Craig Levein says Ian Cathro ‘ahead of his time’

[heartsfan]

Haven't seen this posted yet ..... From The Courier:

 

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/1772416/ex-dundee-united-boss-craig-levein-says-ian-cathro-is-ahead-of-his-time-when-it-comes-to-coaching-as-he-delivers-his-verdict-on-where-it-went-wrong-for-rookie-boss-at-hearts/

Ex-Dundee United boss Craig Levein says Ian Cathro ‘ahead of his time’ at coaching as he delivers verdict on why rookie boss failed at Hearts

 

Craig Levein believes Ian Cathro is “ahead of his time” when it comes to coaching.

But the former Scotland and Dundee United boss says a lack of life experience and media savvy were to blame for Cathro’s disastrous spell in the Hearts hot seat.

The Dundonian, 34, lasted seven months in the role before being sacked in August 2017.

It was a huge blow for Cathro, whose star had been on the rise thanks to his work at the Tangerines’ academy and coaching roles at Rio Ave and Valencia with Nuno Espirito Santo, and Newcastle United under Steve McClaren and Rafa Benitez.

Top-flight coaching credentials

His old Tannadice mentor Levein told the Football Daft podcast: “When Robbie (Neilson) left, Ian Cathro was my idea.

“I’d worked with Ian at Dundee United and I convinced the board to take a chance on him. That didn’t work.

“There’s no doubting his coaching capabilities.

“But his life experience and being put in the hot seat, I don’t think he was quite ready for it.”

Cathro – branded a laptop manager by his critics during his time at Tynecastle – is now a key member of Wolves’ backroom team in the English Premier League.

 

And Levein admits he is yet to sit down with his former protégé to discuss the Jambos episode.

He said: “I haven’t had the chance to do that. He’s at Wolves with Nuno after being at Rio Ave in Portugal with him, and then to Valencia.

“They met on an SFA A-Licence course.

“I do think he is on the coaching front (ahead of his time).

‘Ian Cathro was brilliant with the players’

“But in Scotland you’ve got to play the game with the media. I don’t think it was something Ian took too seriously.

“He thought he could just sort of fob people off and it wasn’t the most important thing he had to deal with.

“It’s just my opinion – he wasn’t engaging enough (with them) to get them onside.

“The other thing is, he was brilliant with the players. But the media stuff was a real problem for him.”

[Spellczech]

Did Levein not realise this at the time and advise him accordingly? Or is Cathro not the sort of person who listens to advise from others? One of these is surely the case...

[Last Laff]

Levein can’t admit he’s wrong on absolutely anything.  He should be a main character in the final only an excuse. 

[copa-mundial]

Levein and Cathro. 

Are their Hearts records not worst and second worst respectively?

[The Real Maroonblood]

18 minutes ago, Last Laff said:

Levein can’t admit he’s wrong on absolutely anything.  He should be a main character in the final only an excuse. 

An absolute charlatan and loser.

[The Fonz]

Failed abysmally in every single area of managing the club- ahead of his time. 

 

[indianajones]

Both total losers. 

 

Arseholes have helped ruin this club. 

[Hook]

[glynnlondon]

More bluff and bluster about how only the Nostradamus's at hearts can see the future of the game as if they're some kind of Billy Beane moneyball type geniuses.

Evidence so far would suggest the opposite and that they are in fact deluded halfwits that make the same mistakes time and again , Cathro , Levein tenures and who'd be surprised if Neilson makes it a third.

[The Real Maroonblood]

21 minutes ago, indianajones said:

Both total losers. 

 

Arseholes have helped ruin this club. 

[StevenNaismith]

Brilliant with the players? He was a joke figure amongst the players.

[NANOJAMBO]

Today I do not want to be reminded that that charlatan appointed Cathro  effectively and then says “But his life experience and being put in the hot seat, I don’t think he was quite ready for it.”

 

He chose the guy and even admitted he wanted him in the role sooner but Cathro turned it down because he wanted to work with youngsters (in his own words).

WTF was Levein doing to support the guy at Tynecastle - not enough, clearly. He is utterly shameless but you have to hand it to the guy, he chose  a good day to slip this long awaited nugget into the media. 

[Jamhammer]

To be honest I was quite excited when he was appointed as I’d only heard great things about him but it became obvious pretty quickly he wasn’t the man for the job. 
Whether old Craigy thought he could mentor him “better” I don’t know.

 

[Billy Hoyle]

Why on earth do you need to play a game with the media?? 
Levein really is a grade A ✊🏻✊🏻✊🏻

[Barney bulge]

Best player I’ve ever seen in maroon 

worst manager ( 2nd time ) 

injuries went against him as a player and manager that he couldn’t overcome 

He’s forgot more about football than anyone on this forum will ever know.and where I agree he failed I think he was dealt a bad deal a lot of the time along the way.

anyone with a derby record like his still deserves a place on jambo folklore!!!! 

 

[JackLadd]

Just like all the other huddys Levein signed. Ahead of their time.

[Gmcjambo]

2 hours ago, heartsfan said:

Haven't seen this posted yet ..... From The Courier:

 

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/1772416/ex-dundee-united-boss-craig-levein-says-ian-cathro-is-ahead-of-his-time-when-it-comes-to-coaching-as-he-delivers-his-verdict-on-where-it-went-wrong-for-rookie-boss-at-hearts/

Ex-Dundee United boss Craig Levein says Ian Cathro ‘ahead of his time’ at coaching as he delivers verdict on why rookie boss failed at Hearts

 

Craig Levein believes Ian Cathro is “ahead of his time” when it comes to coaching.

But the former Scotland and Dundee United boss says a lack of life experience and media savvy were to blame for Cathro’s disastrous spell in the Hearts hot seat.

The Dundonian, 34, lasted seven months in the role before being sacked in August 2017.

It was a huge blow for Cathro, whose star had been on the rise thanks to his work at the Tangerines’ academy and coaching roles at Rio Ave and Valencia with Nuno Espirito Santo, and Newcastle United under Steve McClaren and Rafa Benitez.

Top-flight coaching credentials

His old Tannadice mentor Levein told the Football Daft podcast: “When Robbie (Neilson) left, Ian Cathro was my idea.

“I’d worked with Ian at Dundee United and I convinced the board to take a chance on him. That didn’t work.

“There’s no doubting his coaching capabilities.

“But his life experience and being put in the hot seat, I don’t think he was quite ready for it.”

Cathro – branded a laptop manager by his critics during his time at Tynecastle – is now a key member of Wolves’ backroom team in the English Premier League.

 

And Levein admits he is yet to sit down with his former protégé to discuss the Jambos episode.

He said: “I haven’t had the chance to do that. He’s at Wolves with Nuno after being at Rio Ave in Portugal with him, and then to Valencia.

“They met on an SFA A-Licence course.

“I do think he is on the coaching front (ahead of his time).

‘Ian Cathro was brilliant with the players’

“But in Scotland you’ve got to play the game with the media. I don’t think it was something Ian took too seriously.

“He thought he could just sort of fob people off and it wasn’t the most important thing he had to deal with.

“It’s just my opinion – he wasn’t engaging enough (with them) to get them onside.

“The other thing is, he was brilliant with the players. But the media stuff was a real problem for him.”

What's his argument here? That he could have managed the media better to improve his performance?  Was brilliant with the players and is a top coach..............seriously?    He might be a great coach but surely there was a lot more lacking than being media savvy.    If you ask me,  he's simply not a leader but may well work well under someone else where he can just focus solely on coaching drills etc............

[GinRummy]

1 hour ago, Barney bulge said:

Best player I’ve ever seen in maroon 

worst manager ( 2nd time ) 

injuries went against him as a player and manager that he couldn’t overcome 

He’s forgot more about football than anyone on this forum will ever know.and where I agree he failed I think he was dealt a bad deal a lot of the time along the way.

anyone with a derby record like his still deserves a place on jambo folklore!!!! 

 

Cathro was pony though and CL appointed him. 

[Coco]

MacPhee ahead of his time too?

[ford donald]

2 hours ago, Hook said:

Brilliant!

[SMJ_1874]

2 hours ago, Hook said:

🤣🤣.

 

I convinced the board to take a chance on him.... 😳....and cost us hundreds of thousands with your failed experiments.

 

Then what exactly was his role as DOF? Still advising AB to bring in RN when DS was in charge. 

 

This man is an absolute imposter and out his depth in the modern game. His actions are indefensible imo. 

[Pilmuir]

2 hours ago, Spellczech said:

Did Levein not realise this at the time and advise him accordingly? Or is Cathro not the sort of person who listens to advise from others? One of these is surely the case...

Levein should indeed have realised that whilst Cathro may be a talented coach he had no clue about communication and leadership. He is back in his comfort zone at Wolves and would be advised to stay in that type of role.

 

For Hearts it was a very expensive failed experiment that we still don’t seem to have recovered from. Extremely annoying and better for CL if he keeps his mouth shut about this and various other things that went wrong under his management.

[Hook]

20 minutes ago, Saughton Jambo said:

🤣🤣.

 

I convinced the board to take a chance on him.... 😳....and cost us hundreds of thousands with your failed experiments.

 

Then what exactly was his role as DOF? Still advising AB to bring in RN when DS was in charge. 

 

This man is an absolute imposter and out his depth in the modern game. His actions are indefensible imo. 

CL’s arrogance and delusion clearly know no bounds. To still be trying to defend the indefensible is seriously worrying and by doing so continues to treat the Hearts support with utter contempt. 

Hearts man, absolutely no chance. CL only thinks and cares about CL. 

 

[GinRummy]

4 minutes ago, Hook said:

CL’s arrogance and delusion clearly know no bounds. To still be trying to defend the indefensible is seriously worrying and by doing so continues to treat the Hearts support with utter contempt. 

Hearts man, absolutely no chance. CL only thinks and cares about CL. 

 

He just has no sense of when he is wrong. With Cathro he was plain wrong, it really is that simple. How can you learn from mistakes and improve yourself at your job if you believe you’ve never made any mistakes. Saying he was the right guy at the wrong time is just adding a caveat to pat himself on the back with. Very arrogant of him. 

[NANOJAMBO]

I would love to have been a fly on the wall at his job interview with AB - something like this always comes to mind  -

 

 

[tian447]

Craig Levein says that Craig Levein pick, Ian Cathro, was the perfect manager for Hearts under Director of Football Craig Levein, and was ahead of his time before being replaced by manager Craig Levein. 

[soonbe110]

3 hours ago, copa-mundial said:

Levein and Cathro. 

Are their Hearts records not worst and second worst respectively?

No

[1971fozzy]

Apart from the odd sledgehammer comment about the likes of the erse cheeks   , there’s nothing I want to hear from Levein about the mess he presided over both as DOF and manager apart from a full on apology.  His words are empty to me when he tries to justify this and that.  We are in this position because of him 

[Hook]

17 minutes ago, NANOJAMBO said:

I would love to have been a fly on the wall at his job interview with AB - something like this always comes to mind  -

 

 

 
😂😂

[NANOJAMBO]

24 minutes ago, tian447 said:

Craig Levein says that Craig Levein pick, Ian Cathro, was the perfect manager for Hearts under Director of Football Craig Levein, and was ahead of his time before being replaced by manager Craig Levein. 

I read in that in an Ian Hislop voice 

[been here before]

I always felt a bit sorry for Cathro. Utterly out his depth as a No 1 but probably a really good coach, he should never have been given the job in the first place, he was just never up to it.

 

Constantly looked like a shellshocked scared wee laddie caught in the headlights of an oncoming juggernaut. 

 

That interview after the 1-1 cup draw with Raith was excrutiating.

[ollie2004]

4 hours ago, heartsfan said:

Haven't seen this posted yet ..... From The Courier:

 

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/1772416/ex-dundee-united-boss-craig-levein-says-ian-cathro-is-ahead-of-his-time-when-it-comes-to-coaching-as-he-delivers-his-verdict-on-where-it-went-wrong-for-rookie-boss-at-hearts/

Ex-Dundee United boss Craig Levein says Ian Cathro ‘ahead of his time’ at coaching as he delivers verdict on why rookie boss failed at Hearts

 

Craig Levein believes Ian Cathro is “ahead of his time” when it comes to coaching.

But the former Scotland and Dundee United boss says a lack of life experience and media savvy were to blame for Cathro’s disastrous spell in the Hearts hot seat.

The Dundonian, 34, lasted seven months in the role before being sacked in August 2017.

It was a huge blow for Cathro, whose star had been on the rise thanks to his work at the Tangerines’ academy and coaching roles at Rio Ave and Valencia with Nuno Espirito Santo, and Newcastle United under Steve McClaren and Rafa Benitez.

Top-flight coaching credentials

His old Tannadice mentor Levein told the Football Daft podcast: “When Robbie (Neilson) left, Ian Cathro was my idea.

“I’d worked with Ian at Dundee United and I convinced the board to take a chance on him. That didn’t work.

“There’s no doubting his coaching capabilities.

“But his life experience and being put in the hot seat, I don’t think he was quite ready for it.”

Cathro – branded a laptop manager by his critics during his time at Tynecastle – is now a key member of Wolves’ backroom team in the English Premier League.

 

And Levein admits he is yet to sit down with his former protégé to discuss the Jambos episode.

He said: “I haven’t had the chance to do that. He’s at Wolves with Nuno after being at Rio Ave in Portugal with him, and then to Valencia.

“They met on an SFA A-Licence course.

“I do think he is on the coaching front (ahead of his time).

‘Ian Cathro was brilliant with the players’

“But in Scotland you’ve got to play the game with the media. I don’t think it was something Ian took too seriously.

“He thought he could just sort of fob people off and it wasn’t the most important thing he had to deal with.

“It’s just my opinion – he wasn’t engaging enough (with them) to get them onside.

“The other thing is, he was brilliant with the players. But the media stuff was a real problem for him.”

You know CL might know something we do not know nor understand. IC might not be a number one coach but he certainly has something going by his efforts st Wolves. He seems to be doing well there.

Not a big fan but obviously is respected by other football people.

[Dagger Is Back]

You'd think after making a pigs ear out of things you'd just want to scuttle off and keep a low profile? Not CL. He's here, there and everywhere but none of it is his fault

 

 

[Rudy T]

Levein treated Hearts like his own personal toy. Like a kid getting a science kit for Christmas. Had all these mad ideas when one didn't work he just moved on to the next one. None of them worked. He wasted millions of pounds and we're a shitshow now. He should keep his mouth shut on Hearts.

[SomethingAboutObua]

Thought it was very well established that Cathro didn't do any fitness with the players and they were all worried about it/it eventually showed in the matches? 

[Glottis]

A good coach maybe but a totally shit manager when it came to team selection, tactics and substitutions. Things that are pretty crucial to management.

[Yoda]

4 hours ago, indianajones said:

Both total losers. 

 

Arseholes have helped ruin this club. 

100% this.

 

Levein is such an arrogant pr1ck, he doesn't see his own mistakes.

[Spellczech]

28 minutes ago, SomethingAboutObua said:

Thought it was very well established that Cathro didn't do any fitness with the players and they were all worried about it/it eventually showed in the matches? 

Not trying to be smart but can professional footballers not do their own fitness work? Wighton managed to change his entire physique during lockdown...

 

There are things Cathro got very wrong but conducting beep tests and running laps surely cannot be one of them?

[jack D and coke]

More “if only” shite from Levein. 
He can’t actually see they are merely his opinions and not facts. 
As long as Ian Cathro has a hole in his arse he will never be a manager. 

[SomethingAboutObua]

6 minutes ago, Spellczech said:

Not trying to be smart but can professional footballers not do their own fitness work? Wighton managed to change his entire physique during lockdown...

 

There are things Cathro got very wrong but conducting beep tests and running laps surely cannot be one of them?

I totally agree, but unfortunately in Scottish football, as manager you have to do the fitness stuff as well. Didn't Kirk Broadfoot complain about that with Angelo Alessio at Killie? Was in shock that the players had been asked to do the fitness stuff on their own. Alessio got dumped and Broadfoot brought back too. 

No wonder the leagues and national side are where they're at on the european stage. 


 

[jack D and coke]

5 minutes ago, SomethingAboutObua said:

I totally agree, but unfortunately in Scottish football, as manager you have to do the fitness stuff as well. Didn't Kirk Broadfoot complain about that with Angelo Alessio at Killie? Was in shock that the players had been asked to do the fitness stuff on their own. Alessio got dumped and Broadfoot brought back too. 

No wonder the leagues and national side are where they're at on the european stage. 


 

Look at the media objections and insinuations about Stendel. The ***** on the radio etc touting old ****ing dinosaurs like Tommy Wright instead. 
Sickening tbh. 

[Lone Striker]

For some reason Cathro seems to be trusted  and valued by Nuno at Wolves, same as he was by Benitez at Newcastle when CL invited him to become head coach at Hearts.   You have to wonder why Cathro agreed to it - surely he would be operating and earning at a higher level with Newcastle than what Hearts could offer him ?

 

Could it be  that the Box Soccer disciples had formed some kind of masonic pact to give each other jobs.  🙄

 

 

[Riccarton3]

Even a cursory thought to the players Cathro would be working  with, their mentality, expectations, pishness, would advise against such an appointment. Add in the all to predictable media onslaught. VANITY PROJECT FOR CLUB LUCKY TO BE IN EXISTENCE. 

 

A more measured build up of culture around the club was what was needed after a scary admin period along with a level of humility we could all respect.

 

 

[Pasquale for King]

6 hours ago, heartsfan said:

Haven't seen this posted yet ..... From The Courier:

 

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/1772416/ex-dundee-united-boss-craig-levein-says-ian-cathro-is-ahead-of-his-time-when-it-comes-to-coaching-as-he-delivers-his-verdict-on-where-it-went-wrong-for-rookie-boss-at-hearts/

Ex-Dundee United boss Craig Levein says Ian Cathro ‘ahead of his time’ at coaching as he delivers verdict on why rookie boss failed at Hearts

 

Craig Levein believes Ian Cathro is “ahead of his time” when it comes to coaching.

But the former Scotland and Dundee United boss says a lack of life experience and media savvy were to blame for Cathro’s disastrous spell in the Hearts hot seat.

The Dundonian, 34, lasted seven months in the role before being sacked in August 2017.

It was a huge blow for Cathro, whose star had been on the rise thanks to his work at the Tangerines’ academy and coaching roles at Rio Ave and Valencia with Nuno Espirito Santo, and Newcastle United under Steve McClaren and Rafa Benitez.

Top-flight coaching credentials

His old Tannadice mentor Levein told the Football Daft podcast: “When Robbie (Neilson) left, Ian Cathro was my idea.

“I’d worked with Ian at Dundee United and I convinced the board to take a chance on him. That didn’t work.

“There’s no doubting his coaching capabilities.

“But his life experience and being put in the hot seat, I don’t think he was quite ready for it.”

Cathro – branded a laptop manager by his critics during his time at Tynecastle – is now a key member of Wolves’ backroom team in the English Premier League.

 

And Levein admits he is yet to sit down with his former protégé to discuss the Jambos episode.

He said: “I haven’t had the chance to do that. He’s at Wolves with Nuno after being at Rio Ave in Portugal with him, and then to Valencia.

“They met on an SFA A-Licence course.

“I do think he is on the coaching front (ahead of his time).

‘Ian Cathro was brilliant with the players’

“But in Scotland you’ve got to play the game with the media. I don’t think it was something Ian took too seriously.

“He thought he could just sort of fob people off and it wasn’t the most important thing he had to deal with.

“It’s just my opinion – he wasn’t engaging enough (with them) to get them onside.

“The other thing is, he was brilliant with the players. But the media stuff was a real problem for him.”

Brilliant coach, no evidence of this. 
Loved by the players, no evidence of this. 
Fob the media off, like you did. You didn’t even turn up for his unveiling and never did any media when you were DoF. 
Not ready, why did you give him the job.

More excuses for another of his failures, never his fault. 

[Pasquale for King]

56 minutes ago, Lone Striker said:

For some reason Cathro seems to be trusted  and valued by Nuno at Wolves, same as he was by Benitez at Newcastle when CL invited him to become head coach at Hearts.   You have to wonder why Cathro agreed to it - surely he would be operating and earning at a higher level with Newcastle than what Hearts could offer him ?

 

Could it be  that the Box Soccer disciples had formed some kind of masonic pact to give each other jobs.  🙄

 

 

I’m not sure if Benitez liked him that much, they let him go easily. 
I think he sets up training schedules and analyses other teams. He’s not a coach more of an football analyst who isn’t good with grown ups. 
Levein barely hired anyone he didn’t know, Macphee being the only one I can think of. All the coaches and a fair amount of the players played for him, or under his coaches. 
Box soccer is the crap we saw yesterday I think. 

Edited November 29, 2020 by Pasquale for King

[Pasquale for King]

2 hours ago, ollie2004 said:

You know CL might know something we do not know nor understand. IC might not be a number one coach but he certainly has something going by his efforts st Wolves. He seems to be doing well there.

Not a big fan but obviously is respected by other football people.

Could make good coffee, I think he’s more computer led than anything as he’s always got his laptop with him. 

[NANOJAMBO]

1 hour ago, Lone Striker said:

For some reason Cathro seems to be trusted  and valued by Nuno at Wolves, same as he was by Benitez at Newcastle when CL invited him to become head coach at Hearts.   You have to wonder why Cathro agreed to it - surely he would be operating and earning at a higher level with Newcastle than what Hearts could offer him ?

 

Could it be  that the Box Soccer disciples had formed some kind of masonic pact to give each other jobs.  🙄

 

 

I know for sure he wasn't offered a job at Wolves,  he approached Nuno after he got sacked and things developed. He's obviously got skills but he's only one of a large team of coaches at Wolves.  When I'm at Molineux I'm always struck by how socially awkward Cathro looks amongst the players/coaches. 

At Newcastle I think he was one of a few (the only one ?) kept on when Rafa arrived - and possibly because he speaks fluent Spanish helped save him. 

 

[Governor Tarkin]

Another nugget from 'oor Craig'. 

 

 

[Thomaso]

3 hours ago, been here before said:

I always felt a bit sorry for Cathro. Utterly out his depth as a No 1 but probably a really good coach, he should never have been given the job in the first place, he was just never up to it.

 

Constantly looked like a shellshocked scared wee laddie caught in the headlights of an oncoming juggernaut. 

 

That interview after the 1-1 cup draw with Raith was excrutiating.

He had the charisma of a goldfish.

[been here before]

16 minutes ago, Cruickshank for Scotland said:

He had the charisma of a goldfish.

 

Would you consider that to have held you back in life?