Mackay: Levein and I fell out... He maybe won't pick me for his dream team but I have to put him in mine

HEARTS legend picks his Hearts Dream Team in new book.
Gary Mackay, former hearts player who has written a book about his playing days Gary Mackay, former hearts player who has written a book about his playing days

GARY MACKAY admits he doesn’t see eye to eye with Craig Levein – but that doesn’t mean he can’t admire the man who is striving to take Scotland back to the World Cup stage.

The two Hearts legends fell out during Levein’s reign as Tynecastle boss in 2004 when Mackay was an outspoken critic against chairman Chris Robinson’s turbulent regime.

Fortunately, their fall-out never got as serious as Levein’s infamous fight that left team-mate Graeme Hogg flat-out on the pitch during a pre-season “friendly”. But they remain far from bosom buddies.

Yet Mackay could not ignore Levein when it came to picking his Hearts Dream Team, slotting him in to a fantasy central defence beside Sandy Jardine.

And his admiration of Levein’s skills in the dug-out meant he was considered for the manager’s role in his wishlist of Hearts’ greats.

In the first of a two-part serialisation of his new book, Mackay said: “A lot has been made of my relationship with Craig.

“We would both admit we are not close friends.

“But after being given the honour of picking my Hearts Dream Team I was never going to ignore Craig just because I had a fall-out with him.

“I am not saying he would put me in his Dream Team but I’m not bearing a grudge with Craig because I admire him as a player.

“There is never going to be a changing room when everybody gets on. You have closer friendships, people you have more of a respect for and things evolve from there.

“With others, you keep your distance – and it was a bit like that with Craig and me.

“Looking back, maybe part of the reason for the friction was that Craig was very singleminded and opinionated. Very much like me.

“Our fall-out came when I started my agency business, which involved Hearts player Graham Weir who was up for contract renewal – but things were not going well.

“I said the way that Robinson was running the club, what with the fear Tynecastle would be sold, that people should not buy season tickets.

“Craig was disgusted and had every reason to feel that way.

“He was a manager who needed the fans and their money to help pay for players to strengthen his team.

“I felt I had every right to say what I did because of my lifelong loyalty and devotion to Hearts that Craig would be the first to admit he could not come close to matching.

“I am still falling out with people in this day and age – and, no doubt, so is Craig.

“Our fall-out still does not diminish my respect for him as a footballer. But for his injury Craig would have played for a top club, not just in Britain but in Europe.

“And as a manager I felt he handled himself superbly during a difficult period at the club under Robinson. That experience stood him in good stead when he faced difficult times at Leicester City – and he bounced back very well from there at Dundee United and now as Scotland manager.

Scotland manager Craig Levein Scotland manager Craig Levein

“Out of everybody in the Hearts dressing-room it does not surprise me that Craig went on to be the most successful of any of us from a managerial point of view.

“His drive was always there and, in football as in life, you need to have a great intelligence and be strong enough to know how to put that knowledge across to others.

“Craig knows how to do that well and get the best out of his players.

“Off the pitch, like all born winners, Craig was a competitive character and I don’t remember him losing many bets when the squad played head tennis for money on the Friday before matches.

“He even showed his leadership qualities on nights out when he would take on the role of master of ceremonies at the karaoke!

“He’d draw names out of a hat to decide who would sing next.

“The rule was that no song could be sung twice, as David Weir – just a young man at the time on his first Christmas night out at Hearts – discovered to his cost.

“He had been singing along to Wonderwall by Oasis in his car coming to training, as he was scared he would make a fool of himself.

“Having spent years murdering so many songs myself, let me assure you that Davie needn’t have worried!

“But as a new player at Tynecastle he didn’t know the rules. And after 22 awful versions of every song under the sun, the last names in the hat were Davie’s and Colin Cameron.

“I have never seen anybody’s face drop as much as Davie’s did when Colin got up and sang Wonderwall.

“He had no back-up plan and although I can’t remember what he sang, he murdered it.

“Suffice to say he always had a song in reserve for future nights out.

“These nights play a huge part in fostering team spirit and Craig was always at the heart of that.

“Although I’m not sure he did much for dressing-room harmony with that famous incident with Hogg.

“I don’t know the reason why they started fighting but I know why Craig was able to finish it so quickly.

“Our first-team coaches George McNeill and Bert Logan introduced some techniques used by boxers to boost our fitness – and one of those was circuits with a speedball.

“That’s the wee ball that hangs from the ceiling for boxers to hit repeatedly to help their hand-to-eye co-ordination.

“It takes a long time to get the speedball right and I struggled at first – but Craig was fantastic.

“I always maintain the way Craig laid out Graeme was down to an ability developed on the speedball.

“He was so quick with his fists that Graeme had no chance. Muhammad Ali couldn’t have put together a better punching combination.”

Adapted by EUAN McLEAN

Gary Mackay's Hearts Drean Team book Gary Mackay's Hearts Drean Team book

Gary Mackay is the Jambos’ greatest servant – so no one is better qualified to choose the all-time Hearts Dream Team.

Mackay considered around 80 of the best players ever to wear the maroon before chosing his ultimate first XI.

His team, unveiled in a new book presented by Black & White Publishing, is bound to spark debate among Hearts fans of all ages – but Mackay draws on his own memories and insights to state a strong case for his team.

Gary Mackay’s Hearts Dream team is available now, priced £11.99.

Taken from the Daily Record