Former Aberdeen and Motherwell manager Mark McGhee has revealed he nearly took the Hearts job during Vladimir Romanov’s Tynecastle reign.
The Russian-Lithuanian businessman took control of the Edinburgh club in early 2005 and remained owner until Hearts entered administration in 2013.
During that period, McGhee managed English clubs Brighton and Bristol Rovers, as well as Scottish sides Aberdeen and Motherwell.
He later worked as Gordon Strachan’s assistant manager with the Scottish national team, before returning to Motherwell and then having spells at Barnet, Stockport and, finally, back in Scotland with Dundee in 2022.
But the 69-year-old told the BBC’s Sacked in the Morning podcast that he nearly joined Hearts.
“I almost took the Hearts job at one point,” he said. “When you take a job, the most important thing is that you know the parameters.”
McGhee went on to joke: “If the parameters at Hearts include the fact that you’re going to get a phone call in the dugout from Romanov telling you to make a substitution, then as long as you know that before you take the job, you can’t complain.”