I SAID SORRY TO SACKED LEVEIN
FROM BACK PAGE Jambos owner Ann Budge on Thursday after just five league wins in 2019 and only one in their last 18 games.
MacPhee was first to offer his hand to Levein and say sorry for not doing more to help drag the club out of the crisis.
He said: “Were there any apologies this morning to Craig? Yes. From me for a start. I said to Craig, I don’t think I’ve been much good to him for anything other than getting him Snow Patrol tickets.
“The players obviously feel guilty and every one of us looks at how we could have better supported him. And, of course, I have to share that responsibility.
“Everyone has to feel a bit of guilt about it but we have to channel that into the reaction we want on Sunday.
“There is a lot of people here who remember Hearts when they were about to not be Hearts anymore.
“And one of the key people in setting up everything that Hearts now have today was Craig. They saw the tireless work he put in to do that.
“What he did say was, ‘Be your own person, make your own decisions and if you need to phone me, phone me.’
“We didn’t talk longer than that because it was so hectic between 4pm last night and this morning with training.
“One thing I have done is added Donald Park to the staff.
“Donald is different to what is in the building in terms of the
ADVICE MacPhee and Aaron Hickey experience he has and I have moved him from the academy side to be with me for however long the interim period is.
“What has happened is the by-product of everyone in the organisation not performing to the levels we should be.
“That was articulated this morning, now we have to turn it into a positive and put that into a performance on Sunday.”
MacPhee outlined his credentials for the job on a permanent basis and knows he has a platform against Rangers.
He said: “My job as interim manager is to make this spell as successful as it can be, I have been able to do that before. I am not sitting here with trepidation.
“If I can get good results against Rangers and St Mirren then the process might take longer because people might be calm that I can drive the car.
“Will I feel pressure on Sunday? It’s not a free hit but I want to make sure the team swings a punch.”