“REALLY POPULAR”

Hearts owner Ann Budge laughs as she reveals a conversation she had with a fan at the weekend. The person has apparently spent their life working in market research and had informed her that having surveyed the mood and opinion of supporters, “everything will be fine as long as you don’t appoint Craig Levein.”

By that time she had already offered him the job and, to her surprise, he had accepted.

Budge is not daft and neither is the man she placed her faith in as director of football and now as first-team manager. Both know that, if it was a popularity contest, Levein would not score as highly as many who demanded consideration as Ian Cathro’s replacement. But both also recognise that fans can be fickle and will forgive most flaws provided their team are winning.

“I can’t allow fan reaction to influence a sensible business judgment,” she insisted. “That doesn’t mean I am not listening to them.

“I was around as a fan when Craig was here and went on a number of European trips. At that point he was a really popular and good manager. You weigh that up against those who say never let him cross this door again. It’s illogical – supporter behaviour often is.

“The key for me is having balance. I spend a lot of time talking to supporters and it is the unhappyoneswhoshoutloudest. There are still an awful lot of Hearts fans who are pleased with the way things have gone. Yes, disappointed with results [under Ian Cathro] but there are sensible supporters out there too.

“I was at a fireworks display on Monday night and there were supporters who came up and shook my hand and said: ‘It is great to have the appointment.’ They weren’t saying they thought it was the best or worst appointment, just let’s get on with it.

“Craig also said,

‘it would be easier if only I was popular.’ I think that will disappear if we have a few good results.”

Having taken four weeks to make the appointment, Budge said it was more important to weigh up all options and get it right than settle things swiftly.

“Genuinely, the people we interviewed we talked about afterwards as an interview panel, and every single one of them had a lot to offer. Almost to the point where it was, how do we make a choice?

“There was also a point where we asked if we were doing the right thing – is it experience or should we bring Jon [Daly, the interim boss] into the mix? Then it was, ‘actually, why don’t we ask Craig?’ It wasn’t that anyone else failed, it’s just that he really ticked this extra box. He’s committed, totally, to Hearts. He has just committed another three years to Hearts. He wants to succeed and he wants

“Iwasaroundasafan when Craig was here and went on a number of European trips. At that point he was a reallypopularandgood manager. You weigh that up with those who say never let him cross this door again.”

ANN BUDGE