 7 April 2007 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 1–0 | Kilmarnock | Tynecastle Park |
| Pospíšil 78' |
Attendance: 17,019 Referee: Mark Ritchie |
| 21 April 2007 SPL | Rangers | 2–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Ibrox |
| Rae 52' Ferguson 79' |
Velička 16' |
Attendance: 50,099 Referee: Iain Brines |
| 29 April 2007 SPL | Celtic | 1–3 | Heart of Midlothian | Celtic Park |
| Steven Pressley 63' |
Ivaškevičius 57' Driver 61' Pospíšil 73' (pen.) |
Attendance: 59,510 Referee: Stuart Dougal |
| 6 May 2007 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 1–1 | Aberdeen | Tynecastle Park |
| Velička 14' |
Nicholson 90' |
Attendance: 17,208 Referee: Brian Winter |
| 12 May 2007 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 2–0 | Hibs | Tynecastle Park |
| Pospíšil 1' Driver 23' |
Attendance: 16,434 Referee: Stuart Dougal |
| 20 May 2007 SPL | Kilmarnock | 1–0 | Heart of Midlothian | Rugby Park |
| Naismith 82 pen.' |
Attendance: 11,030 Referee: Willie Collum |
Scottish League Cup
[edit]| 20 September 2006 Third round | Alloa Athletic | 0–4 | Heart of Midlothian | Recreation Park |
| BBC SPORT | Mäkelä 46', 82', 88' Aguiar 88' |
Attendance: 2,551 Referee: Charlie Richmond |
| 8 November 2006 Quarter-finals | Hibernian | 1–0 | Heart of Midlothian | Easter Road |
| Jones 32' |
BBC SPORT | Attendance: 15,825 Referee: Calum Murray |
Scottish Cup
[edit]| 6 January 2007 Third round | Stranraer | 0–4 | Heart of Midlothian | Stair Park |
| BBC SPORT | Velička 17' (43), 90' Bednář 79' |
Attendance: 5,100 Referee: Eddie Smith |
| 3 February 2007 Fourth round | Dunfermline Athletic | 1–0 | Heart of Midlothian | East End Park |
| Wilson 90' |
BBC SPORT | Attendance: 9,597 Referee: Mike McCurry |
UEFA Champions League
[edit]Hearts played their home 2006/2007 European Champions League games at Murrayfield Stadium, rather than in their home ground Tynecastle. A combination of Tynecastle falling short of UEFA requirements in terms of pitch size and hospitality facilities, and Murrayfield's greater capacity, meant that Murrayfield was the preferred choice for the Tynecastle board. Hearts won their second round qualifying tie against Bosnian champions Široki Brijeg 3–0 on aggregate, but were defeated 5–1 on aggregate by AEK Athens in the final qualifying round. The Greek side won 2–1 at Murrayfield due to two late goals and then won 3–0 in the Athens Olympic Stadium. Hearts had one player (Bruno Aguiar) sent off in the first leg and two players (Julien Brellier and Neil McCann) sent off in the second leg.
| 26 July 2006 Second qualifying round | Heart of Midlothian | 3–0 |  Široki Brijeg | Murrayfield Stadium |
| Branimir Anic 53' (og.) Tall 79' Bednář 84' |
Attendance: 28,486 Referee: Espen Berntsen |
| 2 August 2006 Second qualifying round | Široki Brijeg | 0–0 | Heart of Midlothian | Stadion Pecara |
| Branimir Anic 53' (og.) Tall 79' Bednář 84' |
Attendance: 6,000 Referee: Viktor Kassai |
| 9 August 2006 Third qualifying round | Heart of Midlothian | 1–2 |  AEK Athens | Murrayfield Stadium |
| Mikoliūnas 62' |
Kapetanos 89' Berra 93' (og.) |
Attendance: 32,459 Referee: Nicolai Vollquartz |
| 23 August 2006 Third qualifying round | AEK Athens | 3–0 | Heart of Midlothian | Olympic Stadium (Athens) |
| Souza 79' (pen.), 86' Tall 79' Liberopoulos 82' |
Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Iouri Baskakov |
UEFA Cup
[edit]The loss in the final qualifying round meant that Hearts dropped into the UEFA Cup first round against Sparta Prague. In this competition they lost 2–0 at a muddy Murrayfield in the first leg and they were eliminated after a 0–0 draw in Prague in the return leg on 28 September 2006.
| 14 September 2006 First round | Heart of Midlothian | 0–2 |  Sparta Prague | Murrayfield Stadium |
| Kolar 33' Matusovic 70' |
Attendance: 27,255 Referee: Paolo Bertini |
| 28 September 2006 First round | Sparta Prague | 0–0 | Heart of Midlothian | Letensky Stadion |
| Attendance: 16,505 Referee: Peter Sippel |
League table
[edit]| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation[a] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Rangers | 38 | 21 | 9 | 8 | 61 | 32 | +29 | 72 | Qualification for the Champions League second qualifying round |
| 3 | Aberdeen | 38 | 19 | 8 | 11 | 55 | 38 | +17 | 65 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 4 | Heart of Midlothian | 38 | 17 | 10 | 11 | 47 | 35 | +12 | 61 | |
| 5 | Kilmarnock | 38 | 16 | 7 | 15 | 47 | 54 | −7 | 55 | |
| 6 | Hibernian | 38 | 13 | 10 | 15 | 56 | 46 | +10 | 49 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
Notes:
- ^ Teams played each other three times (33 matches), before the league split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six) for the last five matches.
Transfers
[edit]On the eve of the SPL season, Hearts announced the capture of Chile striker Mauricio Pinilla on a season-long loan. PAOK's Christos Karipidis and Tiago Costa, a full back from Benfica B were also signed, while in the final week of the transfer window three further Lithuanian players – Marius Žaliūkas, Kęstutis Ivaškevičius and Andrius Velička – joined on loan from FBK Kaunas. Hearts fans still anticipated the arrival of "two World Cup stars" but were left disappointed when the club announced that the final piece of business of the transfer window would be to sign the previously-loaned striker Roman Bednář on a permanent deal.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Ivanauskas to take two-week break". BBC Sport. 23 October 2006. Retrieved 24 November 2006.
- ^ "Romanov issues player ultimatum". BBC Sport. 27 October 2006. Retrieved 25 November 2006.
- ^ Riccarton being the location of Hearts training ground, where the contentious press-conference took place.
- ^ "Pressley holds talks with union". BBC Sport. 15 November 2006. Retrieved 25 November 2006.
- ^ "Hearts 0–1 Rangers". BBC Sport. 19 November 2006. Retrieved 25 November 2006.
- ^ "Ribovas promises Hearts return". BBC Sport. 21 November 2006. Retrieved 24 November 2006.
- ^ "Valdas Returns". Hearts F.C. Archived from the original on 4 August 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2006.
- ^ "Ivanauskas set for change of role". BBC Sport. 28 February 2007. Retrieved 26 February 2007.
- ^ "FootballSquads - Heart of Midlothian - 2006/07". footballsquads.co.uk.
- ^ Tall was born in Aubervilliers, France, but also qualifies to represent Senegal internationally through his parents and made his international debut for Senegal in 2003.
- ^ Driver was born in Oldham, England, but also qualified to represent Scotland internationally and represented them at U-16 level before representing England at U-21 level in 2009.
External links
[edit]- 2006–07 Heart of Midlothian F.C. season at ESPN Archived 24 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine