Jambos step up new boss search

HEARTS are looking for a new head coach ahead of S a t u rd ay ’s L a d b ro k e s Premiership opener against Celtic after losing patience with the Ian Cathro experiment.

The Dundonian was sacked four days before the league kick-off in the wake of the club’s Betfred Cup exit, which saw Hearts fans round on the 31-year-old.

The appointment on December 5 last year was viewed as innovative but risky and Hearts decided to cut their losses after an unrelenting run of poor results.

Cathro has been linked with an immediate return to the game with Wolves, while Hearts will now have to decide whether to stick with their declared policy of developing young coaches or bring in an experienced hand to steady the ship.

Director of football Craig Levein was the key man behind the appointment but owner Ann Budge and the rest of the board could have more of an input into the latest recruitment search.

After announcing C a t h r o ’s i m m e d i a t e departure, a club statement read: “The board wishes it to be known that this was a very difficult decision, reluctantly made, as every member of the board recognises that Ian is an extremely talented young coach with a very bright future ahead of him.”

Cathro had i mpressed then Dundee United boss Levein with his youth coaching in his early 20s and was given the job of leading the Tannadice academy. He l ater held assistant coaching roles at Portuguese side Rio Ave and Valencia in Spain and Newcastle.

Hearts were three points above Aberdeen in third when Cathro t ook over following the departure of Robbie Neilson to MK Dons but finished 30 points behind the Pittodrie club in fifth and failed to qualify for Europe.

Cathro won just six of his 26 matches in charge last season and a Scottish Cup defeat by Hibs piled on the pressure.

Former Hearts coach Ian Cathro.