Jambos’ Cathro looks up to Reds

Hearts manager Ian Cathro has hailed Aberdeen as the benchmark every Scottish club bar Celtic is reaching for.

The Dons are aiming to finish second for the third year running having claimed an eight-point lead over Rangers.

It is a challenge the Jambos had hoped to join at the start of the season but Cathro admits his team must strive to match the levels of consistency managed by Derek McInnes’ men.

Hearts sit in fourth place, six points back on thirdplaced Rangers, but can boost their Europa League ambitions by gunning down the Dons today when the Jambos travel to Pittodrie.

Cathro said: “All the clubs in this league with the aspiration of pushing and improving themselves have to look at them as the benchmark.

“The work Aberdeen have done under Derek over the last four years, building a very strong, experienced team with good quality individuals, is impressive.

“They get consistent performances, play very organised football. They know exactly what they are doing and it’s brought them success.

“I think every team underneath Aberdeen in the league will be wanting to do that.”

A comfortable 4-0 win against Hamilton last week eased the pressure on Cathro after he had mustered just three wins from his first 15 games in charge.

But he admits his team will not have it as easy as they did against secondbottom Accies when they head north this weekend.

He said: “It’s been a positive week for us. We take good feelings from the Hamilton game but not too much. That game doesn’t relate too much to the challenge we face.

“It’ll be a very different test at Pittodrie.”

“Aberdeen know exactly what they are doing”