THE BACK UP PLAN
Levein could do without injuries but Hearts squad is brimming with talent and competition for places
HE was part of a Hearts squad beaten in one of the most dramatic finishes to a title race in Scottish football so it’s surprise Craig Levein isn’t getting carried away.
He missed the painful final-game defeat to Dundee 32 years ago due to illness as Alex MacDonald’s side lost to Celtic on goal difference.
Dens Park is the venue again for Hearts tonight as they look to continue an impressive start to the league campaign that has seen the leaders win seven of their nine matches.
Levein celebrated his 54th birthday yesterday and admitted memories of 1986 are hazy but he has Hearts fans dreaming of a first title since 1960. But with the club on a real high the gaffer is realistic about their chances.
He knows the quality Celtic have and the spending power of the seven-in-a-row champions still makes them huge favourites.
Asked how he can compete with the Hoops given the gulf in budget and player quality, Levein said: “By winning every game? That would just about do it.
“It’s a test of endurance. It’s like a marathon and after five miles we are in front. There are a lot of people who are in front after fives miles of a marathon who haven’t won.
“It will be about the team that has the best players and if they lose players they can bring in players who are equal in quality or there’s not a big drop. That’s been Celtic in the last few seasons because they have the best players and good players to come in as back-up. They still have that.
“But we’re in a better place than we have been for a while. We’ve had good players sitting waiting patiently for an opportunity. My job becomes easier when players know they are not in the team because the guys who are in there have been doing really well.
“If you flip it, if they were in the team they would expect to stay in the side. They understand that. When they get the opportunity I don’t need to say anything.
“They know they need to do their best to make the most of that opportunity. We’ve got good players to come in so I was not worried about Saturday.
“What’s important for me is we keep going game by game and working hard. We are a better team this year. We were lacking in certain areas last season. We did not have that strength in depth, that competition that keeps people on their toes. And that strength in depth will help when we get a further boost in January when David Vanecek joins us.
“We are also getting players back like Marcus Godinho who played on Saturday. I was really pleased with him.
“Young Harry Cochrane and Anthony McDonald played a lot of games last season and they’ve hardly been involved this year. They’ve been on the bench.
“We’ve had Oliver Bozanic patiently waiting to get into the team and he got in on Saturday. We are a better team because we have better players and we have more competition for places.
“You need a strong squad. The game was harder and tougher in my day. Tackles were much more ferocious than they are now. How teams got through full seasons with such small squads is amazing.
“The game is quicker now and players are physically stronger but it would be unthinkable to go into a season with a squad of 17 or 18 and think you could compete.”
One man Levein wants to keep at the club longer is Jimmy Dunne and the Hearts boss is planning talks over extending his loan beyond January.
He’s been a standout after being signed as a replacement for crocked Christophe Berra and has added responsibility since John Souttar’s injury.
Levein said: “I’ve had conversations with Jimmy but I need to speak to Burnley. Jimmy has been great. He’s low maintenance and just wants to do well and tries his hardest in every match.
“You think that would be obvious but it’s not always the case. He just wants to play and improve. His willingness to learn, his interest and talking about what centre-backs do and how they get better.”