MacPhee

[CJGJ]

Austin MacPhee would not "be given a fair chance" by supporters and the media should he become Hearts manager, Northern Ireland and Stoke boss Michael O'Neill says.

MacPhee, who is caretaker following the sacking of Craig Levein, was O'Neill's assistant for five years.

O'Neill says media criticism of long-haired MacPhee has been "personal".

"I do at times think there is a resistance," he said responding to pundit comments on BBC Radio Scotland.

"Austin is different, there's no doubt about that. He thinks about the game different."

MacPhee has taken a less traditional route to the Scottish Premiership, from being a midfielder in US college football with Wilmington Seahawks, in Romania with Dacia Unirea Brăila and in Japan with Kariya before becoming head coach of amateurs Cupar Hearts.

Having had assistant roles with Cowdenbeath, St Mirrren and Northern Ireland, the 40-year-old joined Hearts in 2016 as assistant to Ian Cathro, who had himself taken a unique route by heading Dundee United's youth academy at the age of 22.

"I think Ian Cathro was in a similar mould and I think a lot of the criticism of Ian in the media was unfair," O'Neill told BBC Sportsound.

"Ian is now working in the Premier League with Wolves and you don't get to that level without a good knowledge of the game. I think we are too quick to judge people if they are not in the scene of Scottish football."

O'Neill pointed out that, as Levein was also director of football, Hearts are in a difficult position of having to fill both roles when ideally the director should be appointing the manager and suggested that MacPhee might be "more suited" to the upstairs role.

"Because I don't think he would be given a fair chance as head coach given the water that's gone under the bridge and what happened with Ian," he said.

"I understand people's opinions about whether he is ready or not to be a number one, but regardless of whether he is the manager or not, I think Hearts would be very silly to think he does not have a value to the club."

MacPhee is keen to take the Hearts job permanently and, although O'Neill suggests that owner Ann Budge might want someone with more experience to "appease" the fans, the Stoke boss thinks he should not be discounted because he was assistant to two managers who have been sacked.

"What he's brought to me is a high level of knowledge on the opposition, a creative way to train, which is particularly important in international football, when you have a short time to prepare, and he's been creative in how he brought information to the players and how it has been communicated to the players," he said.

"We have players like Jonny Evans, Steven Davis and Craig Cathcart who have played at the highest level in the Premier League and he has a lot of respect from those players. Austin has a good way of looking at the game and has a lot of initiatives that are extremely valuable to Hearts."

[tokyowalnut]

38 minutes ago, CJGJ said:

Austin MacPhee would not "be given a fair chance" by supporters and the media should he become Hearts manager, Northern Ireland and Stoke boss Michael O'Neill says.

MacPhee, who is caretaker following the sacking of Craig Levein, was O'Neill's assistant for five years.

O'Neill says media criticism of long-haired MacPhee has been "personal".

"I do at times think there is a resistance," he said responding to pundit comments on BBC Radio Scotland.

"Austin is different, there's no doubt about that. He thinks about the game different."

MacPhee has taken a less traditional route to the Scottish Premiership, from being a midfielder in US college football with Wilmington Seahawks, in Romania with Dacia Unirea Brăila and in Japan with Kariya before becoming head coach of amateurs Cupar Hearts.

Having had assistant roles with Cowdenbeath, St Mirrren and Northern Ireland, the 40-year-old joined Hearts in 2016 as assistant to Ian Cathro, who had himself taken a unique route by heading Dundee United's youth academy at the age of 22.

"I think Ian Cathro was in a similar mould and I think a lot of the criticism of Ian in the media was unfair," O'Neill told BBC Sportsound.

"Ian is now working in the Premier League with Wolves and you don't get to that level without a good knowledge of the game. I think we are too quick to judge people if they are not in the scene of Scottish football."

O'Neill pointed out that, as Levein was also director of football, Hearts are in a difficult position of having to fill both roles when ideally the director should be appointing the manager and suggested that MacPhee might be "more suited" to the upstairs role.

"Because I don't think he would be given a fair chance as head coach given the water that's gone under the bridge and what happened with Ian," he said.

"I understand people's opinions about whether he is ready or not to be a number one, but regardless of whether he is the manager or not, I think Hearts would be very silly to think he does not have a value to the club."

MacPhee is keen to take the Hearts job permanently and, although O'Neill suggests that owner Ann Budge might want someone with more experience to "appease" the fans, the Stoke boss thinks he should not be discounted because he was assistant to two managers who have been sacked.

"What he's brought to me is a high level of knowledge on the opposition, a creative way to train, which is particularly important in international football, when you have a short time to prepare, and he's been creative in how he brought information to the players and how it has been communicated to the players," he said.

"We have players like Jonny Evans, Steven Davis and Craig Cathcart who have played at the highest level in the Premier League and he has a lot of respect from those players. Austin has a good way of looking at the game and has a lot of initiatives that are extremely valuable to Hearts."

Where is this article from? I find it ridiculous, but not surprising, that  who ever wrote it felt they had to comment on the length of his hair?! The level of journalism is Scotland is the Pitts!

[annushorribilis III]

28 minutes ago, tokyowalnut said:

Where is this article from? I find it ridiculous, but not surprising, that  who ever wrote it felt they had to comment on the length of his hair?! The level of journalism is Scotland is the Pitts!

Probably lifted straight from JKB. The Record , for one , has history on that score. 

Otherwise, McPhee can go with the rest of them.  If O'Neill or anyone else is making a case for AM then you have  to ask what AM has been doing for his tenure under Levein.

 

And let's not forget,  the apologists on here were making all sorts of excuses when he wasn't made temp manager when Cathro was sacked.

 

 

 

 

 

[Coco]

If MacPhee is so good why haven't any team other than the one in India (who denied any contact with him) been interested in him?  Zero other speculation about him from other clubs.  Why hasn't O'Neill taken him to Stoke as it would be very silly not to?

[dazinho88]

21 minutes ago, Coco said:

If MacPhee is so good why haven't any team other than the one in India (who denied any contact with him) been interested in him?  Zero other speculation about him from other clubs.  Why hasn't O'Neill taken him to Stoke as it would be very silly not to?

 

Could be that Austin feels he has a chance at being manager if the team play well whilst he is interim boss and wants to give it a shot. You never know, maybe O'Neill has asked the question but Austin has told him he wants to take this gamble on either being manager or Sporting Director instead. 

 

As you say, nobody else seems to have given him an opportunity so he might see this for what it is, a chance at a very good club that he may not get again in a hurry. 

[gnasher75]

17 minutes ago, dazinho88 said:

 

Could be that Austin feels he has a chance at being manager if the team play well whilst he is interim boss and wants to give it a shot. You never know, maybe O'Neill has asked the question but Austin has told him he wants to take this gamble on either being manager or Sporting Director instead. 

 

As you say, nobody else seems to have given him an opportunity so he might see this for what it is, a chance at a very good club that he may not get again in a hurry. 

 

That's how I see it.

 

If I was him I would want to be Hearts manager. Second choice move to Stoke as assistant. Not sure what the SD role entails but I don't think he would get to do what he seems to be best at, according to O'Neill, in that role.

Edited November 13, 2019 by gnasher75

[Thought Police]

How do we know that O’Neill isn’t planning on making a move to bring him to Stoke if he doesn’t get the Hearts job?

[allyby]

1 hour ago, Thought Police said:

How do we know that O’Neill isn’t planning on making a move to bring him to Stoke if he doesn’t get the Hearts job?

Todays gossip column.

 

Interim Hearts manager Austin MacPhee will discuss his future with Stoke City and Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill this week after being linked with a role in his backroom team at the Potters. (Herald, print edition)

[The Real Maroonblood]

1 minute ago, allyby said:

Todays gossip column.

 

Interim Hearts manager Austin MacPhee will discuss his future with Stoke City and Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill this week after being linked with a role in his backroom team at the Potters. (Herald, print edition)

Hopefully this is true.

[Boab]

Just now, allyby said:

Todays gossip column.

 

Interim Hearts manager Austin MacPhee will discuss his future with Stoke City and Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill this week after being linked with a role in his backroom team at the Potters. (Herald, print edition)

Think it would be a great move for him.

[The Real Maroonblood]

Just now, Boab said:

Think it would be a great move for him.

and for Hearts.

[Boab]

Just now, The Real Maroonblood said:

and for Hearts.

Would work for both of us. I agree.

[Prof]

3 hours ago, Coco said:

If MacPhee is so good why haven't any team other than the one in India (who denied any contact with him) been interested in him?  Zero other speculation about him from other clubs.  Why hasn't O'Neill taken him to Stoke as it would be very silly not to?

You could have made the same comment about Levein at the start of the season, except that nobody wanted him outside of the happy clappers at Hearts.

[Hector Riva]

I hope Mcphee stays. 

[Brick Tamland]

3 hours ago, Coco said:

If MacPhee is so good why haven't any team other than the one in India (who denied any contact with him) been interested in him?  Zero other speculation about him from other clubs.  Why hasn't O'Neill taken him to Stoke as it would be very silly not to?

Using that argument,  if Cathro is so shite why is he a first team coach at a club sitting 8th in the EPL? 
 

[Brick Tamland]

11 minutes ago, Hector Riva said:

I hope Mcphee stays. 

I hope he does too, perhaps not as manager, but SD might suit him and us very well. 

[We_are_the_Hearts]

Just now, Brick Tamland said:

Using that argument,  if Cathro is so shite why is he a first team coach at a club sitting 8th in the EPL? 
 

A coach does the training. He doesn't sign players, pick the team or deal with the media

[Brick Tamland]

Just now, We_are_the_Hearts said:

A coach does the training. He doesn't sign players, pick the team or deal with the media

Coaches don’t just do the training, the clue is in their title. 

[Brick Tamland]

10 hours ago, tokyowalnut said:

Where is this article from? I find it ridiculous, but not surprising, that  who ever wrote it felt they had to comment on the length of his hair?! The level of journalism is Scotland is the Pitts!

Nailed it, this typifies the mentality of the vast majority of the sports journalism in Scotland, it is embarrassingly bad. 

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

We need a backroom clearout, not more pack shuffling.

 

I shudder at  the thought of Ann having another lightbulb moment as she did when Levein was appointed manager.

[jambonian]

51 minutes ago, Prof said:

You could have made the same comment about Levein at the start of the season, except that nobody wanted him outside of the happy clappers at Hearts.

 

That's actually an interesting point. I wonder if any club will come in for Craig either now (i'm sure Ann wouldn't stand in his way) or in the summer when he can talk to any club he wants?

[Unknown user]

29 minutes ago, jambonian said:

 

That's actually an interesting point. I wonder if any club will come in for Craig either now (i'm sure Ann wouldn't stand in his way) or in the summer when he can talk to any club he wants?

 

He could turn up at united again but I don't feel like he really enjoys the manager gig any more.

[GinRummy]

32 minutes ago, jambonian said:

 

That's actually an interesting point. I wonder if any club will come in for Craig either now (i'm sure Ann wouldn't stand in his way) or in the summer when he can talk to any club he wants?

If he wants a job in football I’ve no doubt he could get one. Maybe not as manager at a high level though 

[OTT]

16 hours ago, 132goals1958 said:

 

Miller trying to say his remarks were taking out of context but still saying we are in a relegation battle.O,Neill talking up Austin,s qualities and saying he would not have had him for five years otherwise

 

He's a ****ing coward. Happy to attack a guy through the media with no justification - I read his comments and he seemed to try and justify ridiculing Austin for suggesting that Hearts should be in the Europa League. Like, Aye willie, its called having ****ing ambition. Not only that but Austin backed up exactly what he said with facts, figures and sensible argument. We are massively underachieving relative to the minnows which seem to qualify each year. Our last 'attempt' we got knocked out by Maltese fishermen!! When a guy with genuine credibility steps in Miller scurries away like the rat ***** he is.  

 

Miller is a loser that has no place commenting on stuff he clearly doesn't understand. His opinion is trash. 

[Haken]

Just now, OTT said:

 

He's a ****ing coward. Happy to attack a guy through the media with no justification - I read his comments and he seemed to try and justify ridiculing Austin for suggesting that Hearts should be in the Europa League. Like, Aye willie, its called having ****ing ambition. Not only that but Austin backed up exactly what he said with facts, figures and sensible argument. We are massively underachieving relative to the minnows which seem to qualify each year. Our last 'attempt' we got knocked out by Maltese fishermen!! When a guy with genuine credibility steps in Miller scurries away like the rat ***** he is.  

 

Miller is a loser that has no place commenting on stuff he clearly doesn't understand. His opinion is trash. 

[Bauld]

9 minutes ago, OTT said:

 

He's a ****ing coward. Happy to attack a guy through the media with no justification - I read his comments and he seemed to try and justify ridiculing Austin for suggesting that Hearts should be in the Europa League. Like, Aye willie, its called having ****ing ambition. Not only that but Austin backed up exactly what he said with facts, figures and sensible argument. We are massively underachieving relative to the minnows which seem to qualify each year. Our last 'attempt' we got knocked out by Maltese fishermen!! When a guy with genuine credibility steps in Miller scurries away like the rat ***** he is.  

 

Miller is a loser that has no place commenting on stuff he clearly doesn't understand. His opinion is trash. 

 

 

[Prof]

Miller is obsessed with all things Aberdeen and it seems slow on the uptake. Austin presented very good evidence to show we are underachieving. In contrast Miller and Preston gave a good impression of drunken pub bores.