BEING INTRODUCED to Hearts' managers is a football version of speed dating. They turn up unknown, make their first impressions, and some are easier to warm to than others. Everyone goes through the engagement expecting that another candidate will be along soon enough. Currently it is Csaba Laszlo's turn to woo Tynecastle.

He is 44, describes himself as having "a young face" - Vladimir Romanov is just the man to add a few worry lines to that - and has something of a dashing background. Laszlo and the Hearts support had what amounted to their first date on Friday when he was presented as the club's new manager.

A chess fan, multi-linguist and married father of two, he was born in Romania, defected to take Hungarian citizenship, played there until a knee injury forced him to retire at 27, and subsequently managed or coached Borussia Moenchengladbach's youth system, Ferencvaros in Budapest, the Hungarian national side and, since 2006, the Ugandan national team.

Those are the bare bones of Laszlo's story. On Friday he had the chance to flesh them out and seduce his new fanbase. Here was how he went about it.

What was your background in Romania?

"I come from socialism and communism and then early on I learned what it was to work under capitalism. So I have a very good mixture. I know 100% that life is not only about having money and nice things and a nice car. At the moment I'm happy that we don't have any problems in Europe, the people are free and can think free.

At the moment the people are together."

You enjoyed Romania?

"I had a very nice time in Romania and even today my father, who has Hungarian nationality, has stayed there. My father, Albert, is 80 years old and had a bakery but it is time for him to give that up. If I go to Romania I go home, if I go to Hungary I go home, if I go to Germany I go home, and even if I go back to Uganda I feel at home, and this is my intention for Scotland.

"I defected when I left Romania. I had a very nice life in Romania. I don't have any problems with the politics, but I left there to look for my luck. It was more of an adventure for me."

Did you face hostility when you came to the west?

"When I came to western Europe people would say to me you are from Romania' or you are Hungarian', and they would think I was different. But I had two legs and two hands, and even my skin was the same colour. There was a distance but after maybe two minutes they knew I was a nice guy and they could talk to me."

What happened when you took over at Ferencvaros in Hungary?

"When I went to Ferencvaros the president promised me everything. He promised me six players with international experience to try and qualify for the Champions League because it was maybe the only way to save the club's economy. After two weeks he told me we didn't have any money and after a month I didn't get my salary. After that it came out that the club had a debt to the players for the previous two years.

"Maybe this was the most important point in the history of the team - and for me - to save this club. When I left the club I hadn't been paid a year's salary but I didn't get my lawyers to ask them for it. Then, three weeks ago - after four years - I got my last year's salary."

Why did you go to Uganda?

"After Ferencvaros I had two very good offers but one team decided against me, so I had the possibility to go to Uganda. The president told me a lot of nice things about Ugandan football and when I flew there I saw he didn't lie."

But it was still a big decision.

"After I agreed a contract with Uganda I heard only the question why I was going there'. My wife, Mariana, collapsed when I told her of my decision! But I think it was a very good experience for me. It was a very nice time. I wouldn't have liked to have missed this time, in Uganda and, especially, Africa."

What was life like in Africa?

"It was another culture. Normally if you speak about Uganda and Africa you think about the poorness, the wars, HIV and sickness. But I think Africa has a nice face that has to be discovered, even by European people. If you talk with the people you understand them. If you feel for the people you understand them. My intention was to take my family there, to show my children that there are other continents in this world. You have to see in what conditions the African people live in, that they don't have an easy life. It was nice for my children."

What is your philosophy?

"I believe if you improve and have dreams to change something, you can do it. I tell my children that knowledge and education are the most important things in the world."

You have been to Scotland before?

"I was here with Hungary when we won 3-0 against Berti Vogts' team and I also had a nice game in Edinburgh against Hearts. We won 1-0 and even though it was bad because we didn't qualify from the Uefa Cup group stage in 2004 it was a very nice time."

What do you think of Celtic and Rangers' dominance of Scottish football?

"I hope it won't be for much longer. Everybody talks about Celtic and Rangers but we have the possibility to change this. It won't change tomorrow, but the direction must be to change this."

What about issues you have inherited: will Christophe Berra and Andy Driver be sold or kept?

"For me it is most important to keep these players. They have quality and I think they need to have a little bit more time for their development. I can give them the right direction. A lot of players are very easily attracted by money and want to go but the most important thing is to have confidence. If you go abroad or take a new club you shouldn't believe life is easy. After staying here these players will be able to show big clubs that they have confidence in their game, and they will grow a little bit."

And that was it, warm and engaging on day one. Does that mean he will be a successful manager for Hearts? Not at all. But at last they have a managerial face to present and one with a command of English, which allowed him to communicate.

So far all of his conversations with Romanov have been by telephone and they are due to meet for the first time this week. That is not as daunting for Laszlo as many have suggested. He already has his three-year Hearts contract. That amounts to getting a pre-nup out of Romanov even before their first date.