Fallen Angel back as Hearts coach

ANGEL CHERVENKOV returned to Riccarton today to take temporary charge of Hearts under the guise of reserve-team coach.

Vladimir Romanov's faith in the Bulgarian has earned him a second chance in Edinburgh despite a catastrophic run of results whilst in charge of the first team last season, which preceded his sacking in December.

He will oversee ball-work training until the majority shareholder appoints a new managerial team and is expected to remain as reserve coach thereafter until further notice.

A source close to Tynecastle told the Evening News: "Angel is coming back as reserve coach and will help with first-team training until a new management team is put in place."

Chervenkov has no chance of being appointed manager permanently.

Despite his surprise re-appearance in Edinburgh, Romanov's scour for a head coach remains ongoing, although his arrival as third in command could mean that Hearts are preparing for an eastern European coaching duo to lead the first team next season.

Andrei Zygmantovich, currently coaching at Romanov-financed FBK Kaunas, remains a contender for the position.

The Evening News has learned that Romanov interviewed three managerial candidates last week, one being the German Jurgen Rober, who has since refused the chance to work for the Russian banker.

Rober's wage demands of ¤1m (£790,000) a year were far in excess of what Hearts have offered to previous candidates during contract discussions. Mark McGhee, the Motherwell manager, was negotiating a deal worth £375,000 a year, whilst the Slovakian Vladimir Weiss was offered £200,000 a year to leave Artmedia Bratislava.

Chervenkov has never left Romanov's footballing empire despite his removal from the Tynecastle scene.

Earlier this year, he was recruited by the Lithuanian club FK Silute in a consultancy role. Silute operate as a feeder club to Kaunas in Lithuania's A-Lyga and are known to be heavily influenced by Romanov.

However, when offered the chance to return to Hearts, he had no hesitation in accepting.

His involvement with the first team is as a stop-gap figure for the moment but Romanov will be aware that he is decidedly short on time if he is to appoint a new manager before July 14, when Hearts play their first pre-season match against Glentoran.