I’m to blame for Cathro experiment, says Levein

CRAIG LEVEIN has taken full responsibility for the failure of the Ian Cathro experiment — and set his sights on fixing broken Hearts. The 52-year-old made a stunning return to the Tynecastle hotseat on a three-year deal yesterday and immediately admitted culpability for championing the doomed Cathro tenure. As owner Ann Budge admitted that Levein’s appointment will be seen as unpopular by some fans, the former Scotland boss remains determined to help the club through a tough period, with delays to the redevelopment of the main stand meaning there will be no league matches at Tynecastle until November. ‘Am I responsible for what happened with Ian Cathro? Yes, I made the decision last time and Ann Budge and the board listened to me, so it is on me,’ said Levein. ‘Nobody had more of a vested interest in Ian than me. I took him from coaching kids to Dundee United and then Scotland, and then I brought him here to Hearts and I have a lot of respect for his

coaching ability. Did I feel a duty to make it right by becoming manager? My first thought wasn’t immediately that I would have to fix this because of that. ‘But then I looked at the number of games the club is going to be playing away from home and I thought: “That’s going to be tough.” ‘So part of it was me looking at the club and thinking: “What’s the best I can do to help?”.’ Levein admitted that Cathro struggled to cope at Hearts, but insisted that was more to do with the rigours of Scottish football than with the coach himself. ‘I really think Ian will be a wonderful coach,’ he said. ‘People pointed to his inexperience, and, to a degree, maybe that was the case. But I think it is more the way football is played in Scotland. ‘Ian nearly became our Under-20s coach three years ago and I wish he had because he would have experienced more of the culture of football in Scotland — headers, corners, set-pieces, long throws, second balls. ‘Ian would be a perfect coach for Celtic or Rangers of a while ago, where they had the better players, because his coaching and his ideas in the game are fantastic. ‘But, at times, we didn’t have the players to do it. Everything Ian was doing was fantastic but if your players don’t feel comfortable taking the ball there is an issue.’ Levein hopes to bring in two new players before the transfer window closes tomorrow night and remains confident of keeping Rangers target Jamie Walker at Tynecastle, although the Ibrox club are likely to come in with another bid ahead of the midnight deadline.