Levein is not the answer ( merged )

[letsalllaughathobos]

As hard as today's result was to take Craig needs time, 

We have kids and loan signings plugging the cathro gap, 

Get to the end of the season and we will make a decision then aye its crap but there is not much point chopping and changing during the season or you end up with what we have now half a team who really want to be here and half who are not fussed as they know they won't be here end of season, 

[Hendricks]

15 minutes ago, graygo said:

 

And by your criteria every manager that did win something is a better manager than Craig Levein.

 

Think you are making things up!!!! Nowhere did I say that. I said Levein has never won a thing and in my opinion never will. He has some qualities but an ingrained winners mentality isn’t one of them. All to often he plays not to lose rather than win and for a club of Hearts relative stature in Scotland that’s not good enough by a long chalk. His pathetic record in Glasgow both as player and manager speaks volumes, beaten before we get through there and his cup record is similarly dismal. We took nearly 5000 fans through today despite the dreadful recent weather and witnessed yet another abysmal display when it mattered. 

[Sherbet]

With 10 mins to go levein was probably picking his penalty takers for the shoot out at the end of the replay

[Nucky Thompson]

9 hours ago, letsalllaughathobos said:

As hard as today's result was to take Craig needs time, 

We have kids and loan signings plugging the cathro gap, 

Get to the end of the season and we will make a decision then aye its crap but there is not much point chopping and changing during the season or you end up with what we have now half a team who really want to be here and half who are not fussed as they know they won't be here end of season, 

He's basically cleaning up his own mess. Cathro was down to HIM.

The failed 5 year plan has totally messed us up big style and he's still too pig skinned to admit it.

[dellboy1971]

[It should have been ten]

dellboy1971 should go

 

[Jambos_1874]

4 minutes ago, dellboy1971 said:

 

 

Hopefully you're just having a laugh. Otherwise, an absolutely ridiculous post.

[kila]

lol

 

[Jambo-Fox]

Fool!

[ollie2004]

10 minutes ago, dellboy1971 said:

Why?

 

[i8hibsh]

FFS

[Nookie Bear]

13 minutes ago, dellboy1971 said:

 

By all means start a thread like this, but you're gonna have to justify it with a bit more...substance?

[i8hibsh]

I am completely dissatisfied with results and performances.  I am pretty confident Hibs will win on Friday and all in all the season has been utter dross with almost5 nothing to cheer about.  I am however 100% wanting Levein to be our manager and feel he will turn it around.

[communist]

Just now, i8hibsh said:

I am completely dissatisfied with results and performances.  I am pretty confident Hibs will win on Friday and all in all the season has been utter dross with almost5 nothing to cheer about.  I am however 100% wanting Levein to be our manager and feel he will turn it around.

 

Sense!

 

I've faith in Craig.

[Don Dan]

You 

 AND 

[The Future's Maroon]

FTH.

[Bigkyle]

Don't want him out but he's got to prove he's the man to take us forward. To negative in games. I understand keep clean sheets and we have the firepower to win games but there is games this year were we have hardly laid a glove on teams 

[Shooter McGavin]

[GorgieRules22]

I like the big guy but he's far too negative and we're becoming a bit of a chore to watch. He was mainly to blame yesterday with poor selection and failure to substitute players at the right times. How long do we continue to say it's ok he's steadied the ship ?

Since coming up we have gone backwards so is it wrong to ask for change ?

[Thomaso]

Levein has to take us through to the end of the season. He has steadied the ship after the Cathro disaster, and has given us a couple of memorable results against Celtic and Hibs.

 

He also changed the game in the 2nd half on Sunday by punting Callahan, bringing on Milinkovic, and pushing our full backs high up the park into a far more attacking formation - my question is why wait until we are a goal down Craig????????

[McCrae]

3 minutes ago, GorgieRules22 said:

I like the big guy but he's far too negative and we're becoming a bit of a chore to watch. He was mainly to blame yesterday with poor selection and failure to substitute players at the right times. How long do we continue to say it's ok he's steadied the ship ?

Since coming up we have gone backwards so is it wrong to ask for change ?

 

We have had a change and things are improving. 

[jambocub]

I don't think he should go but make no mistake he needs a big performance on Friday. If he goes down there and has a go at them im sure most fans will get behind him if he goes down with a defensive formation looking for a draw and doesn't get one he'll get slaughtered.

From what I've saw of hibs this season most teams that have had results against them have used one simple tactic attack them as their really not that good

[Ministry of Football]

Always liked Craig but he should not be unsackable and I'm beginning to have doubts about him. A defeat on Friday will not put him in a good place. 

[Haken]

10 minutes ago, Thomaso said:

Levein has to take us through to the end of the season. He has steadied the ship after the Cathro disaster, and has given us a couple of memorable results against Celtic and Hibs.

 

He also changed the game in the 2nd half on Sunday by punting Callahan, bringing on Milinkovic, and pushing our full backs high up the park into a far more attacking formation - my question is why wait until we are a goal down Craig????????

Can't argue with any of that.

[siegementality]

21 minutes ago, Thomaso said:

Levein has to take us through to the end of the season. He has steadied the ship after the Cathro disaster, and has given us a couple of memorable results against Celtic and Hibs.

 

He also changed the game in the 2nd half on Sunday by punting Callahan, bringing on Milinkovic, and pushing our full backs high up the park into a far more attacking formation - my question is why wait until we are a goal down Craig????????

Cathro was sacked on 1st August before the season started.

Jon Daly was appointed Interim Head Coach thereafter.

Craig Levein was appointed manager on 28th August after a farcical selection process to identify a new manger.

The summer transfer window closed a few days later.

There are a few positions - left back and attacking midfielder - that hadn’t been properly addressed for at least three years.

 

Levein in his DOF role, Budge and the board of directors for fannying about around the interview process, and Levein again for his frankly shocking tactics and failure to - after several months - have the team playing anything other than attritional football are the culpable ones here. Cathro ended up being a mistake. But even after he had gone we had a transfer window to sort it. Let’s not forget that some of the crap players we had at the time were also signed pre Cathro.

Edited March 5, 2018 by siegementality

[Spencer]

28 minutes ago, communist said:

 

Sense!

 

I've faith in Craig.

In other words "In Craig we trust"

 

[Spencer]

1 minute ago, siegementality said:

Cathro was sacked on 1st August before the season started.

Jon Daly was appointed Interim Head Coach thereafter.

Craig Levein was appointed manager on 28th August after a farcical selection process to identify a new manger.

The summer transfer window closed a few days later.

There are a few positions - left back and attacking midfielder - that hadn’t been properly addressed for at least three years.

 

Levein in his DOF role, Budge and the board of directors for fannying about around the interview process, and Levein again for his frankly shocking tactics and failure to - after several months - to have the team playing anything other than attritional football are the culpable ones here. Cathro ended up being a mistake. But even after he had gone we had a transfer window to sort it. Let’s not forget that some of the crap players we had at the time were also signed pre Cathro.

Can't disagree with a word of this 

[Jambof3tornado]

14 minutes ago, jambocub said:

I don't think he should go but make no mistake he needs a big performance on Friday. If he goes down there and has a go at them im sure most fans will get behind him if he goes down with a defensive formation looking for a draw and doesn't get one he'll get slaughtered.

From what I've saw of hibs this season most teams that have had results against them have used one simple tactic attack them as their really not that good

No reason to think the plan for Friday should involve not setting up for a draw I'm afraid.

[God like creature]

I suppose thrashing Celtic,

knocking hibs out the cup,

blooding some fantastic young players is a hard act to follow but I’ll give him a summer transfer window and a pre season before I even think he should be replaced.

Levein is a PHM and only wants the best for the club.

[Nelly Terraces]

Craig Levein doesn't need to 'bolt', but his "we've started the game with a point, let's not lose it" dinosaur attitude to football matches does.

 

Quite simply, he needs to change, or we'll continue to under perform to a huge degree.

[ford donald]

31 minutes ago, Thomaso said:

Levein has to take us through to the end of the season. He has steadied the ship after the Cathro disaster, and has given us a couple of memorable results against Celtic and Hibs.

 

He also changed the game in the 2nd half on Sunday by punting Callahan, bringing on Milinkovic, and pushing our full backs high up the park into a far more attacking formation - my question is why wait until we are a goal down Craig????????

 Because he likes to start with negativity,then change it when we are losing,plonker!

[Thomaso]

15 minutes ago, God like creature said:

I suppose thrashing Celtic,

knocking hibs out the cup,

blooding some fantastic young players is a hard act to follow but I’ll give him a summer transfer window and a pre season before I even think he should be replaced.

Levein is a PHM and only wants the best for the club.

 

CL deserves huge credit for knocking Hibs out of the cup - for which I am massively grateful.

 

He also deserves credit for thrashing Celtic - however remember his pre-match interview when he said due to injuries he could not set the team up to defend, so he was going to have a go!  This unfortunately has proven to be a bit of a one off, and one we are all desperate for him to repeat - especially after yesterday where we should be attacking these teams from the off.

 

CL is a PHM and wants the best for the Club - the big problem is his in-built defensive football philosophy which makes our team hard to watch.

 

 

[4marsbars]

We've lost 3 in 18. Yesterday was our first defeat to a non-OF team in four months (nearly half a season).

 

We lost an early goal yesterday caused by a simple defensive error. That is not Levein's fault. 

 

The management turned things around at half-time. For most of the second half, we looked like the more likely winners.

 

Then Motherwell scored a late wonder-goal. That's the joy of football. Unfortunately, yesterday it was their joy, not ours. It happens. If you don't like the arbitrariness of it, go and follow tennis, golf or cricket.

 

Levein is still the answer. 

[jambocub]

27 minutes ago, Jambof3tornado said:

No reason to think the plan for Friday should involve not setting up for a draw I'm afraid.

Exactly that's what worries me I've got a ticket for the game and I'll be going down there looking to attack them from the start 

[1953]

38 minutes ago, Ministry of Football said:

Always liked Craig but he should not be unsackable and I'm beginning to have doubts about him. A defeat on Friday will not put him in a good place. 

I've always been behind Craig but am starting to waver a bit. In the first half yesterday why did it look like the players only met each other for the first time on the bus!

[sadj]

45 minutes ago, Thomaso said:

Levein has to take us through to the end of the season. He has steadied the ship after the Cathro disaster, and has given us a couple of memorable results against Celtic and Hibs.

 

He also changed the game in the 2nd half on Sunday by punting Callahan, bringing on Milinkovic, and pushing our full backs high up the park into a far more attacking formation - my question is why wait until we are a goal down Craig????????

Iv been avoiding the craziness as i figured an epic jkb meltdown would occur. Just catching up now and that question is the only one that bothers me. Not starting youngsters not playing based on a solid defence but why start Callachan ahead of Milinkovic yesterday and all the tinkering. Only two things I can come up with is was it maybe a case of Callachan has the fire in his heart and Milinkovic is sometimes not like that and physical motherwell team getting stuck in Callachan was the preferred option. Godinho over Smith i have no issue with. The tinkering has to be to do with overall squad fitness. We know we had a lacklustre preseason fitness wise and we dont seem to have recovered from it. Yesterday the first goal was ridiculous to lose. We should of been ahead long before they got the winner but thats football. The overreactions are insane.

 

your question is the one I would be asking. Why wait to be positive as when we are we look a good team and we controlled the second half for long periods. Also fair play to KL for stepping up after Tuesday and smashing it in. 

 

We just dont have that edge this season. Tuesday we should of won , yesterday we werent in trouble apart from that strike after half time and we should of been ahead and at worst a draw achieved but we haven’t a killer instinct nor do we seem to start on the front foot which is something were known for when were on fire

[Thomaso]

11 minutes ago, 4marsbars said:

We've lost 3 in 18. Yesterday was our first defeat to a non-OF team in four months (nearly half a season).  CL has made us hard to beat - however cup ties have to be won!  Also how many wins have we let go by not pressing for the 2nd goal.

 

We lost an early goal yesterday caused by a simple defensive error. That is not Levein's fault.  Callahan should be nowhere near a Hearts Jersey. Playing him instead of Milinkovic was baffling.

 

The management turned things around at half-time. For most of the second half, we looked like the more likely winners.   Yes I agree with that. But why did CL not set up with that attacking formation from the get go??

 

Then Motherwell scored a late wonder-goal. That's the joy of football. Unfortunately, yesterday it was their joy, not ours. It happens. If you don't like the arbitrariness of it, go and follow tennis, golf or cricket.   Silly comment TBH.  Driving home in the car with my son we (and 4,700 others) certainly did not "like the arbitrariness of it"!!

 

Levein is still the answer.  CL has been the answer after the disaster of Cathro. He has steadied the ship and has given us memorable results against Hibs and Celtic which I thank him for.  His inbuilt "let's not lose" football however makes our team a hard watch unfortunately.

 

Edited March 5, 2018 by Thomaso

[4marsbars]

3 minutes ago, Thomaso said:

 

 

 

(quote function doesn't seem to be working, but responding to Thomaso's 'silly comment' observation.

 

Neither did I like the arbitrariness of it as it played out yesterday. Like everyone else yesterday, I was longing for a return visit to Hampden. But that's football. Something unpredictable happens and people call for the manager's head. 

 

Why did Levein not play like that from the start? I don't know, exactly, but before the game he alluded to various players carrying knocks and minor injuries, so I guess that might explain it. 

 

 

[OTT]

Despite being 4 years into his tenure as DoF we don't have a settled squad. Over the last 4 years we have had quality in our time through the likes of Ozturk and Kitchen yet the prior two managers binned them and signed utter dross in their wake. As ridiculous as it is to say, that isn't Leveins fault. He let Neilson and Cathro build squads to meet their needs. As others have pointed out Sammon wouldn't have been signed by Neilson if Levein had his way, Martin probably would have been similar. The media peddled this lie about the degree to which Levein had influence over player selection and team building. This was the managers prerogative. Levein was a mentor and sounding board nothing more. Vlad left a long time ago!

 

We don't have a deep squad. Despite being skint from the stand we've still been able to bring in Berra, Lafferty, Naismith, Adao, Milinkovic and Mitchell who are solid 1st team pro's. Due to that lack of depth we're reliant on youngsters to help cover as but they are notoriously inconsistent. Levein cannot put a player on and make them perform. Sometimes they just have bad games. If another of Laffertys near misses went in it was game over for Motherwell. 

 

Do I blame Levein for our current situation? Yes, as DoF he is culpable for this current mess. He chose to pursue a youth centric policy (which I agree with btw) but to couple that with an inexperienced manager... At a club with little ambition and low standards that would work but I do not believe you can have a youth centric policy being led by a young manager unless they are truly special. Look at Neilsons management of Ozturk and the ridiculous turnover of playing staff in his time. It was disgraceful! Hearts fans expect 3rd place every season and a good showing in the cup. These aren't ridiculous standards given the budget and size of club we are.

 

However, I say give Levein some breathing room. He's developed the most exciting young talents we've seen since probably Paterson. Let him have the summer to build the rest of this squad and bring in the players ITK'ers like Daza have been hinting towards. That will give us the depth and experience to be pushing at the right end of the table. If another guy comes in we're right back into another rebuilding phase - Look at Sergio, took an entire season to get us playing the way he wanted. We're halfway there with our squad. 

  

[sadj]

5 minutes ago, OTT said:

Despite being 4 years into his tenure as DoF we don't have a settled squad. Over the last 4 years we have had quality in our time through the likes of Ozturk and Kitchen yet the prior two managers binned them and signed utter dross in their wake. As ridiculous as it is to say, that isn't Leveins fault. He let Neilson and Cathro build squads to meet their needs. As others have pointed out Sammon wouldn't have been signed by Neilson if Levein had his way, Martin probably would have been similar. The media peddled this lie about the degree to which Levein had influence over player selection and team building. This was the managers prerogative. Levein was a mentor and sounding board nothing more. Vlad left a long time ago!

 

We don't have a deep squad. Despite being skint from the stand we've still been able to bring in Berra, Lafferty, Naismith, Adao, Milinkovic and Mitchell who are solid 1st team pro's. Due to that lack of depth we're reliant on youngsters to help cover as but they are notoriously inconsistent. Levein cannot put a player on and make them perform. Sometimes they just have bad games. If another of Laffertys near misses went in it was game over for Motherwell. 

 

Do I blame Levein for our current situation? Yes, as DoF he is culpable for this current mess. He chose to pursue a youth centric policy (which I agree with btw) but to couple that with an inexperienced manager... At a club with little ambition and low standards that would work but I do not believe you can have a youth centric policy being led by a young manager unless they are truly special. Look at Neilsons management of Ozturk and the ridiculous turnover of playing staff in his time. It was disgraceful! Hearts fans expect 3rd place every season and a good showing in the cup. These aren't ridiculous standards given the budget and size of club we are.

 

However, I say give Levein some breathing room. He's developed the most exciting young talents we've seen since probably Paterson. Let him have the summer to build the rest of this squad and bring in the players ITK'ers like Daza have been hinting towards. That will give us the depth and experience to be pushing at the right end of the table. If another guy comes in we're right back into another rebuilding phase - Look at Sergio, took an entire season to get us playing the way he wanted. We're halfway there with our squad. 

  

Bangin post , sensible logical accurate and all points that are missed by the naysayers as Coburg calls them. We are not where we want to be or Levein wants us to be. 

 

??

[davieholt]

1 hour ago, i8hibsh said:

I am completely dissatisfied with results and performances.  I am pretty confident Hibs will win on Friday and all in all the season has been utter dross with almost5 nothing to cheer about.  I am however 100% wanting Levein to be our manager and feel he will turn it around.

 

Hear hear. A month ago during our clean sheet period, CL could do no wrong on this board. Of course we will be a bit shit for the rest of the season, we know that! But he deserves a proper transfer window and a full pre season to get somewhere close to where we all want to be.

[Thomaso]

40 minutes ago, 4marsbars said:

 

 

(quote function doesn't seem to be working, but responding to Thomaso's 'silly comment' observation.

 

Neither did I like the arbitrariness of it as it played out yesterday. Like everyone else yesterday, I was longing for a return visit to Hampden. But that's football. Something unpredictable happens and people call for the manager's head. 

 

Why did Levein not play like that from the start? I don't know, exactly, but before the game he alluded to various players carrying knocks and minor injuries, so I guess that might explain it. 

 

 

 

It was you "go and follow tennis, golf or cricket" comment I was getting at.

 

Milinkovic did not look like he was carrying an injury when he came on for Callahan for a start, but I think we all knew that CL would not start the game in an attacking formation.

[August Landmesser]

1 hour ago, 4marsbars said:

We've lost 3 in 18. Yesterday was our first defeat to a non-OF team in four months (nearly half a season).

 

We lost an early goal yesterday caused by a simple defensive error. That is not Levein's fault. 

 

The management turned things around at half-time. For most of the second half, we looked like the more likely winners.

 

Then Motherwell scored a late wonder-goal. That's the joy of football. Unfortunately, yesterday it was their joy, not ours. It happens. If you don't like the arbitrariness of it, go and follow tennis, golf or cricket.

 

Levein is still the answer. 

We were also an individual's mistake (shocking penalty) away from winning on Tuesday, in a match that we should have been pumped. Fine margins & arbitrary events tend to rule a lot of football - especially when teams are all much of a muchness.

The overall trend is upwards though - a cup QF, battering Celtic, back to winning ways against Hibs (until Friday at least), back to beating St Johnstone, undefeated against Aberdeen, clean sheets all over the place, 3 defeats in 18. We're still heading along the right road, with occasional potholes and speed bumps.

[bighalders]

I'd love someone to explain why Levein should remain as manager.  He was supposed to look at continuity, yet we've signed circa 60 players in just a few seasons.  Cathro was his responsibility, he should have managed that closer.  The current squad was brought in under his watch, he's been head of the football department for over 4 years yet we face finishing in the bottom 6, we are miles off Aberdeen, Hibs, Rangers and are struggling to compete in terms of league place with the likes of Motherwell or Killie.  If we stick with Levein its mid table medereocrity from now on.  And as for how he came to get the job, that Budge interview will remain with me for a while.

[4marsbars]

10 minutes ago, Thomaso said:

 

It was you "go and follow tennis, golf or cricket" comment I was getting at.

 

Milinkovic did not look like he was carrying an injury when he came on for Callahan for a start, but I think we all knew that CL would not start the game in an attacking formation.

e

That comment was directed at me as much as anyone. Why do we put ourselves through this? More than half a century since I first went and I'm still going. The point I made about these other sports is that luck is less likely to come into play (though it does, of course). Luck can work in our favour, too, but not yesterday.

 

Regarding Levein and his tactics. His first priority has been to steady the ship and solidify the defence. Nobody can deny that he is succeeding there. And Naismith and Adao's performance yesterday suggest that he is now building up the middle as well (not to mention, had Mitchell played). Lafferty is as good a striker as we have had for a while. It's quality in the wide areas we lack.

 

Levein is in the business of building teams. There's plenty evidence he knows what he is doing.

[OmiyaHearts]

I think Levein should still be in charge. However, there's no question the last 2-3 years have a been a total disaster (barring main stand), especially considering the supporter investment. We get very little back from the club for what we put in.

[Central Belt 1874]

10 minutes ago, 4marsbars said:

e

That comment was directed at me as much as anyone. Why do we put ourselves through this? More than half a century since I first went and I'm still going. The point I made about these other sports is that luck is less likely to come into play (though it does, of course). Luck can work in our favour, too, but not yesterday.

 

Regarding Levein and his tactics. His first priority has been to steady the ship and solidify the defence. Nobody can deny that he is succeeding there. And Naismith and Adao's performance yesterday suggest that he is now building up the middle as well (not to mention, had Mitchell played). Lafferty is as good a striker as we have had for a while. It's quality in the wide areas we lack.

 

Levein is in the business of building teams. There's plenty evidence he knows what he is doing.

 

I think the issue many fans have is that this team has a number of loans in it, such as Mitchell, Naismith and Randall, who will likely need replaced with equally as good players. Milinkovic, a player most fans think adds something to the first 11, could well be away due to Levein not believing he is consistent enough. 

 

Theres four players probably needing replaced before we ‘build upon’ the current team. It’s a huge ask AGAIN in the summer to bring in another 5 or 6 to make us competitive. The turnover of players is of highest importance to get right going forward, or should be.

 

I see the good things that are happening, but I also see us make the same mistakes over and over. And it’s costing us.

[HighTimes]

3 hours ago, Jambos_1874 said:

 

 

Hopefully you're just having a laugh. Otherwise, an absolutely ridiculous post.

 

There's a lot of those on here after a defeat.

[Taffin]

I was worried when I saw Craig's pre match interview on BBC. He sounded beaten before the ball was kicked, and right enough, we came out and played that way.

 

I think Craig is the man for the job currently but he needs to have some belief. Stating we can never win the league until the OF leave might be true but it is definitely true if you believe it. If we finish bottom 6 then he should be out after the split and someone internal to see out those 5 games before appointing a new man early in the close season.

[Prof]

19 hours ago, James1874f said:

I never said we are doing well (just now) but suggesting we haven’t progressed since Cathro left is just stupidity. Far less where we were after Romanov and what we have done in the mean time. 

 

so I smell Shite

 

try changing your pants. Seriously we are back to the Cathro excuses... give him time etc. All bollocks of course. The Cathro cheerleaders now are backing Levein. Instead of playing in front of a full stadium we'll be back to 13k if we lose against Hibs. That should settle Annes mind and CL will be off.