Levein strikes back at Celtic in pitch battle
CRAIG LEVEIN hit back at Brendan Rodgers last night by insisting the refusal of clubs like Celtic to play homegrown young talent is far more damaging to the Scottish game than the length of the grass in Gorgie.
After his side’s 3-1 win in Edinburgh on Sunday, Rodgers expressed dismay at the state of the Tynecastle turf, claiming Scottish football will remain in the dark ages until surfaces improve.
‘If that’s what you want to do then fine — but it’s not football,’ said the Celtic boss. ‘You haven’t qualified (for a major finals) for 20-odd years and we’re trying to develop players and a product here to move the game on.’
But Levein defended his right to seek any advantage over a club whose financial might overpowers the rest of the Premiership.
And while he has blooded 16-year-olds like Harry Cochrane and Anthony MacDonald in his first team this season, Celtic have paid big money to borrow gifted youngsters Patrick Roberts from Manchester City and Charly Musonda from Chelsea.
And, in a thinly-veiled dig at Rodgers, the Hearts boss suggested that if anyone is hampering the development of young players in Scotland it is clubs who favour young loan players at the expense of promoting those from their own youth academy system.
‘For me, the development of players is about giving them the opportunity to play — much, much more than the length of the grass. It’s a serious thing,’ said Levein, who this week signed 18-year-old Bobby Burns from Northern Irish side Glenavon with a view to playing him in the Hearts first team.
‘Some clubs in this country have got fantastic players at 18, 19, 20 but they never play. They go and get loan players from elsewhere, who are the same age, and they don’t play their own kids. That hampers Scotland’s development.
‘I never knew it was as simple as that (cutting the grass to develop players).
‘So, if we cut all the grass short, then we’ll go to international finals? Brilliant! Unbelievable! Why has nobody thought of that?’ he added, sarcastically.
Levein also warned Rodgers he can ‘bleat all he wants’ but the Tynecastle grass will be long again the next time Celtic visit.
‘I sat with Brendan for 20 minutes after the game and he never mentioned it,’ said Levein.
‘I would have hated to see the fury and the froth if they had actually lost the game.
‘If we want to talk about a level playing field, if they bring a team through here that earns the same money as our players do, then we will put them out on the pitch and see who wins.
‘There is not a level playing field in Scotland and I make no apologies for staying within the rules and trying to win the game. None at all.
‘He can moan and bleat all he wants, it will be the same again next season.
‘As long as we stay within the rules, then I don’t know what he’s bleating about. Brendan can set his team up and his pitch up any way he wants.
‘It’s all a nonsense really. We’ll just let it grow (the next time Celtic visit),’ he added.
Levein also confirmed Hearts would challenge any potential ban for Steven Naismith after it emerged that Scottish FA compliance officer Tony McGlennan was considering action over the forward’s tackle on Celtic captain Scott Brown.
On Sunday, Rodgers described the challenge as ‘shocking’, adding: ‘The ball was well gone and it wasn’t just late, it was very late.
‘It will be interesting to see what the authorities make of that.’
Meanwhile, Levein is hoping to end a difficult campaign with a bang when derby rivals Hibs visit Tynecastle tonight in Hearts’ last home match of the season.
‘It’s been a tough season for everyone and it would be good to finish on a high,’ said Levein, who will be without John Souttar and has a doubt over Kyle Lafferty.
‘But it’s good that we play Hibs. The game has special meaning for everyone at the club, firstly the supporters but certainly for the players as well.
‘It’s a big game to finish with and we want to win.’
So, if we cut all the grass short, then we’ll go to international finals? Brilliant