Levein: Hearts don't merit tag of tough guys

ALAN PATTULLO

HEARTS head coach Craig Levein has become riled by the lack of respect granted his in-form side, who he believes have been demeaned simply for being powerful.

This week should go a long way to deciding Hearts’ fate with regard to the coveted UEFA Cup place guaranteed by finishing in third place. Tonight, Hearts take on Livingston in a rescheduled fixture, while on Saturday Levein’s side travel to Dunfermline where they will face their nearest challengers for this European spot.

Neither appointment can be called attractive. Hearts have still to beat Livingston in the league at Almondvale since the side were promoted three seasons ago, while their only visit to Dunfermline’s new artificial pitch resulted in a 2-1 loss at the end of last year.

To prevail in both games, Levein knows his side will require the same determination and battling qualities paraded on so many occasions this season. These, he was at pains to point out yesterday, are not the only qualities at their disposal. Not that he was about to apologise for a robust approach to the game.

Dundee United manager Ian McCall on Saturday became the latest manager to make the observation that Hearts are a side who trade on their brawn. The statistics might back his viewpoint up: Hearts lead the bookings league with 53, including two against United on Saturday. They have also committed more fouls than any other team in the SPL.

Levein, though, is adamant that Hearts are merely playing as their club motif would suggest - with passion. They are not dirty, even if McCall did also question why midfielder Patrick Kisnorbo was allowed to commit seven fouls before being booked.

"It irritates me a little when other teams say we are a big, strong side, as if there is something wrong with that," said Levein. "We try to win matches and that’s what it is all about. We don’t have the money to go out and buy world-class players. What we have to do instead is get the guys working hard and get them as organised as we can. We have to get them hungry to go out and win tackles and headers. You have to use every weapon you have if you want to win games."Hearts have been beaten only by Rangers and Celtic since the turn of the year, and are becoming an ever more resolute force. Levein puts this down to having players who refuse to be disheartened by setbacks. Against United, the Tynecastle side saw their first-half lead cancelled out, but within a further 20 minutes had scored twice to quell this hint of a comeback.

"It is not a conscious decision [to be battlers]," he said. "It is just the players we have. Guys like Steven Pressley, Andy Webster, Alan Maybury, Patrick Kisnorbo, Mark de Vries and Robbie Neilson, they are all competitors. Once we managed to get a more comfortable lead on Saturday, we then started to play more reasonable stuff. If you don’t get the upper hand on the physical side of things then you are not allowed to play."

Levein knows it will be another bruising encounter this evening as Livingston seek to return to winning ways after Saturday’s loss at Dens Park. Another defeat tonight for the home side and they can surely suspend thoughts of a return to the UEFA Cup, though with the club now in administration more pressing objectives need to be met.

Hearts, too, have off-pitch concerns but must remain sufficiently focused over the next five days if they wish to see a six-point lead over their nearest challengers extend to 12 by Saturday evening. But Levein won’t contemplate Dunfermline until a difficult enough trip to Livingston has been negotiated."There is no disgrace going there and getting a point. But we’ll try and go for the three. That would make it extremely difficult for them [Livingston] to catch us."

Midfielder Phil Stamp is rated extremely doubtful after taking a knock to a knee on Saturday while Livingston defender Jamie McAllister is also struggling after damaging a hamstring at Dundee.

The wing-back is one of a handful of players at the West Lothian club who should be knocking on the door of Berti Vogts’ Scotland squad, according to Allan Preston, the Livingston coach. Preston believe the club’s unfashionable status and lack of TV exposure is hindering the chances of their players catching Vogts’ eye.

Livingston have several Scots in their starting XI, including David McNamee, Derek Lilley and Jamie McAllister. The trio have been in good form this season as Livingston have survived the trauma of administration to climb into sixth place in the Bank of Scotland Premierleague and can look forward to a CIS Insurance Cup final date against Hibernian next month.

But despite Vogts seemingly trawling the length-and-breadth of Britain for players, Livingston players have been conspicuous by their absence in recent international squads.

Preston said: "I don’t want to criticise Berti Vogts because we’ve been in the papers in recent weeks as well and it’s not nice. But when it comes to showing live games on the television then we are at the bottom of the pile and people can’t see how our players are performing.

"I played with Tosh McKinlay at Hearts and he left for Celtic and within a week he was in the Scotland squad. What had changed in a week? It was the same with Calum Davidson, who left St Johnstone to go to Blackburn, he was in the Scotland squad after a fortnight."

Meanwhile, Tom English, one of the players sacked by Livingston when they went into administration, has signed for Partick Thistle.

Taken from the Scotsman