BUDGE: IAN PICKS TEAM
Jambos owner back Cathro
HEARTS owner Ann Budge last night launched a fierce defence of under-fire manager Ian Cathro – insisting he picks the team and not Craig Levein.
The Tynecastle chief executive backed rookie boss
Cathro in a statement released late last night on the Tynecastle club’s official website.
Budge hit out at the “ludicrous” media attention surrounding the Jambos head coach and insisted he is the best manager to take the Edinburgh club forward.
The 69-year-old Jambos owner insisted Levein does not pick the team and said his position as director of football is “wide and varied” and any help he gives Cathro is “purely to assist” the inexperienced 30-year-old.
Budge said: “Firstly, it was questioning why the club would appoint such a young, inexperienced head coach, seriously questioning Ian’s credentials for the job.
“I would answer that quite simply by referring to our longterm strategy which sees us investing in and developing young coaches. This appointment was totally consistent with that objective.”
The queen of Hearts then tried to clear up the controversy surrounding Levein’s involvement with team affairs following Hearts’ recent 2-0 defeat to Aberdeen.
The former Tynecastle boss had been seen passing notes to Cathro’s assistant Austin MacPhee and was in the Jambos dressing room at half-time.
Budge said: “Then it was questioning the director of football’s role in terms of the first team.
“This reached frenzied proportions during and after the recent Aberdeen game.
“As has been explained many times before the director of football role, as it applies at Hearts, is very wide and very varied. Craig is responsible for all football matters and for all age groups, and there is a lot going on.
“He is also an executive director on the board with the additional responsibilities that brings.
“Craig holds his position because of his vast footballing experience which means his opinion and advice can be extremely valuable. That said he no more does Ian’s job than he does Roger Arnott’s job as head of the academy, or indeed mine, as chief executive.
“For the avoidance of doubt Ian picks the team as did Robbie (Neilson) when he was here. Any input from Craig, whether in note form, a vantage point in the stand or in any other form, is given purely to assist Ian’s decision-making.”
Budge also hopes the new £12million stand at Gorgie will be operational by early September and revealed Hearts have an agreement in principle in place to use Murrayfield, if needed, if redevelopment work at Tynecastle is delayed.
Cathro’s side will play their home Europa League qualifiers, assuming they qualify, and League Cup games at Tynecastle, while work on the new main stand is going on.
Budge added: “Tynecastle will continue to be our home ground throughout the whole redevelopment programme, unless events prevent us from opening on September 9.”
Meanwhile, Hearts defender John Souttar says he is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a ruptured Achilles tendon – and is targeting an August comeback.
The 20-year-old, who suffered the injury against Celtic in January, said: “At one point my surgeon told me I could be out for nine months but I was down to see him in London recently and he told me I’m ahead of schedule.
“I won’t be back by pre-season but they’re looking at August.”
For the avoidance of doubt Ian picks the team, as did Robbie when he was here ANN BUDGE