Levein has no regrets over loss of McKenzie

ANGUS WRIGHT

HEARTS head coach Craig Levein insists he was right to let Roddy McKenzie leave Tynecastle for Livingston, despite the former Hearts No 1 now looking like one of the best goalkeepers in the Bank of Scotland Premierleague.

McKenzie had ten seasons at the Gorgie club, but failed to establish himself as first choice and the West Lothian side rescued him on a free transfer in the summer.

The 27-year-old has responded with an impressive run of form which saw him keep five successive clean sheets on the way to winning the SPL player of the month award for October. But Levein, who will see McKenzie at first hand when Livingston visit Tynecastle this afternoon, said: "I’m delighted for Roddy because he’s a smashing boy and it’s great to see him make a career for himself.

"But he needed to leave here. He’d been here too long and had seen too many other keepers come in as No 1.

"Roddy was always No 2 and that tag can stick with a player so it was vital for him to get away. I think he got into a bit of a rut through no fault of his own. Sometimes its good for a player to move to a new club, you go in their there with your slate wiped clean and trying to do your best. If he had stayed at Tynecastle perhaps he wouldn’t have performed as well."

Levein expects a tough match against Livingston today and praised caretaker manager David Hay for turning the West Lothian side’s fortunes around after head coach Marcio Maximo departed suddenly to go back to Brazil.

Levein said: "It doesn’t surprise me that Livingston have picked up because David knows the game and his enormous experience is invaluable. People like to put down Scottish managers but David Hay has great depth of knowledge not only about the game in Scotland but about football in general.

"They’ve been playing a settled side recently which always helps and we’ll be expecting a tough 90 minutes."

• Hearts’ UEFA Cup opponents Girondins Bordeaux will hope their improved form under new coach Michel Pavon continues when they host Olympique Marseille in a French Ligue 1 match today.

Taken from the Scotsman