There’s no place like home Hearts, admits Levein
FOR Hearts the Murrayfield experience has been a bit like checking into a luxury hotel. The hospitality suites cater to the fine tastes of the Edinburgh rugby set, the dressing rooms are plush and fan facilities are a notch up from the SPFL. But, ultimately, it was never going to feel like home.
The club’s four-match rental arrangement with the SRU reaches its conclusion after today’s Premiership clash with Kilmarnock and boss Craig Levein admits he’s looking forward to getting back to Tynecastle, which will offer a few new comforts of its own thanks to the construction of a brand-new main stand.
By common consent, the Gorgie ground generates an atmosphere like no other in Scotland and Levein believes the addition of a fourth steep bank of seating built in sympathy with the rest of the ground will further enhance the matchday acoustics.
‘It’s going to make it better, without a shadow of a doubt,’ said Levein. ‘Last week I sat in the back row of the stand and it just feels now like it’s completely closed in.
‘It looks brilliant. It was a great stadium before but the atmosphere in the main stand wasn’t quite the same as from the other stands. It’s been tough. Murrayfield has been good but it’s not Tynecastle and in terms of the type of stadium, it couldn’t be further from it.’
Levein is wary of presenting the flit home as a panacea to his misfiring team’s woes.
Hearts’ Murrayfield record has been a mixed bag, the initial draw with Aberdeen being followed with a win over St Johnstone and defeat to Rangers.
Although few would dispute that the director of football’s move back into the dugout has introduced an element of stability following the failed Ian Cathro experiment, the squad remains fragile and beset by a clutch of injuries.
‘I’ll be pleased to get back to Tynecastle — but I don’t want the players to think we’re just going to win games because we’re there,’ said Levein. ‘It has to be something that helps but it’s not the answer. There’s a lot of work to do.
‘I’m hopeful because it looks like Aaron Hughes, Don Cowie, Arnaud Djoum and Prince Buaben might be ready for the Partick Thistle game next week. So there’s two things coming together — getting home and getting players available again.
‘I’ve not actually spoken about it to the players. There’s no point just now. And I don’t think I will — it will just feel better when it happens, that’s all.’
For some of the current squad the return home for next Sunday’s grand opening against Thistle will represent something new.
Goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin signed on a free from Burton Albion in the summer but did not make his debut until Hearts’ first Murrayfield fixture against Aberdeen, where he kept a clean sheet in a thrilling stalemate. Edinburgh-born McLaughlin previously spent his entire career in England and likens the Murrayfield experience to playing at Wembley, where he featured for Bradford City in the 2013 League Cup Final and League Two Play-off Final.
‘There is no getting away from the fact that it does feel more like a neutral venue than a home venue,’ said the 30-year-old. ‘Last weekend there were 14,000 Rangers fans and Aberdeen had a good following, too.
‘That gave them extra impetus because they made a real noise. Everyone is talking about getting back into Tynecastle, it is what we all want.’