Players paid but McGlynn says it could happen again

Friday 21 September 2012

Hearts last night confirmed that all overdue wages have been delivered, but John McGlynn hinted it is unlikely to be the last time salaries go unpaid this season.

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In a stark warning, the 50-year-old manager told fans to "wake up and smell the coffee" as Hearts continue to be weighed down by years of excess.

Six players and two members of the coaching staff, one of whom was McGlynn, did not receive their wages for August on Monday. The club attributed the delay to a payment of £300,000 they claim is due from the SPL, as well as television money due from last month's Europa Cup tie against Liverpool.

It is evident to McGlynn, however, that the club are still paying the price for years of extravagant spending under the majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov, with debt standing at £24m.Hearts released the likes of Ian Black, Craig Beattie, Rudi Skacel, Stephen Elliott and David Obua in cost-cutting measures during the Summer, and recently banked £800,000 for the transfer of David Templeton to Rangers.Yet the manager concedes he would not rule out another crisis. "Hearts have been £30m in debt, we've maybe got that down a bit, but we are still putting too much money out and not bringing enough in. That's where we are and that's probably why we can't bring players in. People need to wake up and smell the coffee and understand the situation. It's not rocket science. "The squad has been cut down drastically, there's been huge cut-backs trying to get the wage bill down. Maybe, if they were out of contract, more might have gone in the Summer. It might not be the last time we are talking about this. I think you have to be prepared it to happen again.Last season, wages were not delivered on time in October, November and December, with the latter situation prompting a complaint to the players' union, PFA Scotland.The matter came to a head after a fourth delay in January, as the club were charged with "failing to behave with the utmost faith towards the SPL" by the league.One player, Ryan Stevenson, withdrew his services due to the issue, before joining Ipswich Town. He has since returned to the club and was paid on time this month.McGlynn lamented the "distraction" ahead of tomorrow's trip to face Dundee United, but believes his players are capable of dealing with the issue following the traumas of last term."You hope it won't happen, because it is a distraction. But the players have been through this before and have always been paid, not always on time, but they have been paid. I think they are more comfortable with the situation."Hearts' wages delay will be on the agenda at an SPL meeting today.

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Players paid but McGlynn says it could happen again

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