LEVEIN RILED BY HEARTS KID LEONARD’S MOVE SOUTH
CRAIG LEVEIN would not speak about Hearts’ bid to lure Steven Naismith back north last night — but he had plenty to say about one of his Gorgie wonder kid’s plans to go in the opposite direction.
The Tynecastle manager is unhappy with 16-year-old Marc Leonard’s impending £350,000 switch to English Premier League side Brighton.
He believes the teenager would be better served following in the footsteps of another Hearts youngster of the same age, Harry Cochrane, by continuing his development in Edinburgh.
‘Marc Leonard has decided he does not want to play in Scotland, he wants to play in England instead,’ said Levein after yesterday’s 1-1 draw with Vitesse Arnhem in Spain. ‘It’s disappointing and I have to say I find it really strange.
‘I don’t want any of our kids to go down to England until they are first-team players, but he has made his decision.
‘I think he is a good player. He has come through at the same time as the other lads who have made it into the first team.
‘I like him, he is a good footballer but I just don’t agree with his reasoning for going. He is a nice kid and I wish him all the best in the future.’
Levein was less willing to comment on the club’s move for out-of-favour Norwich City forward Naismith, with Hearts understood to have made enquiries about the former Rangers and Kilmarnock star after he expressed a desire to play in Scotland again.
‘I’m not interested in talking about Steven right now, so I have nothing to tell you,’ he said. ‘It’s something I read about and if there’s something to tell, I will say.’
Levein preferred to concentrate on his young side’s draw with their Dutch opponents, 15-year-old Connor Smith winning the free-kick which led to 17-year-old Andy Irving’s late equaliser.
‘I was really pleased with the way the game went. We’ve had time off, so it was about getting your eye back in,’ said the manager.
‘It was competitive and I felt it was worthwhile. Our team in the second half was very young, so I was a bit worried about it, but they were really good.
‘Arguably, we played better football in the second half. Harry Cochrane was excellent. When he got the ball, he looked real quality, even against the calibre of player Vitesse have.’
New on-loan defender Demetri Mitchell, who is set to make his debut against German club Nurnberg at the club’s Oliva Nova base today, hopes a run of games for Hearts will help him make a name for himself at Old Trafford when he returns to Manchester United at the end of the season.
‘Hearts got in touch with United because they have been looking for a left-back and I seemed to fit the bill,’ said the 21-year-old.
‘They spoke to Nicky Butt (United academy coach) and he said it would be a good place to go, so I’m looking forward to it.
‘It’s exciting because I want to progress, learn and hopefully show people what I can do.’
Mitchell could be handed a baptism of fire in the Scottish Cup fourth-round visit of Hibs on January 21.
‘My aim is to play as much as I can and help the team finish the season strongly.
‘I don’t mind pressure, football is full of it and it’s something I try to thrive on.
‘I am comfortable with it all, so it really doesn’t bother me. I see it as a positive instead of a negative.
‘The first game back after the break is in the Edinburgh derby match against Hibs, and it will be up to me to impress enough so the manager picks me.’