Levein’s dig at United on Souttar was ‘foolish’ and ‘disrespectful’
JOHN Souttar’s former Dundee United team-mate Mark Wilson last night branded Craig Levein’s comments about the Tannadice club nearly ruining the centre half’s career as “foolish” and “disrespectful”.
Levein claimed that Souttar had found being played in a variety of different positions at United as a youth to be “confusing” and alleged the defender hadn’t received the support that he needed.
Neither Jackie McNamara or his successor Mixu Paatelainen, the two managers who Souttar played the majority of his football under during his three years in the first team on Tayside, was available for comment yesterday.
However, the Hearts manager’s remarks provoked a furious reaction from the Tannadice club who released a strongly-worded statement yesterday defending both their handling of the player and track record developing youngsters.
And Wilson, the former Celtic and Scotland right back who played alongside Souttar during his second stint at Dundee United, has also rubbished Levein’s views.
He believes that Hearts, who have won their first five Ladbrokes Premiership games to open up a five point lead, are now benefitting from the solid grounding the centre half received in the professional game under his former manager McNamara.
The Radio Clyde pundit, who won every honour in the Scottish game during his six-and-a-half years at Parkhead, also questioned why Levein had sanctioned the signing of Souttar when he was the Hearts director of football if he was in a bad mental state.
“To say his career was nearly ruined is disrespectful to any manager, Jackie McNamara, Mixu Paatelainen, whoever,” he said. “Especially when you consider that he came through at Dundee United and got a lot of recognition at that club. He played in some big games.
“Put it this way, he did well enough for Craig Levein and Hearts to want to sign him. So it couldn’t have ruined his career that much.
“From everything I saw, John enjoyed himself there. He played with some older professionals who had been about. That certainly helped him. And it has helped him go on to bigger and better things. You have always got to be grateful to the club you started at.
“I played many games at right-back with John inside me. I can’t remember him being shunted about that often. Jackie played him predominantly as a centre back. But I don’t see any problem getting moved about positions. I don’t think it