Ian Cathro set to be appointed Hearts Manager?

[bodacious benny]

Neil Lennon always seemed like a grade A d*******.

[Alfie]

I said Cathro wouldn't stay long when he first came to us, he only saw us as a stepping stone.

In other news Sammy Lee has left the England set up today, maybe planning to reunite with Rafa?

He's got a lot of experience but was a useless manager for Bolton, not cut out to manage but a decent coach.

[overseasTOON]

Imo this will be a huge mistake. He is still very young and wouldn't have best opportunity to learn from one of the best tacticians in the modern football. And moving to Scotland...

It seems a good match up to me as Hearts are not going to win the title and there is little expectation from the Hearts board for him to do so.

All he has to do is keep league momentum going to challenge for a European spot and keep cup runs going. Also, Hearts have a pretty decent record of bringing through homegrown young talent into the senior squad and that seems like something Cathro would be happy to do.

[beatski]

I said Cathro wouldn't stay long when he first came to us, he only saw us as a stepping stone.

In other news Sammy Lee has left the England set up today, maybe planning to reunite with Rafa?

He's got a lot of experience but was a useless manager for Bolton, not cut out to manage but a decent coach.

[jpg]

I said Cathro wouldn't stay long when he first came to us, he only saw us as a stepping stone.

In other news Sammy Lee has left the England set up today, maybe planning to reunite with Rafa?

He's got a lot of experience but was a useless manager for Bolton, not cut out to manage but a decent coach.

[TJR]

We should get Shola in as Cathros replacement. Future Newcastle manager so why not learn from one if the best managers on the planet in Rafa. Would be a great move all round.

[bodacious benny]

[Toondes]

f*** me. I can't work TJR out !

[Colback's Orange Tufts]

**** me. I can't work TJR out !

He must be having us on

[jimcruickshank]

[quote="beardface"]Hearts previous manager just joined MK Dons. Shows the level of the SPL.

Does Cathro's move say something about the level of the English Championship or does that logic only work one way?

[Colback's Orange Tufts]

Hearts previous manager just joined MK Dons. Shows the level of the SPL.

Does Cathro's move say something about the level of the English Championship or does that logic only work one way?

Well he's going from assistant to manager, which is a huge step up. So doesn't really say much about the relative strengths of the championship and spl.

[jimcruickshank]

Imo this will be a huge mistake. He is still very young and wouldn't have best opportunity to learn from one of the best tacticians in the modern football. And moving to Scotland...

It seems a good match up to me as Hearts are not going to win the title and there is little expectation from the Hearts board for him to do so.

All he has to do is keep league momentum going to challenge for a European spot and keep cup runs going. Also, Hearts have a pretty decent record of bringing through homegrown young talent into the senior squad and that seems like something Cathro would be happy to do.

Agreed. The Hearts model is to have a young head coach in charge with a director of football in overall charge of football matters. Structure around the head coach will remain the same so there will be no need for massive transition when a head coach leaves. That was the model that was decided on when exiting administration. Developing young players is a stated aim in order to achieve a sustainable club.

It's working well so far.

Not an easy gig though. Expectations of the fans (full house every week) may exceed those of the board. Although Europe is now the target for this season both the board and the fans will be looking for season on season progress.

[jimcruickshank]

Well he's going from assistant to manager, which is a huge step up. So doesn't really say much about the relative strengths of the championship and spl.

Yes I agree but maybe to make a better point about Beardface's comment. If someone leaves a club who are fourth in La Liga and qualified for the Champions League to go to a similar position in a club near the foot of the English Premier league then I don't immediately think that La Liga is s***e.

[Duke]

I'd say the SPL is about League One level, Celtic aside who would be a good Championship side or relegation strugglers in the Premier League.

It's a bit like the MLS in that players who haven't made it in England or elsewhere can move there and be world beaters. Unfortunately the clubs don't seem to be able to attract top talent which is a shame as they're generally well supported.

[jimcruickshank]

I'd say the SPL is about League One level, Celtic aside who would be a good Championship side or relegation strugglers in the Premier League.

It's a bit like the MLS in that players who haven't made it in England or elsewhere can move there and be world beaters. Unfortunately the clubs don't seem to be able to attract top talent which is a shame as they're generally well supported.

There are a significant number who are about League one level that's true and while Celtic are certainly better than the "rest", I don't think the "rest" are a homogeneous group. Hearts, Rangers and Aberdeen are about Championship level, Hamilton, Kilmarnock, Partick, ICT, Dundee, Ross County and Motherwell are about League one level. St Johnstone are somewhere between the two groups.

So I don't have a terrifically different view from you. It just irks me when the ill-informed find any excuse to make assumptions based on the most irrelevant evidence.

Take MultipleJesuses for example. A guy who doesn't even manage in the Scottish Premier walks into a pub and no-one speaks to him. Conclusion: the Scottish Premier must be rubbish.

Generally those who criticise the Scottish Premier fall into two categories. Those who know hee-haw about it and those who just know hee-haw!!!

[Remember Colo]

I'd say the SPL is about League One level, Celtic aside who would be a good Championship side or relegation strugglers in the Premier League.

It's a bit like the MLS in that players who haven't made it in England or elsewhere can move there and be world beaters. Unfortunately the clubs don't seem to be able to attract top talent which is a shame as they're generally well supported.

I know Bradley Wright-Phillips has gotten a lot of attention for his success in MLS compared to his status prior to moving across the pond (he really only performed well in League 1), but more often than not most failed players from England also fail in the MLS, and rarely do they ever become stars. I don't disagree that the league doesn't compare in quality to the PL (obviously), but I think the "failed international players becoming world beaters in America" is overstated a bit, and that happens as more of an exception than a rule.

[Duke]

I'd say the SPL is about League One level, Celtic aside who would be a good Championship side or relegation strugglers in the Premier League.

It's a bit like the MLS in that players who haven't made it in England or elsewhere can move there and be world beaters. Unfortunately the clubs don't seem to be able to attract top talent which is a shame as they're generally well supported.

I know Bradley Wright-Phillips has gotten a lot of attention for his success in MLS compared to his status prior to moving across the pond (he really only performed well in League 1), but more often than not most failed players from England also fail in the MLS, and rarely do they ever become stars. I don't disagree that the league doesn't compare in quality to the PL (obviously), but I think the "failed international players becoming world beaters in America" is overstated a bit, and that happens as more of an exception than a rule.

Yeah maybe. I don't follow the league that much to be honest but I'd like to see it do well. I don't think I can get over the fact Bradley Wright-Phillips of all people is arguably the best striker though. Also Altidore is among the worst players I've ever seen in the PL and he gets a goal every other game

[Remember Colo]

I know Bradley Wright-Phillips has gotten a lot of attention for his success in MLS compared to his status prior to moving across the pond (he really only performed well in League 1), but more often than not most failed players from England also fail in the MLS, and rarely do they ever become stars. I don't disagree that the league doesn't compare in quality to the PL (obviously), but I think the "failed international players becoming world beaters in America" is overstated a bit, and that happens as more of an exception than a rule.

Yeah maybe. I don't follow the league that much to be honest but I'd like to see it do well. I don't think I can get over the fact Bradley Wright-Phillips of all people is arguably the best striker though. Also Altidore is among the worst players I've ever seen in the PL and he gets a goal every other game

For what it's worth, I've watched nearly every match he's played here for Toronto FC, and watched a lot of his play in the PL at Sunderland and Hull, and in all honesty, he doesn't even resemble the player he was in England. I know there's a lot to be said about the level of competition, but the confidence he's playing with right now, his ball control and especially his finishing has been far superior to what he delivered for Sunderland, and it's really obvious because his first season with Toronto after the transfer he looked as bad as he did in the Premier League too. He definitely seems like one of those forwards who relies (too) heavily on confidence, and thankfully in Toronto's run to the MLS cup final this weekend he's full of it.
I'm definitely not saying he's cut out for the Premier League, but he is genuinely is in a great patch of form right now, and if he were parachuted to a decent PL side right now I'm certain he'd look better than he did for his short stint on wearside.

[golasambi]

lived in scotland for long time n gotta agree with ppl in here that its a shame bt hearts a cdecent club. the model themselvs well n this is part of it. p.s. edinburgh isnt in scotland lol

[Rob lee from the half way line]

Good piece in the Telegraph today about Cathro's appointment

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/201 ... ed-humans/