Hearts' Ryan Stevenson says he wants to quit the club as it has become a 'circus' and he wants to recapture his love for the game.
Tynecastle midfielder no longer wants to put his future in jeopardy
Hearts' Ryan Stevenson says he wants to quit the club as it has become a 'circus' and he wants to recapture his love for the game.
The 27-year-old, who has six months left on his Tynecastle contract, has made himself unavailable for selection to manager Paulo Sergio.
Stevenson's frustration has reached the point where persistent wage delays means he no longer trusts the club to look after his interests should he suffer injury.
The former Ayr man can count on one hand the number of times he has been paid on time and says 'enough is enough'.
Team-mate Andrew Driver remains available for selection despite submitting a transfer request, although Stevenson no longer wants to put his future in jeopardy.
Enjoyment
"I love being a footballer and want to enjoy it every time I play. But in the past four months the enjoyment has gone out of it 100 per cent," he told the
Daily Record.
"I was happier at Ayr United earning £500 a week because I knew what my goal was. I wanted to better myself and reach a better club at a higher level to earn more money. But now I'm here and the place is a circus.
"At Hearts we should be looking to challenge Rangers and Celtic, do well in the league and win cups.
"But how can we think about that when we are being treated so badly on a daily basis? It's not just one week, it's been like this for four months.
"I'm out of contract in six months so had to ask myself, 'What happens if I play on Saturday and do my cruciate? Do I trust Hearts enough to pay for the medical procedure to save my career when I can't even trust them to pay my wages?'
"I know I have left myself open to criticism. But I feel as if a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. This isn't something I have done because they haven't paid me for a couple of weeks.
Accumulation
"This has been an accumulation of things. In fact, since I joined Hearts I can count on one hand the number of times I have been paid on time. It's ridiculous.
"The way I see it is I did my hard time at Ayr. I worked hard there just to try to get a decent move and thought I had achieved that when I went to Hearts.
"But now I'm 27, my wife is pregnant with our first child and I want to enjoy my life. I want to enjoy going into training every morning again.
"That stopped some time ago because all the boys are thinking about is when we are going to be paid.
"The club is a circus. It's a not a place you go into any more and think we're ready to push the Old Firm. Everything has fallen away and I don't want to be a part of it any more. Enough is enough.
"It's not that I don't want to play for Hearts. I love the fans and the club but the way it is being run is a scandal and I feel I have no option but to make it clear I want to leave."
