LEVEIN MORTIFIED BY ISMA ABUSE REPORT

HEARTS manager Craig Levein admits to feeling “slightly embarrassed” Isma Goncalves felt he could not report alleged racial abuse to him.

Goncalves, who has left Tynecastle, said he had left the club due to alleged racial abuse from the stands and claimed his family were affected after hearing it during a game.

The club responded with a forceful statement promising to ban any fans found guilty, and Levein is embarrassed that the striker could not approach him with the problem before leaving for Uzbekistan.

“I was obviously sad and slightly embarrassed Isma didn’t feel he could come to me and talk about it,” he said. “That’s on me and it’s something I need to look at.

“If we have a player who has been struggling and has suffered racial abuse, then I need to make it easier for him to come and speak to me and talk about it.

“If you read the statement you can see how clear (chairwoman) Anne (Budge) has been about this and how everybody is disgusted by what has happened.

“I have been trying to get hold of I sma and we’re going to speak and I will apologise to him.”

He also admitted it may not be an isolated incident following discussions with the rest of his squad.

Levein said: “Not to this extent but there have been issues. I don’t want to go into details but I’ve spoken to other players regarding what had happened.”