Ravanelli Applies For Hearts Job

[ScoRoss 453]

Is it a case of 'too many cooks' at Hearts?

[Inverted 1,268]

I honestly don't know enough about the setup at Hearts rn, but some parts of the reaction to this are, to me, symptomatic of the outdated view towards footballing structures at clubs in Scotland, and Britain generally.

In Germany, for example, DoFs frequently sit on the bench on matchdays. How would the old guard in the media here react to that? One can only imagine.

[trago 6]

34 minutes ago, Inverted said:

I honestly don't know enough about the setup at Hearts rn, but some parts of the reaction to this are, to me, symptomatic of the outdated view towards footballing structures at clubs in Scotland, and Britain generally.

In Germany, for example, DoFs frequently sit on the bench on matchdays. How would the old guard in the media here react to that? One can only imagine.

Imho a modern and realistic view of Scottish football from you there inverted. 

From my point of view, we always knew this was a risky appointment. But the majority agreed it was a great appointment based on Cathro's potential. The pant wetters are out in force amongst the Hearts support as we are not second and not challenging Celtic. So this gives them reason to question, Cathro, Levein and Budge. The Scottish football industry are up in arms, because if this was a successful appointment then how would Mark McGee, Jimmy Calderwood, Gordon Strachen, Gary Locke etc etc get another gig. They wouldn't, because the hunt would be on for the next young coach who doesn't think and act like all the dinosaurs we currently have excelling in our game. 

 

To to the original point, who's in charge, I bloody well hope Levein is supporting Cathro in what he can see and how we can change things to influence games. WTF is the point of a DOF if he isn't going to support, coach and probably on occasion, fall out with his coaching staff. 

We just need to grow up in this country and understand, the tried and tested has got us to absolute rock bottom in the footballing world. Let's try something new (for this country, about 40 years old everywhere else 😂) and if it fails, let give the Hearts job to that no mark, Mark McGee. 

[ScoRoss 453]

On 21/03/2017 at 8:17 PM, Inverted said:

I honestly don't know enough about the setup at Hearts rn, but some parts of the reaction to this are, to me, symptomatic of the outdated view towards footballing structures at clubs in Scotland, and Britain generally.

In Germany, for example, DoFs frequently sit on the bench on matchdays. How would the old guard in the media here react to that? One can only imagine.

When results have been as poor as Hearts' have been recently, it can't come as a surprise that their methods are being questioned. Whether this has a role to play in their slump is another question. If they fail to make Europe, you'd have to catagorise this season as a failure. Especially with the lead they had over St Johnstone just a few months ago.

[Inverted 1,268]

16 minutes ago, ScoRoss said:

When results have been as poor as Hearts' have been recently, it can't come as a surprise that their methods are being questioned. Whether this has a role to play in their slump is another question. If they fail to make Europe, you'd have to catagorise this season as a failure. Especially with the lead they had over St Johnstone just a few months ago.

Yeah absolutely, the way the season has deteriorated so dramatically can't be excused.

I just feel that a lot of commentators are lapping up the opportunity to attack the more continental DoF model without any solid rational explanation of its faults beyond "well, Hearts aren't doing well right now". 

[trago 6]

IMHO Hearts must continue with this structure. 

Cathro must be given a fair chance to develop his team and get his ideas across. Would it be a disaster if we didn't qualify for Europe this season, actually no it wouldn't because it would allow the management team to have a proper preseason. We didn't have one this season. We didn't have a single preseason game. We went straight into euro qualifiers and got bumped out by a team that really looked in better shape than us. 

We have brought in 11 players during January, that was always going to be difficult to land. Some have looked ok others, not so!!

However the real reason I believe we need to continue with this structure is Riccarton. This is the whole ethos behind our DOF plans for the future. We will produce our own, sell them on and invest in more of our own. This week, we have signed 8 kids on pro contracts. 8!!!! That's not normal. It's usually about 3 or 4. The club have said all 8 have a really good chance of becoming quality top level players. However the most exciting bit of news was that they believe next years kids will produce a similar number to go pro but looking at the 14's and below, they have said it's off the scale with potential coming through!!

 

Thats why we must stick to the plan. We are fixing a problem at root cause, not sticking a plaster over it. Maybe just maybe, Hearts have discovered something the Spanish, Germans and French discovered 20 years ago. 

[ScoRoss 453]

11 hours ago, trago said:

IMHO Hearts must continue with this structure. 

Cathro must be given a fair chance to develop his team and get his ideas across. Would it be a disaster if we didn't qualify for Europe this season, actually no it wouldn't because it would allow the management team to have a proper preseason. We didn't have one this season. We didn't have a single preseason game. We went straight into euro qualifiers and got bumped out by a team that really looked in better shape than us.

With the League Cup group stages in July, you don't get much of a preseason anyway. At least in Europe, it's a selling point to attract a greater caliber of player. 

[trago 6]

Didn't realise that joke of a competition was starting that early. Yup, Europe may be the lesser of two evils than as you would get a free pass for the group stages then, I guess. 

[ScoRoss 453]

 

[trago 6]

3 hours ago, ScoRoss said:

 

The day he thumped his chest at tynecastle was the day he lost all right to comment on my club. A cup winning captain, who will always have a place in my heart, but apart from that, STFU. 

[ScoRoss 453]

Not a great start to his time as manager.

[Steve Bruce Almighty 2,764]

24% win ratio. Wonder if he will be given the summer?

[trago 6]

On 20/05/2017 at 11:08 PM, Cannabis said:

I met someone who was part of the Supporters Trust at Hearts so I know that there's a bit of a circus going on behind the scenes. Until that is sorted they can hire as many managers as they like with no return.

Not quite sure who told you they were part of the supporters trust. But I do know they were talking bollocks. We don't have a trust. 

If they meant the foundation, then again everyone that wants to be involved can pay their monthly subs and consider themselves part of the club (there is currently over 8000 of us all paying monthly direct debits). If by circus, they mean director of football, then again, not really worth listening too. 

 

Unfortunately, Hearts fans have become proper dicks with some sort of self entitlement. Apparently we should be challenging for cups and titles every year. What this is based on, I have no idea. In my 45 years, we have won 3 Scottish cups!!!!

If by "no return" he meant, winning the Championship in record time, record goals and possibly points (I can't remember tbh), finishing 3rd on our return to the top flight, raising the capital to allow us to rebuild the main stand and then finally owning the club. Then yes, I agree, he does have a point, there is indeed a circus behind the scenes!!!

[trago 6]

On 20/05/2017 at 10:00 PM, HoneyNUFC said:

24% win ratio. Wonder if he will be given the summer?

Yes he will be given the summer. Not sure how long after Christmas if things don't improve though. 

[trago 6]

11 minutes ago, Cannabis said:

He could well have been mate, I literally spent half an hour chatting to him as he sat on my table during lunch-time on holiday. 

In a nut-shell he said that the owners were total bellends who were ruining the club and forced you lot to play young kids that weren't ready which in turn got you relegated. When I said that I supported Everton and we ourselves had a new owner he went off the rails saying that I should be careful what I wish for. 

I'm sure he said that he was part of some Supporters Trust (he definitely banged on about attending meetings within the club etc...) but could have mis-heard him or as you said fallen for his bollocks. Either way, it's good to see that you're doing well as Hearts are a massive club in Scotland for me. 

 

Sounds like a typical Jambo, full of shite. I love them dearly, but my god, we don't half talk shite. 

Yeah we are doing ok, shocking season, really disappointed, but I've had a lifetime of that so no real change. 

Maybe im the one that's wrong and that lad was right, but every single close season, no matter how bad the previous season was, I'm up for it and ready to run away with the title.

 

Hopefully before I die!! 

 

On another matter, how do you feel about moving from goodison?? I'd be gutted btw. I love Fratton Park and Goodison Park. My two favourite English grounds. 

[ScoRoss 453]

Whoever was in charge of recruitment, they need to improve. Six of their January signings have already left the club. Given the chance to have a full preseason and working with the team, I'd expect better results from Hearts.

[trago 6]

9 hours ago, Cannabis said:

I'm gutted as it's the only ground I've ever known us to play in and it's a proper football ground. It's not as though I'm an Arsenal fan that was born in 2010 and has only known the Emirates. The stadium is a huge part of the club that I love and to suddenly not go there anymore will be a surreal and sad feeling, hopefully we ensure that these last 2-3 years are successful ones so that we can say goodbye to the Old Lady in the style she deserves. 

That said, we need a bigger stadium to move along with the times and I'm happy to see that we are doing things the right way. We've found a really nice spot in the docks and have an architect that is known throughout the world for the stadiums he has built such as the Staples Center (LA Lakers) and the Stadio Della Roma (AS Roma). Add to that the backing from billionaire Farhad Moshiri and we should be on the right track to success. 

If you haven't been to Goodison Park yet then I would definitely make the journey. It's a wonderful place and it sadly won't be around for much longer.

I've been, I agree with your sentiment exactly. Goodison is a proper football ground. Sadly for you to compete consistently at the next level you probably do have to move. 

Sometimes progress isn't the most palatable option 😥

I would be gutted if Hearts every decided to leave Tynecastle. 

[ScoRoss 453]

 

[Steve Bruce Almighty 2,764]

Quote

 

Hearts legend Gary Mackay says it is time the club admitted that appointing Ian Cathro as head coach was a mistake.

The 31-year-old, who took over in December 2016, is under increasing pressure after the Jambos were knocked out of the League Cup on Saturday.

"Hearts fans would respect it more if someone came out and admitted we've made a mistake," Mackay told BBC Sportsound.

"Look at it from December, it's been a mistake, no-one can question that."

"Hearts need to get back to having a manager running the football team," Mackay, who played for Hearts from 1980 to 1997, added.

"Craig is a stubborn individual. It took him a long time to admit he made a mistake playing 4-6-0 as Scotland manager in the Czech Republic."

 "Ann Budge has come out from the very beginning and said that Craig is in charge of the football department. If you're in charge of the football department then you have to be answerable to what happened on Saturday.

"I didn't like the scenes. I didn't like that it looked like Ann and Craig had to be shepherded away before the penalties, but that is just an impact of the results since (former head coach) Robbie Neilson left the club.

"It's not nice, Ann comes out and faces things, she interacts with the supporters. Craig does a thing at the end of every season with the press, but there has to be more interaction so that supporters have an idea of what's going on behind the scenes, because now we have no idea."

"Ian Cathro's point is massive that as a head coach he talks about improving players and the team, and you can do that," said the 53-year-old.

"What he said after yesterday's game was that Dunfermline wanted it more and that comes from the changing room. Allan Johnston and Sandy Clark were able to get more from the Dunfermline players than Ian Cathro and (assistant) Austin MacPhee were able to get from the Hearts players.

"Finishing third in their group with three part-time teams is not good enough for a club of Hearts' stature."

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40769711

 

[Steve Bruce Almighty 2,764]

Gone.

 

[ScoRoss 453]

Not hugely surprising. Has been a disastrous appointment. Relegation form since he took over.

Must be some sort of record being sacked even before a league game has been played.

[Smiley Culture 1,278]

Terrible appointment but I can't help but think this is terrible timing from the club, too. 

They've let him have the whole pre-season to bring players in and let some players go, now the new man only gets less than a month to do anything, if there is anything left in the bank to do some business with, that is. Cathro's form at the back end of last season was abysmal so there's a case there to say it should have happened then. 

[ScoRoss 453]

Paul Hartley, Steven Pressley, Tommy Wright and interim boss John Daly have also been linked with the permanent position.

[Steve Bruce Almighty 2,764]

Hope they go for Ravanelli, something different

[Smiley Culture 1,278]

Think they'll go for the tried and tested over the 'unknown quantity' after the disaster that was Cathro's tenure. 

 

[Steve Bruce Almighty 2,764]

But WeirdWorld said Cathro was world class and too good for Newcastle

[ScoRoss 453]

Whoever comes in (or promoted from within) will have to conform within the club's structure as it is right now. Levein will not be going anywhere, which people are split on, and Austin MacPhee will be the assistant manager for whoever is next.

Whatever happens next for Cathro, I hope he still has some success in football. It's a awful big jump to have your first managerial appointment at a club the size of Hearts. Maybe go down a level and can work with a smaller club with much less pressure for immediate results. 

[ScoRoss 453]

Two more men linked with the role. Both seem to have their reputations sunk in England in recent years.

 

[Smiley Culture 1,278]

Steve McClaren also said to be on the 'shortlist'. It seems Hearts are intent on a relegation battle this year. 

[ScoRoss 453]