“Managers tell players to get booked. I can’t say for sure on this occasion but I’m saying it does happen”
● Manager hasn’t won a trophy during his coaching career but hopes to rectify that in Scottish Cup
It was effectively a team that Craig Levein had built but when Dundee United climbed the steps at Hampden to lift the Scottish Cup in May 2010, Peter Houston was the manager.
Just a few months earlier, unable to resist the lure of becoming Scotland boss, Levein had left Tannadice and while he says he willed his former assistant and players to victory that day and joined in the club celebrations that evening, the fact he was not at the helm means his CV still lacks a major trophy triumph.
“I was thrilled to bits for them but would I like to have been the manager? Yeah, of course but Housty did a brilliant job,” said Levein. “I’ve got some gratification out of it knowing the team was put together under my watch but Housty did a brilliant job.
“That’s one thing I would still like to do. I’ve played in some big games, and been involved in some finals and in a lot of important football matches but I really would like to win a trophy.”
With a sense of unfinished business driving him on, he will be demanding more from his Hearts team when they play host to St Johnstone for the second weekend in a row. They dug out all three points in last Saturday’s Premiership fixture but a below par showing meant it was tougher than themanagerwouldhaveliked. A week on and the teams will return to Gorgie, this time battling for a place in the quarterfinals of the Scottish Cup.
“Our record in the cup competition historically is quite good but in recent years we haven’t done so well,” he conceded. But, having lost out to Celtic and Hibs in the years since last lifting the trophy, in 2012, the side got the better of their rivals in this year’s competition and that success has given them a morale boost and generated a sense of goodwill between fans and players, according to the manager.
Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the 1998 success, Levein knows the club would love to mark the occasion with a fairytale finish to the season.
Special events have been arranged to relive that day when Colin Cameron, Stephane Adam and Co cemented their place in the club’s history but the highlight of the celebrations would be another open top bus tour through the streets of the capital, as another crop of players replicate the feat.
“I’m hoping we can add to that excitement by winning this game and progressing,” said Levein, taking it one game at a time.
It would be the Edinburgh club’s fourth Scottish Cup win in two decades, a healthy haul for a club outwith Celtic Park and Ibrox, whose trophy opportunities remain limited.
With Celtic favourites to win the Premiership title yet again and the Parkhead club already in possession of the League Cup, the Scottish Cup is the only trophy still up for grabs and Levein believes that should be incentive enough for his players.
“Whilst Celtic are as strong as they are, and Aberdeen have done remarkably well to push them fairly close in the last few seasons, it’s difficult to win the league and I think everyone accepts that,” he said. “That leaves you with two cup competitions and we need to do better in the cup competitions. It brings a level of excitement and between beating Hibs in the last round and Saturday there is the feeling of, ‘I can’t wait for the cup tie’. If we get through this it will be the same until the next round.
“But playing against St Johnstone is always difficult and Tommy Wright’s teams are always well organised and they always punch above their weight. He has done a remarkable job and I’m surprised he has not been poached by a bigger team if you look at this record. I’m very wary of St Johnstone while Tommy is in charge.”
“Our record in the cup competition historically is quite good but in recent years we haven’t done so well”
CRAIG LEVEIN