Levein tells his players to earn day off

HEARTS striker Esmael Goncalves has revealed that the players are being made to earn their Wednesday off by complying with new manager Craig Levein’s demands on the training pitch. After taking the managerial reins again following Ian Cathro’s sacking, Levein’s first priority was to make the team harder to beat. Abiding to that principle, Hearts got off to an encouraging start in last weekend’s goalless draw with Aberdeen, a game they would have won had it not been for the heroics of Dons keeper Joe Lewis. Following concerns over the squad’s fitness under Cathro, the former Scotland manager’s back-to-basics approach has seen the squad being put through punishing training sessions. And any reluctance to meet the standards set by Levein will lead to the squad working a six-day week. ‘Things are a little bit different under Craig Levein,’ said Goncalves. ‘There has been a little bit of change, more work, it’s more physical. It’s good, all the players are liking it — I’m definitely going home more tired. ‘When Craig came in, he said we’re going to work on a Monday and Tuesday, off on Wednesday and back Thursday and Friday. ‘But to win the free day on Wednesday we must deserve it — and he means it. ‘Monday and Tuesday are runs and small games, so on Wednesday we have a good rest. So far we’ve had our Wednesdays off. ‘We needed it, in football now you must be fit to win games — quality is not enough, you must work hard. ‘Cathro also had the mentality of winning games. He was a good tactician but we didn’t have the players for this style. ‘Scotland is not for this style, here it’s tough and what Craig says is right, it doesn’t matter how you win, as long as you win. He also has good tactics to play, as well as putting the fight in the team.’ Goncalves and Jamie Walker were among those thwarted by Aberdeen No 1 Lewis, who pulled off a series of spectacular saves. Former St Mirren forward Goncalves, who has scored three times this season, sat down to watch a rerun of the game as soon as he got home last weekend. Hoping to help deliver a win at Hamilton today, he said: ‘On Saturday I went home and felt a bit sad and disappointed not to have scored because I tried hard. ‘I also watched the game again on BBC ALBA. I see new things and I believe I will learn.’ Levein has already expressed his concerns at making an immediate switch from the bowling-green surface at Murrayfield in front of 25,000 fans to Hamilton’s modest 5,500 capacity stadium and a synthetic surface. But Goncalves has vowed that the surroundings will not hamper him. ‘It is difficult on one hand, but not the other,’ he said. ‘In our situation you need points and that’s the motivation for every game, even in the smaller stadia. ‘I don’t think about that when I go on the pitch, I just want to play well and score.’